45. (Part One) My Preterm Birth Story, a Hidden Abruption, and The Lord's Perfect Provision

In this episode I'm sharing the full story of my third birth — Isaac's unexpected preterm birth at 33 weeks — and how a weekend away with my mom and sisters turned into one of the most sacred, surprising, and faith-stretching days of my life.

This birth was nothing like my first two. After two straightforward, uncomplicated labors, I found myself being admitted to the hospital in preterm labor with no risk factors, no warning, and a birth plan that went completely out the window. What followed was an unmedicated labor on magnesium, a birth team rallying around me in the middle of the night, and a discovery after delivery that revealed just how closely the Lord had been guarding us the entire time.

Whether you're navigating a high-risk pregnancy, grieving a birth plan that didn't go as hoped, or simply needing a reminder that God's provision is perfect even when ours falls apart — this episode is full of encouragement for your heart, mind, and spirit.

In this episode, I share:

🌸 How a "Mama & Chickies" girls' weekend became the unexpected start of Isaac's birth story

⚡ What it felt like to be admitted for preterm labor with no warning signs and no risk factors

🙏 How the Lord's tangible presence carried me through an unmedicated labor I never planned for

✝️ The hidden abruption discovery that revealed just how protected we truly were

👶 The bittersweet, beautiful moments surrounding Isaac's arrival at four pounds, seven ounces

Mentioned in this episode:

✨ Christian Mama Birth Prep Library - Free birth prep tools, worship playlists & more

💕 Work with Me 1:1 – Virtual Doula Support & Schedule a Private Coaching Call

✝️ Online Christian Childbirth Education - Explore my complete birth preparation self-paced course

🎴 NEW Christian Birth Affirmation Cards: You can now purchase them here

If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend.

Let's keep choosing faith over fear, one birth story at a time. Go here for the full blog post, birth photos, and all resources mentioned!

Transcript

0:01

Welcome to Faith Over Fear, the Christian Pregnancy and Birth podcast. I'm Natalie Portman, a wife, mama, birth doula and childbirth educator. And I believe God has a better way for us to experience birth one without fear, striving, or self-glorification. If you're ready to stop feeling overwhelmed and instead trust the Lord more deeply in pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. You're in the right place here. You'll find inspiring birth stories, biblical encouragement, and practical wisdom to help you walk in faith over fear during this beautiful and challenging season. Now, let's get started.

