Here is the birth story of Julianna Joy:
I feel like I was in labor for weeks with slow moving contractions and pains. Every time I would go in for a checkup with my midwife I would be a few more centimeters dilated then the week before. The night before I went into labor I went to bed early, after aggressively cleaning the house, feeling more agitated then usual and slept deeply most of the night except for a few contractions or pains that would wake me up periodically. As the sun came up I realized that something felt different so I woke up Art and asked him to start timing my contractions. Slowly the contractions started getting more painful but there was no real rhythm to them so decided to have breakfast and wait. After an hour of waiting and pacing around the house I called my mom to come over and help with Lily. We called my midwife who told us to meet her at 8am. We loaded up the car and drove over to the birth center and as we pulled in I began to feel labor really kicking in. My midwife checked me and I was 7-8 centimeters dilated and the pain was beginning to intensify quickly. I paced around the room for a bit and then decided to get into the bathtub. The contractions were getting closer and closer together and more and more painful. I had Art push down on my lower back as he coached me through relaxing my head, neck, shoulders on down to my toes. This gave me something to focus on through the pain. At around 9:45am I decided to get out of the bathtub and lay down sideways on the bed. I could feel her wiggle her way down and then a big contraction would start then she would wiggle down a little bit more and another contraction would start. At this point the contractions were back to back with no or very little time for a rest. After a few more very intense contractions and the urge to push my water broke. From there the baby’s head was crowning and I began pushing and just a few minutes later into the world Julianna Joy Lim was born at 10:26am. She had a beautiful full head of black curly hair and the loudest cry. She cried for a bit and then stared deep into my eyes.
As she lay in my arms we read Psalm 63:3-8 over her:
3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
6 I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.
7 Because you are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you;
your strong right hand holds me securely.
Julianna Joy Lim born September 15, 2011 at 10:26 in the morning weighing 8 pounds 11 ounces & 21 inches long.
