Announcing CALEB JOHN AUST!

On July 10, at 5:20 p.m. Caleb John entered this world and our family. Our little family of three has now become four. Giving birth is the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life, but also the most wonderful and miraculous.

This labor and delivery was much different from Sammy's. Yesterday I decided to be induced by the doctor who delivered Sammy. I felt extremely comfortable with him, and he totally knew my previous delivery situation. He broke my water at 11:00, and allowed me to try and get contractions going on my own for awhile. Eventually he started me on pitocin, and after a couple of hours of no contractions (and a couple of games of Settlers of Catan on Brad's laptop...both of which Brad won...not that I'm bitter or anything) at 2:30 contractions jumped into full gear and were 2 minutes apart. By 4:00 I was dilated to a 6 or 7 and the pain was pretty intense...it's funny how easily we women forget how evil (but necessary) contractions are...and I asked for God's gift straight from heaven...a para cervical block. That’s one big needle directly into my cervix and instantaneous relief for 1 - 1 1/2 hours and freedom to move around. AHHHHHH! By 5:10, the medicine began to wear off, and I had a huge urge to push. My nurse Amy said to go ahead and push once, and Caleb began coming out. She immediately told me to stop, and she called the doctor. Three pushes later, Caleb was out. I'm still shocked by how quickly he came.

I have always been a firm believer in prayer. But yesterday I really, personally felt it. I know that many people were praying for a quick delivery and for him to be small (he was still 8 pounds and 1 ounce) and for me to be able to give birth vaginally. It couldn't have gone more smoothly.

Did I have a great doctor? Yes. Were my nurses amazing? Absolutely. Did my body eventually do exactly what it's designed to do? Yup. But what is pressed on my mind and heart today is that God is a personal God who hears our prayers and desires the best for us. He had the entire situation in His hands, and He's the one ultimately in control...not me, not my doctor, not Caleb or anyone or anything else.

And I'm so glad He is!

The Waiting Game

It is now July 6, and Baby Boy Aust still has not arrived. I've been at our hospital or clinic three times already this week to either have a non-stress test to make sure the baby is still fine. (At my appointment on Monday we learned he has an irregular heartbeat--which will probably right itself after he's born, but I've been to the hospital twice to make sure he's not under any stress and is still active and okay.) Then yesterday morning I had my doctor (who CONVENIENTLY is now on vacation for a week) strip my membranes to see if we could get baby moving. I met with another doctor yesterday, who I also really liked, which I then learned will CONVENIENTLY be gone next week on a missions trip with his son. I just can’t seem to win!

Since I'm dilated to 3 and my cervix is pretty soft and my (water) bag is bulging, I'm a great candidate to be induced simply by breaking my water. (Yeah, no pitocin!) Brad and I considered doing that yesterday morning, but we decided to see if stripping my membranes would get things rolling and to give the baby a little more time to come on his own. I'm still 8 days away from my due date, so we still have some time.

As we were trying to decide to induce or not, the nurses and doctor were placing bets on what we were going to do. (Which I think is hysterical!) The nurses were pretty proud of themselves that they were right...most of them would want the baby to come on his own...but my doctor had no one else in labor that day and he was looking forward to delivering a baby.

I had so many mixed feelings on what to do. I really liked this doctor and felt really comfortable with him...some of the doctors on call this weekend I don't like as much. And I was a good candidate to induce. We had somewhere for Sammy to be Thursday and Friday. Yet something was holding me back. Maybe it was making the final decision on when he'd be born...picking his birthday...not allowing my body to do what God designed it to do...being induced early because of my fear of a large baby and then a c-section...not having a couple more days at home with Brad and Sammy. (Brad's first full vacation day at home was yesterday, and I was really looking forward to that.) I finally decided that it was a combination of fear and lack of trust...fear of having a doctor I had heard not as good of things about, lack of trust that God would take care of me and my baby, not trusting my body to do what it's designed to do, fear of the pain of contractions.

So we spent a wonderful 4th of July with good friends, let Sammy play in her pool, and got a couple of more things done off my list...and off my mind. Plus, Brad has had a couple of relaxing days after a very grueling June schedule. I'm still very big and very uncomfortable, but I've been able to relax and practice my breathing...which should be helpful later on! I have another appointment on Monday with yet another doctor, but I learned that the doctor that delivered Sammy (who had retired shortly after she was born) is filling in and on call on Tuesday. (He was REALLY, REALLY good, and performed para-cervical blocks instead of the traditional epidural...which I loved!) Plus he already knows my special circumstances. So I think we will ask for him to break my water on Tuesday if baby doesn't show up before then.

And now we wait. I’m excited, anxious, tired, and relaxed all in one. I feel content about what we decided to do, and I’m trusting God, my body, and the doctors and nurses. So all I can do is stay cool…and wait to meet my precious baby boy.