Natalie Portman 0:45

Hello there, sweet friend, and welcome back to the podcast. Today's episode is one that's been a long time coming and I'm finally excited to share Isaac's birth story with you today. I'll be honest, it has been a little challenging trying to piece together all of the details from, almost three months ago, which it feels like an eternity ago, but then also just yesterday at the same time. On this podcast, I do love to share stories where, the birth doesn't go completely. Perfectly to plan. And I love those types of stories because those are the stories where God tends to show off the most. And if you've heard my other birth stories at the beginning episodes of this podcast, you'll, hear how straightforward it was. Very uncomplicated, very textbook. but Isaac's birth story is not like that, and that is perfectly fine. The timing did not go the way we wanted. And the birth plan that we had went out the window and yet God was so glorified in every single moment of it. And, I did wanna mention I have birth photos from his birth. And so if you would like to see those, I'm gonna include that. The, full blog post, which kind of is like also the show notes, like full show notes for this episode. So if you go to the link in the show notes, you can find that there. but here we go. Isaac's birth story, So I'll take us back to January 24th, which I had just turned 33 weeks, gestation for that pregnancy. So I was 33 weeks. And, instead of doing a baby shower, for this, pregnancy, 'cause this is my third, I was like, I don't really have anything that I need. I was having another boy. and Daniel, I had all his clothes for Isaac and I just felt I. I don't need to have this big, baby shower kind of a thing. And so instead I asked my mom and my two sisters, what, if instead the four of us go to a hotel and do just like a low key, like we call ourselves like the Mama and Chickies, we'll just do like a Mama Chickies weekend and then maybe like a spa day or something. And so there's this, Hotel and spa maybe 30 to 45 minutes away from, where I live. And that's what we did. So Friday night, that's like I officially turned, 33 weeks that Friday. we went to dinner that night, got all dressed up, had a good time. And then the next morning we were gonna go to the spa and we just wanted to hang out at the spa and they had a hot tub and steam room and just like lounge around So that morning we're trying to plan okay, what time are we gonna go to the spa? My mom and I ran out to Starbucks and grabbed some coffee and breakfast and stuff. And then, we around nine 30 get to the spa, which is like on, on the premises of the hotel and. I just was noticing all that morning having some low back pain and it was just a different back pain and I thought maybe I slept weird or something in the hotel bed. and so I thought maybe it was just that, like just some low back pain from sleeping odd. And so we get to the spa around nine 30 and I am really hungry, which is really not uncommon for me. I'm always eating something. And so I was like let's like grab some food from the little like cafe they have right out, like near the pool area. And then we got in the hot tub and I had the most delicious snack. I was telling Brian, like trying to remember exactly what I ate. I could not remember, but it was like fresh fruit and like maybe some chicken, maybe it was a salad. That's what it was. It was like A salad with some chicken, grilled chicken and like vegetables and oh my gosh, it was so good. And. I, I was like, okay. So I feel nourished, like I'm hydrated. I was drinking like lemon water, like the fancy, like cucumber, lemon water from the spa. I was feeling good, but I was just starting to have some contractions and I'm like this isn't super uncommon for me because I was having so many Braxton Hicks all throughout this pregnancy and with each pregnancy that I've had, it seemed like the Braxton Hicks came earlier in the pregnancy and were more intense. So I'm like. Okay. Just having some Braxton Hicks this morning, and so we're just hanging out in the hot tub. I just have my feet in 'cause obviously you can't be in a hot tub when you're pregnant. oh. And the guy that served the food at the cafe, he also gave me some chocolate covered strawberries, which I was like, God bless you sir. so that was really nice. Just a nice treat. and then we go inside and there's like this lounging area. It's mainly, I think, for people that are like getting massages and other services to it's like the waiting area, but it has these little like lounge beds and like blankets and it's just like really comfy, cozy, low lighting and like the spa music and the essential oils, like it was just super chill. So I'm laying there and I'm like, I'm really tired. I'm just gonna try to like, lay down and maybe take a little cat nap or something. And so I'm laying there. And I'm like, I could time these contractions. Like I could actually start feeling like the start, the peak and the end. So I'm like, let me just time it on my Contraction timer app just for kicks and giggles and just to see what, what's going on. 