Pain in childbirth

I believe many women have more trouble with pain in childbirth than is necessary because they really do believe that childbirth is supposed to be extremely painful. Maybe even that God wants them to suffer and be in intolerable pain.

Has anyone done a thorough study on Genesis 3:16? Does sorrow mean pain specifically? It seems it matters what translation you read.

We read from the KJV which says, "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee."

John 16:21 reads, "A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world."

I looked up the word travail and it doesn't necessarily mean pain.
1. Labor in childbirth; as a severe travail; an easy travail.

Anguish can mean panic of the mind, I think.


2 Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

I was very fearful with my first birth at the hospital. Although the pain was great, when I was given the epidural and could not feel the contractions anymore, I was still in anguish. The epidural had stopped my labor and so they gave me Pitocin and I just lay there like a lump, waiting for this nightmare to end. At that point, I really would've preferred feeling the pain of the contractions.

The next 5 births were really not that painful. The contractions were pretty intense but I never felt that same kind of fearful gripping pain as with my first hospital birth. The intensity, or pain if you must, of the contractions didn't bother me that much because I knew it was for good! It was good for my body to be allowed to do its work, to labor, unhindered.

Perhaps it's only the fighting against what God has ordained that causes us more grief than we need experience. Giving birth is a momentous event that needs to involve surrender. Surrendering our right to be pain free, surrendering our every emotion to God and embracing motherhood, even labor. I believe when that happens, the pain can be greatly diminished and become not something we're fighting against or even a focal point.

Free books that are delivered to you!

For those of you who has not heard me tout how wonderful

www.paperbackswap.com is, well...now you'll get to read about it. :)

You list your unwanted books on the free website and swap books with other members. I have 58 credits. We are constantly getting books in the mail. So much nicer than just getting bills and junk mail.

My New Project

It started off as wanting to get a car that has a little better gas mileage than my truck and has a little more room for the children too. I thought I could get a car with a little more zip thrown in to boot. So after searching on all of the online auto places I found this little gem. My '04 Dodge SRT-4. I am having a few little issues with it, but all in all, I am pleased. I think I will be more pleased when I get rid of those few little issues. I have been changing the normal maintenance things on the car and the boys have been right there with me. I think Lucas especially has a knack for mechanical things, or has no fear of getting in there and turning a wrench at least. I really enjoyed the time that I spent under the cars with my Dad. I was always amazed that he would ask for exactly the right sized wrench for the bolts. I haven't made it to that point yet, but I am working on it. So now all I have to do is figure out how to get the car's turbo to boost past 10psi without falling on it's face and I'll be happy.

I am 5 years old!

I turned 5 years old on May 26, 2008. What was sad about my birthday was that my Baba was not home. Everyone gave me presents. One of the presents was a watch. Now I can tell the time. Another present was a pink ball. My Grandma and Grandpa gave me a doll. It came with clothes and a rattle and a book and juice and milk in bottles. I like it a lot! Now I have a doll like my sister, Hana. Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa!

My husband is my hero

Someone very dear to us asked us about our birth plans. We told him that we were going to birth by ourselves again. He told Chris, "You're brave!" That remark helped me to realize that Chris is a very remarkable man. I cannot thank God enough that he has given me a husband who accepts and supports me so unconditionally.

My father was not allowed to be with my mother with any of their children's births at the hospital. Interestingly, I think Dr. Odent would approve:

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-559913/A-obstetrician-men-NEVER-birth-child.html

Initially I was dismayed at his views but I can see his point after some reflection. Many men probably do add to their wives' stress during childbirth. They may be fearful of what might happen and feel helpless. With our births, Chris' presence gives me a sense of completeness and joy that I would hate to have to do without. And I've had to. Three times. I can birth without my husband at my side, but I'd much rather have his love and support during the birth of our child. He's not my midwife...he doesn't tell me how to birth and yet, the trust and peace he shows makes it all so beautiful and ...relaxing. Yes, relaxing. If you were at at our last birth, you would witness a very calm and quiet atmostphere and our children were present! He would give me all the credit, but I am definitely willing to share it. :) I don't think he was ever nervous or impatient at the two homebirths he's been with me.

