This story was an email that my husband mailed out about 3 days after our daughter- our first baby was born after many prenatal complications. His relief is so evident- my birth was perfect- more than i had hoped for being that I myself am a labor and delivery RN. The best part was how inimately connected i felt to my husband as he coach me through the whole process- I was actually a little sad after Zoe was born because that connection changed- but now little Zoe was the fullfillment of that connection and I loved her immediately!

We gave birth to her in a birthing suite of a wonderfully supportive hospital that more than happily encourages women focused care and decision making. After everything I have seen as a L&D RN i was nervous to attempt a home birth- but next time if i am not experiencing another high risk pregnancy- I am completely up for it!

here is what james wrote-

ZOE HOPE K. was born on March 9, 8:55 am weighing in at 6 lb 14 oz and 18.5 inches long.

After so many emergency hospital visits (at least 4), 24 prenatal visits, 6 months of restricted activity (mostly bed rest) and 3 false labors she finally came.

Around 2 am Friday morning, after going in for labor and being told that nothing was changing (still 2-3 cm) that needed to in order for labor to happen, we had basically had enough. We were told to walk around for an hour or so to see if that would shake things up, but after a couple hours of hard contractions, what would a little walk do? So in between tears my wife asked me to pray, and we asked God that either the process would stop or the baby would come. Either bring her tonight or stop the painful contractions was the jist of the prayer, all the time asking that His will would be done. So we finished up the walk and went back to the observing room to be checked by the nurse- 4cm now. The news was astounding, and we were checked into a birth suite to have a baby! Even though the contractions had all but stopped, God was at work and did what needed to be done. So we were checked in around 2:30 and our midwife was notified. The contractions wern't anything that my wife wasn't used to, so at 6:30 after noticing some leaking and she was up to 5 cm- the decision was made to break the water. Which, in actuallity, did not produce hardy any results (on the outside, anyway) but once a contraction came, *whew*, there was a difference. At about 8:20 am after taking some showers to help cope with the pain, she was 6-7 cm and it was decided to hop in the jacuzzi as the final pain reliever. Evidently it relaxed my wife's body, because before i knew it (like ten min) she was screaming that she had to push because the baby was coming. I told her that she wasn't going to push now !-alerted the nurse as i was instruced to (quite forcibly by Valorie). We got her back to the room, and after 15 minutes of pushing... it was all over. Zoe was born on a birth stool. During one of the showers she took earlier in the morning i asked God, as a gift, to make it an easy, do-able process after all that we had been through. He came through. No pain medication. No weird coaching techniques during pushing, just praying in her ear as i held her head that God would give her strength and help and so on. No pain medication, 2 hours of real labor, 15 minutes of pushing.

The most adorable, perfect, sweet little girl that anyone has ever seen. Words cannot describe how we feel right now- the joy and adorableness of Zoe is more than i could have imagined. It doesn't matter what she does or doesn't do- it is all adorable and you rush to take a picture, or you simply go "ohhh," or whatever silly exclamation happens to come out. All three of us are doing just fine- Zoe slept through the night last nite w/o any problems or crying. When i called work Friday to let them know what was going on, i was asked by one of the guys on the program if, as a Christian, i felt proud about what i had created. I told him no, that i was overwhelmingly grateful to God for giving her to us, for allowing this to happen and protecting her through all that has happened since she was smaller than a piece of rice. This is why you see Ps 99 at the subject- exalt the Lord and worship at His feet, for He is holy. He gave us such a wonderful little gift.

Much thanks and gratitude to everyone who prayed for us at the various stages when we called out for help and even when we didn't, We really appreciate your support.

truly amazing.

james, valorie and zoe hope.