'cause they felt and seemed pretty consistent. So I start timing them and they're coming every I think it was like five to six minutes. and I was like, okay, I'm gonna. Kind of start paying a little bit more attention to these instead of just like thinking oh, this is just the normal Rexton Hicks. I also text my midwife and I'm just like, Hey, Rebecca, I'm starting to have, some pretty consistent Braxton Hicks and I'm not sure, if I need to be paying attention to them quite yet, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm having them. And she's okay, yeah keep me posted. I'm also starting to have to go to the bathroom more. And, I think I shared this in my other birth stories, but like at the start of my other labors, I definitely needed to go have a bowel movement like consistently in the beginning of the labor. and so I'm like going to the bathroom a lot and just can tell. I'm feeling different. And so we decided to head back to our room in the hotel, and pack up and go to lunch. And so I'm like, okay, yeah, let's do that. I can still drive. Like I was the one driving all of us at this point. we get to lunch around like one 30 ish and I'm. Like things are definitely not slowing down. Like I can definitely tell things are continuing to pick up, but to be completely honest, I was still in. Complete and utter denial that I was at all possibly in labor. Like there, it was not a possibility in my mind at this point that I was in labor. But my sister, my younger sister's, like Natalie, I have seen you labor, twice now. and you are. You're definitely showing more intense signs that this is something instead of just Braxton Hicks and I'm like, ah, I don't know Stephanie. Like I, I, I think, I think this is still just like, you know, maybe I have like a UTI or some other kind of underlying infection that's causing these, but like I'm not in labor, like there's just no way. So I call Brian when we're at lunch and I'm just like, Hey, just letting you know, I am having these consistent contractions and I think I'm gonna head to Memorial, hospital to just, get checked out at labor and delivery. Don't know exactly what's happening, but I do feel like it warrants a trip to just check things out. And he's like, oh, okay. But at this point I'm still playing it off in my mind like, nah, like no big deal. Like we're just gonna go see what's going on. so I, I call Brian, and then I also call Kahla my doula and my doula partner, and I'm just like filling her in as well. So were sitting at lunch and they're starting to pick up even more. and I remember staring at I was like just looking at the TV that they had in the restaurant. And I'm just like looking at it and I can just feel this next contraction coming over me and I start to get emotional. Like I'm, my eyes are starting to water because it's starting to really hit me like. I could possibly actually be in labor right now, and my mom and sisters can see it on my face that like I'm feeling. Different. And so they're like telling the waitress, they're like, can we actually get our food to go? we think she's in labor. And they're like, oh, the waitress is oh my gosh. Yeah, of course. And so they quickly are trying to get our food packed up so we can just leave. And my sister, was like I'm driving, like you're not driving. I'll drive us to the hospital. And granted, like we're. 45 minutes away from the hospital. 'cause we're like a little bit outside of Jacksonville and I am, sitting in the car and still just a little bit in denial, but also feeling like, just having this like. Coming to terms with maybe, possibly I am, in labor. Like it was just slowly starting to feel a little bit more real. So we get to Memorial Hospital around 3:00 PM and I am, hooked up to the monitors, to monitor Isaac's heart rate and to monitor the contractions and. he's doing great. Like they get the heartbeat quickly. Contractions they're reading, they're picking up on them. They're like coming every three to five minutes I believe. And, and they also decide to check, my urine for a UTI or anything like that. the nurses there are. My favorite, and they're, because it's a smaller hospital, I know the nurses, like when I go to births I get to see the same nurses And also this hospital, has, a group of midwives that are the hospitalists and then also full circle women's care. My favorite O-B-G-Y-N provider delivers at this hospital. So I was like, okay, if we go to Memorial, worst case scenario, I am gonna be to under the care of the hospitalists that are midwives. Or there's a chance that I could get in with full circle because I did establish care with Full Circle. When I first found out I was pregnant with Isaac, and so I was like we'll just see, if they're able to take me on. So I get to Memorial and the midwife that sees me is like, so we're gonna check your urine. We're gonna give you a bag of fluids just to see if that can rule out dehydration contractions. And I'm like, that's fine. And then I asked her, I was like, are you able to check me to see if like my cervix is changing? And she said, let's try this first, because we don't want to check you. If you are going into preterm labor and it possibly stir things up more and you progress more quickly. I was like, okay, cool. That sounds great. So at this point, Brian and my kids, Ellie and Daniel get there and, the plan was for my mom to take the kids. and then Brian would stay with me. And so the kids get in there and they actually do let them back in triage, and I'm hanging out with them. And for the most part, the contractions did feel like they, they started to space out a lot more once the kids were there, which I've had guests come on and share their birth stories, but like it is very common when. Your kids are around. If you have older kids and you're in labor for it to space out the contractions, like your body