Our first hospital birth was a different story. I was 20 years old and in good health, but was treated like I was about to die! So, of course we were both nervous. Hopefully things have changed since then, but 16 years ago, I was confined to a bed as soon as I got to the hospital. An IV was started, external and internal monitors were put on me, I was given an epidural without the doctor ever coming and then because the epidural stalled my labor, pitocin was given, again without my permission or the doctor being there. Even though I begged not to be cut, the doctor ignored me and gave me an episeotomy. I have not torn with any of my other births. God has been very gracious in allowing me to experience a medically managed birth that didn't end up in a C-section. I can appreciate our homebirths that much more because of it.

Thinking back to our first homebirth, Chris really was brave. Word got out about our birthing plans and his command ordered him to take me to the hospital for the birth...or else. We were stressed, but were not deterred. We were rewarded with a beautiful birth and our first daughter!

We look forward to this birth with anticipation and thankfulness to God for blessing us with another precious son or daughter.

52 days or less to go!

31 weeks and 2 days

The baby ticker shows 61 more days to go! I really don't anticipate going into September even though technically my due date is September 10. Chris is home now after being gone for over two months so I can relax and just wait for baby to come now. The only thing we still have to get is a pool. The stores all seem to be out of the aquarium pool I've used with the last three births. :( We plan to set up the pool upstairs this time, in the bonus room. The only disadvantage might be carrying hot water upstairs if we run out of hot tap water. The bonus room is roomier than the downstairs living room and the bathroom is close by. We also have a nice new digital baby scale. That's about as high tech as we're going to get.

I weigh 105 pounds, which means I've gained about 10 pounds so far. Everything seems normal. I get lots of comments about baby being a boy because the baby is low. Hmmm. I think I've carried all the babies the same with each of my pregnancies. Everyone asks if the baby is a boy or a girl. One time I answered, one or the other. I think it went over that person's head. :)

Noah is 28 months and getting to be such a big boy. He has gone through several nights with his diaper dry! The other night he slept on his sisters' bed and didn't wake up all night. I think he's ready to be a big brother. He talks about the new baby and wants to kiss my belly all the time.

I'm not sleeping well at all. I hope the baby comes really early.

My Green Machine

For my 12th birthday I got a Green Machine.
A Green Machine is a tricycle which has tough steel frame construction, dual joystick steering, super wide racing slick rear wheels, and a 20" front wheel.

My Dad said he had one when he was little but his was plastic.

My parents bought it on my birthday, July 5, but it was not until 4 days later that I actually assembled and rode it. First, some parts were missing. Then it rained for 3 days. Yesterday we went to Wal-Mart and switched it for a new one. When we got home I built it with my brother's help. The wheel fell off almost immediately. Amazingly I found the screw and put it back on. My dad was able to fix the rest.

Now I can do a 180 degree drift.

Do Hard Things book review

I've finished reading the book Do Hard Things and these are my thoughts about the book.

The authors are twins Alex and Brett Harris, home schooled teenagers who are the younger brothers of bestselling writer Joshua Harris, author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye.
This book describes in detail the Rebelution, a "teenage rebellion against low expectations." The word "Rebelution," coined by the authors, is a combination of the words "rebellion" and "revolution." The two brothers have organized campaign rallies, been the youngest interns to serve on the Alabama Supreme Court, and grass-roots directors for an Alabama judicial campaign.

Alex and Brett make the point that when expectations are lowered, young people dropped their standards to meet the expectations society had of them. They give the examples of our first president, George Washington, who was a surveyor at seventeen; David Farragut, the first U.S admiral, who was in charge of a prize ship at age twelve; and Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross, who cared for her sick brother at eleven. These three went on to do great things, but only because they chose to "do hard things" when they were young. Many examples are shown of ordinary teenagers today who went on to do extraordinary things because they refused to be satisfied with mediocrity.

This book encourages me to not to be content with less than my best because many other teens gave their best and accomplished much more than they could even have dreamed of doing had they not done their utmost. This showed me that since they are just normal people like me, I too can accomplish much if I, like the many other rebelutionaries will become part of the rebellion against the low standards and expectations commonly accepted by the world today.

This book will likely spur on a Christian teenager and even those that are in their twenties or older and want to start going somewhere with their life and rise out of insignificance to give their best for God.
However, it is also good for an unbeliever, because the biblical principles are applicable for everyone, and the gospel is presented in the end of the book. A good thing about it is the fact that while it is full of useful and practical information, unlike other books I have read, it is not given in a dry or hard to read way, and the twins do a good job of making themselves understood in this book.

Join the Rebelution. Change the world.

-Max