This little man is NOT so little!! But soooooo cute!!

Here is the birth story of baby Jayden:

My due date was January 6th; even though I was measuring a week ahead we went with January 6th to be the date our sweet boy would arrive.
I remember taking guesses from my family in December to see what day they thought Jayden would arrive (no one guessed his birth date correctly, in fact we all guessed really early). I was measuring 1-2cm dilated December17th and 50% effaced. I thought I would have Jayden on the 30th if not before. I was completely wrong!! Between the 17th of December and January 12th I would take long walks, bounce on the exercise ball, eat spicy foods, have Chinese food (which I usually would never eat but I heard it can make you go into labor), drink raspberry leaf tea, apply castor oil to my belly with a warm compress, have a small glass of bitter wine and a couple other things I shouldn't put on Facebook. I would get some contractions that would come and go but nothing serious. So I gave up thinking he obviously doesn't like that I'm trying to choose his due date instead of him doing the picking and choosing.

On January 17th I made a huge deer steak dinner with bacon wrapped avocados and veggies wrapped in the deer meat. I didn't think anything of it... (Apparently this was the extent on my nesting). I remember waking up January 18th at 530am to having a strange dream that I was in labor (I had the contractions in the dream and everything)! Turns out I was! I got on the exercise ball during each contraction that would start in my stomach and progress to my back. The contractions started at 45-50 seconds long every 5-7 minutes. At 630am I woke my husband up saying "I think today is the day!" He quickly got out of bed and we started cleaning the house! I texted my midwives Amber and Galyn to let them know where I was at. In between 630-9 I read a lot of scripture, took a shower, folded and hung up my 4 year olds clothes, cleaned the crib sheets one last time, and got out the diapers, creams, shampoos, etc that I would need for the baby.

I kept in touch with my midwives and let them know I have a pretty high pain tolerance & it's becoming a little unbearable, so Amber said to let her know when I can't walk through the contractions and they would head out this way at that time (which I couldn't walk through the contractions at 9am) I knew I had to be close then. My husband and I stopped cleaning and he would rub my back as I bent over the closest thing to me. Galyn lives about 3-4 miles from me so she was here first. She checked to see how I was doing and to see where I was at with the dilation. I was a shocking 5-6cm. Jayden still wasn't locked in place, so I was only 75% effaced. Galyn was hungry so she went to get a bite to eat while I walked to my parents house to let them know the baby is coming today.

Between 10-1030 Galyn was showing Jared where the contraction hurt the most on my back and why (this was so he could better assist me and rub it the right way). I was ready for the bath at 1045 & Galyn was already getting it ready for me. I got in the water at 11am the contractions weren't as bad in the water, but they were still coming every 3-4 minutes lasting 1-2 minutes. Galyn got me some water to sip on and would check my blood pressure, baby's heart rate, etc to make sure everything was going good. I remember I had an audience in my bathroom; luckily I have a huge bathroom! Galyn checked to see where I was at again around 1120, I was a shocking 9cm. She said there was a lip that was still there that Jayden had to move past before I was ready to start pushing. She said on my next contraction to push as hard and as long as I wanted to! At that point my water broke on its own and Jayden was ready to start descending! Amber was there at this point behind my entire family and some of my extended family! She was writing down everything Galyn was saying. At this point I was on my back in the bathtub & able to push when I wanted to for as log as I wanted to! Jayden started coming out pretty quick with me pushing as hard as I did. I remember during the whole active labor I was saying ouch here and there. I never really screamed or anything like that, but I did say ouch 7-10 times. I will never forget Galyn saying "Lauren you need to stop pushing or your going to tear." I was thinking you are out of your mind if you think I'm going to stop pushing (it hurt too much to stop)! I did stop, but it took everything I had to stop! Jayden's head was almost half way out when I asked "is his head out yet?!" My husband said "baby your doing so good, his head is almost out." Galyn had me feel his head which was encouraging! She then helped get his head out some more with me pushing lightly until his head was out completely! During this whole process Galyn was holding my hand and keeping me calm and focused! I think it was probably 1135 when his head was fully out and Jayden was still kicking me while he was 1/4 of the way out of me. Galyn said "ok you can continue pushing when you feel ready to do so." Haha I was finally not in pain and I didn't want to push anymore! The biggest part was out of me and I was convinced mentally that I was done and maybe he would fall out from here.  Well she said "laying on your back will take longer for him to get out, so get on your knees." When I got on my knees I felt like I had to push again! Little did I know that was the last push I'd have to do. My entire family and I remember Galyn saying to Jared "daddy grab your son" at 1140am. In that moment I didn't know what to do besides cry, be in shock, and want to sleep. Jared placed Jayden on me and we started bonding. Once The umbilical cord stopped pulsing Jared was able to cut his sons cord. At that time Jared took his son and started his bonding while I dealt with the afterbirth with Galyn. Galyn checked to see if I tore and I didn't! With my first son I had to have 7 stitches, and he was a smaller baby by 2'2 lbs. I was amazed I didn't tear!! It was all because of Galyn!

From 1140am-130pm Jared and I bonded with Jayden, I got to take a wonderful herbal bath that Stephanie (Ambers midwife in training) made for me, Amber was checking to see how I was doing, and I started nursing Jayden right away. He had no issues latching on just like his big brother. I finally got out of the water at 145; after Amber so sweetly washed my hair and pampered me! I was treated so well by my midwives; it was an experience I never had before this day! We finally checked to see Jayden's weight, height and size all around. He came out to be 9lbs 11oz and 22 1/2 inches long. His shoulders were also 14 1/2 inches. He was a big boy!!!

My experience was such a wonderful uplifting experience that God got me through. I remember the birth of my 4 year old that I had in a hospital... I not only felt groggy after having him (and for the next 7 days after his birth), but he wasn't as alert as Jayden was and I wasn't up and walking around right away like I was with this birth. I had Jayden 17 days ago and man I feel amazing thanks to my midwives Amber, Galyn, and Stephanie! — with Midwife Galyn Lacewell and 3 others.