just goes into okay, I'm in mom mode, not labor mode. And so that was certainly the case where Ellie and Daniel were hanging out with me, like sitting in bed with me or just hanging out and like things fizzled out. So then once they left, things like really picked up. So then my contractions were coming every three or so minutes. And because things were still pretty consistent the midwife was like, okay, yeah let's go ahead and check you and just see where you're at. And sure enough, I was already two centimeters, 80% of faced, and Isaac was at minus two station, negative two station, which is, still in the inlet. But for me being only 33 weeks, in my pregnancy, having my cervix be so dilated and soft and all the things was definitely indicative that I was going into labor. And so they were like, yep, we're going to go ahead and admit you and, we'll get you into your room. And I, it all came crashing down on me, like just feeling like. How in the world are we here? Like how in the world am I going into labor at 33 weeks, like I was having the most healthy pregnancy? I shared with my other birth stories how in the beginning of those pregnancies I had bleeding in the first trimester and. With Daniel, I had a low lying placenta and just like some, some other like, not high, high risk factors, but just some factors. And with Isaac's pregnancy, I was having a completely uneventful pregnancy. Like it was totally healthy. I was healthy, everything was fine. And so just the fact that I was going into preterm labor for seemingly no reason, like having no risk factors, it was just like beyond comprehension to me. Like I, I just was in shock. And so I, texted my birth team and I'm just like, Hey everyone, I am in labor and I'm being admitted. so just letting you know. and my birth team consisted of, obviously Kahla, my doula, another doula in my practice. Trish. My two sisters, my mom, we had a birth photographer and she did birth photography for Daniel's birth as well. and my midwife Rebecca. So I have us and Brian in a group chat and I'm just like. Okay guys please be praying for me because I am, I'm in labor right now. and of course they're all like, we're praying for you Nat, like we're praying for Isaac. God's got this. And, I think after that initial shock that I realized, okay, I'm in labor. I also very quickly felt the Lord's presence, like tangibly Wrap around me. I don't really know how else to explain that. Other than that, I just had a piece that truly passed all understanding that I just knew we were gonna be okay. I knew I was gonna be okay. I knew Isaac was gonna be okay, and I had. A reassurance beyond what I could actually know, what would happen that the Lord was gonna sustain me, that he was gonna provide for me. And that was the thing that the Lord kept sharing with me throughout all of the pregnancy was I will provide. And so I clung to that and I believed that. And so yes, I was simultaneously grieving the birth plan that was not going at all the way I wanted to, the plan was to go into labor at home and to have a home birth with a full term baby that was healthy. Not going into labor at 33 weeks in a hospital with, I don't know who was gonna be my provider at that point. One of the ways that the Lord was also just showing that he was providing was, like I mentioned, full Circle Women's Care. I didn't know if I would be able to go under their care or if I would stay under the care of the hospitalist group. and so I told them, Hey, if there's any chance that I can be under full Circle's care, that would be my preference, but I'm totally fine with whatever needs to happen. And so they did contact Dr. Adams. she's the owner of Full Circle Women's Care. And she happened to be on call that weekend. And so she was already there. And so she graciously took me on. and so I was a patient of full circle with Dr. Adams and. her plan once I got admitted and all the things was to start magnesium and see if that would slow down the labor enough for me to get a couple rounds of steroids for Isaac's lung development. and so I actually called Kahla and we were talking it through that plan and Kahla and I were like Dr. Adams, should we try, some other plan like maybe doing the, terbutaline, which is a medication that stops the contractions. And long story short, we were noodling around like all these different ideas of what we could be doing, but ultimately we all decided like magnesium was gonna be the best route at this point. I just needed to get that steroid shot as soon as possible. So after I got that steroid shot around six 15 I asked the nurse, can I just hop in the shower? And one of the beautiful things, again, just like one of the small but silly ways the Lord provided for me was by getting to have all my stuff with me because I had come from that trip. I had my bag packed, my toiletries closed. And so I was like can I just hop in the shower for a little bit? I knew that. By starting the magnesium, I would be kind of bed bound for a while, and so I was like if I can just get a little bit of a shower in, ahead of time, like I'll just feel fresh and ready for what's about to happen. And I apologize if you hear Isaac breathing loudly in the background. He's nursing while I'm recording this. But yeah, so I'm in the bed and they start in the magnesium, and one of the things that I was most nervous about with being on the magnesium was, feeling like I had the flu, which is a common symptom of being on magnesium as you feel flu-like, and. Honestly, the last thing I wanted to feel was that on top of feeling these really strong contractions, and so I was like if this is gonna possibly slow things down, like that's what we need to do. but I was, dreading it. And thankfully I did not have those flu-like symptoms. I felt very warm. Once that magnesium was in my system, I felt very warm and a little drowsy. But I didn't feel flu-like, which I was so unbelievably thankful for. I. And then I, just started because I was, relaxed, could also start to feel those contractions a little more. And at this point, Brian was sleeping on the pullout, bed chair thing. And I'm trying to work through these contractions. They're definitely starting to pick up. I feel like I had maybe a 15 minute reprieve when the magnesium started, but then it just like. Continued to really take off and I could tell that things were picking up and intensity and how quickly they were coming. Like things were just, the train had left the station. And so I am laying in bed, moaning through the contractions, really breathing through them, working through them. and one of the things that I did not do was ask for, peanut ball and all the things because I was not trying to get this labor to progress. I was. Actively kind of working against my body, whereas with the first two laborers, I would've done all the things to like change positions and relax your body fully and breathe through them. But I wasn't doing that with this labor because I was. I was fighting against my body so that Isaac had the most time, with the steroid in, in my system and all that. I, I just wanted him to have the best chance. And so I felt like by fighting myself, I was doing that and so it just made the labor a lot more difficult. Not only physically like,, I physically felt like it was more intense. But it also just mentally was a lot more challenging because I was working against my doula brain of just give into this and just all the things. It was very strange in that way. So I was first checked around five, like a little after five o'clock. I was two centimeters just before I started the magnesium around like 8 45, I was checked again. I was already three to four centimeters. And then a couple hours later was checked again and I was at six centimeters. So like things were progressing. and so I asked for the Cub, which stands for comfortable upright birthing. It's like this inflatable U-shaped pillow essentially. And so I was like, let me just get into more comfortable position 'cause I am very uncomfortable just laying here in this bed with nothing, helping me. And I get on my knees, leaned over, the top of it with my upper body, and Dr. Adams comes in and she's, just essentially like, wow, this doula needs a doula if you're asking for an epidural. And I was like, you know what? It's not that it, this is so much pain. It was painful. Like it was intense. But it's not that I'm like, I can't handle this pain. I can't handle this pain if I'm expected to try and rest. And she was just like, Natalie, you're gonna have this baby. And it was like after I had that conversation with her, I just, I had this feeling of acceptance that. Although I would like to feel like I have the power to stop this labor, I don't. And it just prepared me to just start to labor, instead of feeling like I needed to do everything in my power to stop it. So it was at that point that I realized I, I need to get my birth team here because I can just tell like I am not obviously managing very well on my own and I just needed to have a level of acceptance for this is how the labor's going, even though this is not what I ever imagined it would be or how it would unfold. but yeah, so I asked my birth team to come in So everyone starts to trickle their way in and, it was so incredibly helpful having them there. Even a doula needs a doula. I. Can't doula myself when I'm needing that, physical and emotional encouragement. and so they were doing things like, reading my birth affirmations over me, which, shameless plug. So I made those birth affirmations, for this pregnancy because I really did want to find just Christ centered. Birth affirmations that it was not about me and how strong I am and like I, I am enough. Like those types of affirmations, like that does not do it for me because I know that in and of myself, I'm not enough. Like it is only through the grace of God that he gives me strength to do the hard things in this life, and especially labor. And so I wanted to create those birth affirmations originally just for myself. Like I just wanted them for me. And then I realized. Wow. This is such an opportunity for other mamas to be able to experience just a Christ-centered birth experience because I think we can lose sight of, of where our strength comes from and why we're going through the hardship of labor, and so I. I asked Brian to read the birth affirmations over me, and then in between the contractions I would kinda like thumb through the birth affirmations and pulled out ones, like specifically I wanted him to speak over me. That just felt like just very perfect for that moment, and so he was reading those over me. I asked them to play my worship labor playlist. I had like essential oils going. I, asked them to make my electrolyte drink my element. having just words of encouragement and Reminding me either verbally or just like with a sturdy, just firm touch relax your shoulders, relax your chest, relax your legs, like just being reminded of all the things that I know to do. But when you're in it, it's hard to remember all the things that you need to be doing to just surrender to the what process is unfolding. And so just having My doulas, my sisters Brian, there to just provide so much comfort, not only just, physically like I've been describing, but just the emotional comfort. Like I, I don't think everyone needs to labor with a bunch of people with them. I think in some ways that can be very counterintuitive, but for me. With all of my labor experiences, it has been a huge comfort to me to have the people I love there with me. And so it was just such a joy to have them there. And even though it was obviously a very challenging, unmedicated labor. I also in between the contractions, because I would get such a true break, like I wasn't having any pain in between the contractions. I was cracking jokes. We were just having a great time. I just kept wanting to sing out. I don't know if you remember this from my other birth stories, but I'm a singer. I grew up singing, going to an arts high school and like singing the worship songs it just, it was. A joyful experience, even though it was also a very bittersweet timing, that he was coming so early and so it was all, in all a very beautiful experience in that way where. Obviously I was grappling with the fact that I was not having the type of birth experience, or especially the timing that I wanted, but I felt the Lord's tangible presence with me and that was just something that I think I will never, ever forget is just that feeling of the Lord's presence. a piece that just was passing all understanding. So I'm laboring for a couple hours. I also continue I felt like throughout the labor I was feeling a lot of pressure on my bladder. Like I kept wanting to just go to the bathroom and, and like just feeling like I needed to pee. So that was happening and then around 2 45, so like everyone got to me around like one ish, is when people started getting over to me. So 2 45, couple hours later, I start lightly grunting through the contractions, which if I am, if I'm an outside perspective looking in, if I was serving a doula client and I'm hearing them grunt. During the contractions, I'm like, okay. So like we're getting a lot closer. but at the time, I don't know if it was, because again, I'm like a little bit still in denial of this is actually happening. but I'm fighting that, I'm fighting that urge to wanna kind of bear down and grunt with the contractions. And so Dr. Adams eventually is just like. natalie just give into it. You can start to push if that feels good. And then as soon as I started pushing, I did, I felt so much better. Like it was such a relief to, to push with the contraction when I felt that urge. I. And something that kind of came to mind at this point is. My water has never broken on its own with my other labors, and so I was like I wonder if this little chicken is gonna be born en caul. And that means born inside the amniotic sack, like the water doesn't break, like the baby is born inside the sack. Intact and Dr. Adams like, I mean, it's possible.. And so I was like, okay, cool. That would be really cool because it's super rare for that to happen. And I know that I have a tough amniotic sack. He's little because he's preterm. Like There's a chance this could happen. So I'm pushing and we start to see, a bulging of, what looks like the head or something coming out and. It turns out to be the amniotic sac is starting to bulge out, and as it's stretching and bulging through coming out of me it breaks and it bursts everywhere. Like almost gets all over Dr. Adams and we are all like, cracking up. And I just say so close, like I was so close to having that en caul birth. but it didn't work out that way and that's okay. and then I asked Dr. Adams but is his head right there? And she's absolutely. So I was like, okay, great. So I composed myself, drink some water. And I get ready, because he's about to be born. And so I start pushing again, when that next round of contraction starts. And it is intense, even though he's small, like I'm still pushing a human being out of me. And so it's a very intense, feeling. I don't even know if I would necessarily call it like the ring of fire. Maybe I experienced that more with this birth than I did with the other two. 'cause I certainly don't remember feeling the ring of fire with Ellie or Daniel's birth. But yeah, so I, I can just tell he's coming out. and, it's really intense because he comes out pretty quickly, not so quickly where he like flies outta me, but he came out pretty quickly and. And he, is being, stimulated, like rubbed, and they're suctioning, fluid out of his mouth and then he starts to cry. And that was such a relief to just hear him cry. I didn't know what to expect with having a 33 weaker where, I don't know if he's gonna be able to cry. Is he strong enough to cry? I had no idea. So the fact that he was crying was such a relief. I can hear like my sisters in the background crying and, There was like instantly so much joy in that moment. And also grief, very bittersweet. So the NICU nurse, um, I think she's like one of the nurse practitioners. She's like rubbing Isaac, stimulating him. but also like they brought him to my chest and I'm holding him. And, he ended up being four pounds, seven ounces. And I'm holding him and then the nurse, the NICU nurse, she's like, all right, I gotta take him. And I like give her this look. I guess because she's like, he's preemie. Like he needs to go and. In the moment, like I just felt like you can be a little bit more sensitive than saying it that way. But I was just like, okay. and Brian later told me like he was actually really upset. and you can see it on his face, like we got the pictures that Erin took and you can just see the grief and the anger in his face of. The fact that his boy being taken away and, and it just was, still uncertain at that point, like, how's he gonna do? and so that was really hard. but thankfully, like just in that moment I did, I felt protected. I felt like I just had rose colored glasses on. I think probably 'cause I was relieved that I was no longer in labor. I just felt like I was on a high of, my son is here. I am not in pain. I feel great. he seems to be doing great and of course like so sad that he's like about to be taken away. Brian did get to cut the cord. they whisked him away to the nicu, and, pretty quickly after that, I delivered the placenta. very uneventful. but then something fascinating about when that placenta was born was Dr. Adams told me I am seeing a lot of dark, blood clots underneath the placenta and. To me, this looks like you were having a concealed partial abruption. And what that means is my placenta was likely detaching prematurely. And and the reason it was called a concealed placental abruption is because I was having no bleeding. I was not bleeding at all, to indicate that I was having an abruption, which is a pretty classic sign of abruption. And so with that in mind, it like, just so much gratitude came over me because I know that with a, with an abruption, it can become a true emergency very quickly because what happens when that placenta detaches is it is no longer going to be sustaining the baby. And so there was a chance that there was a scenario where if that placenta had detached, Isaac would've been in a very, A risky situation and I would've been rushed back to an emergency C-section. And so the fact that the Lord just protected us through that is. Wild to me. Absolutely wild to me. and also such a blessing that, despite getting that magnesium to slow things down, it did not. and that's also the Lord's provision because Isaac needed to come out. If my placenta was detaching, he needed to come out. and so that was, a very wild part of this whole event was feeling like. So close to something horrible happening, but that's not what happened. That the Lord safely got him out, kept me safe, throughout that labor experience and Isaac's heart rate through the entire labor, like literally the entire labor was perfect. He, he was great. Um, such a blessing in that way. And they get Isaac to the nicu. I'm recovering, from giving birth and the delivering the placenta. Dr. Adams checks me. I have no tearing. Praise the Lord. and so I'm just hanging out, without my baby and. That was hard, obviously, because I had two different experiences prior to that where I was able to have my baby immediately skin to skin with me, just on my chest, taking it all in, starting breastfeeding, having that golden hour. And I obviously did not get that with Isaac. And, eventually one of the nurses, actually she's the charge nurse, so sweet and just. Again, love the nurses at Memorial. Um, but she took a picture of Isaac in the NICU for us, and we got to see that. And honestly, it was hard to see it, and it's even harder to see it now. knowing what Isaac looks like now, but seeing him with like, all these things hooked up to him and bruises where they were getting IVs and just, it, it was hard to see him like that, but it was the only thing we had, the only thing I had to see him, at that point. And Yeah, that was the birth story. Even now, as I think back on it, I see more and more depths to it. that he had me and Isaac perfectly in his will, and it was a blessing to welcome my baby boy the way he did, even though it wasn't my first choice or maybe like my 50th choice, but. But he came and he was safe, and it was a beautiful birth experience. I'm just gonna save everything that happened after he was born for the next episode, because there is so much more to this story and it deserves its own time and space. So make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss that episode. thank you so much for being here, and I will see you next time.

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That's it for today on Faith Over Fear, the Christian Pregnancy and Birth podcast. I hope today's conversation encouraged your heart and equipped you to trust God more deeply in your pregnancy, birth, and motherhood journey. Hey, before you go, I want to gift you with a freebie. I've compiled some of my most popular resources inside the Christian Mama birth prep library. It includes practical birth prep handouts, such as the labor positions, cheat sheet, birth preferences, checklist, and provider questions guide. You'll also get exclusive discounts and even a worship labor playlist to bring God's peace into your birth space. To get instant access, simply visit faith over fear birth.com or click the link in the episode show notes to sign up. You'll receive immediate access to these valuable resources created just for you. If today's episode blessed you, please subscribe. Leave a review and share it with some other mamas who could use this encouragement. Your support helps more women find this podcast and embrace faith-filled birth and motherhood. Let's keep choosing faith over fear. Bye-bye for now.