The Birth Story

(Following is the birth story for all those who love to know all the details. Feel free to skip this blog if you don’t. I first wrote a blog with a few more details and thought it might be TMI. If you want to read the original version. Let me know and I’ll send it to you.)

Eli’s arrival was very unexpected and fast. I still am in shock that it happened. It’s all a bit of a blur so I will try to recall the important details. I first want to say the God is good and a God of miracles.

I really wanted Eli to come early. His official due date was August 31st and people were predicting he would come late, as often first babies do. Just the thought of having him up to two weeks late overwhelmed me. That would mean another month of pregnancy. By this time, I was feeling very pregnant and uncomfortable. While I overall felt really good, at night my back would ache and I had a hard time sleeping. Although I wanted him to come early, I didn’t think it would happen. There was nothing happening to me that would indicate labor was imminent or even coming soon.

On Saturday, we slept in a bit before going our separate ways in town. George was off to watch rugby with his brother and I was off to do errands. It was just another normal day for me. I used motorcycles to get to my different locations and felt fine. I went to a cyber café to download some emails, then I went to make copies of documents, next was grocery shopping and last was picking up dinner to take home.

Saturday evening again was normal. I washed the dishes, took a shower and began playing cards with George. As we were getting close to finishing up our first game of 9 Holes (my new favorite!), I felt something happen. It was around 10:00pm. I wasn’t sure, but it seemed like my water was breaking. We were confused. I had no contractions or other symptoms of labor (except back pain, which I had had for the last couple months). We got online and called some people to investigate if this was it. Our impromptu consulting team was very international. We made calls to the US, Kenya and Sudan!

Everyone’s consensus was that I was in labor. The debate was, do I go to the hospital now or wait it out at home as much as possible? Since epidurals aren’t an option here, we didn’t need to rush to get one at a hospital – besides, I wasn’t in pain. George and I talked about it and decided we would stay home as long as we could – or at least until morning. Maybe, if the contractions hadn’t come by morning, we could still find a ride to Kericho, which is where we had decided to deliver – two hours from Kisumu.

Well, that thought was short lived. Very short lived. What I thought to be a contraction came on quickly. Around 11:00 we began timing them. Two more came at twelve minutes apart. Two more at ten minutes apart, then two more at 8 minutes apart. Since we saw that they were rapidly picked up speed, we decided to go to the hospital. Because we had decided to deliver in Kericho and planned on going there a week or so before I was due, we didn’t really have a backup plan in Kisumu. George made some calls to a couple hospitals and had a taxi on standby.

The taxi picked us up around 11:50 and we went to the first hospital. The contractions were coming quickly and, I have to say were PAINFUL! The first place didn’t seem like the best fit for us. However, the doctor on duty checked me out. I was surprised to learn I was already 5-6 centimeters dilated. WHAT!!!! That can’t be. My water just broke and I had no previous labor symptoms. Once we decided to go to the second hospital, we left the first and sped across town. It was only five or so minutes away.

When we arrived (around 12:30am on Sunday), George took care of the paperwork while a nurse wheeled me away to the maternity ward. By this time, the contractions were coming back to back. Maybe a minute or two of rest between. Unfortunately, while I was doing that, George was running around trying to get me checked in. This hospital, Aga Khan, while newest and has the best technology, is more known for being about money and the business side rather than patient care. They told him I could not be treated until he paid a big deposit. So, he had to find a motorcycle on duty that late and rush to the bank. Poor guy.

Meanwhile, they got me out of the bathroom to check me out. She measured me and said she felt the head, I was fully dilated. WHAT???? How could this be happening so fast?

Then George appeared and they took me into the delivery room. The pain was so terrible. I didn’t fully understand that this is happening now. I really felt like I wasn’t going to be able to do it. If the pain was this bad, I couldn’t last much longer. I still kept thinking I my labor would be hours long like most everyone else I knew.

When we first arrived, the hospital called the doctor I had seen while in Kisumu for my prenatal care. He showed up around 1:00 am. Around 1:20 on August 19, Eli made his entrance into the world. Loudly. He cried so much! I was still in shock it was over. And it was so fast! From water break and no other symptoms to delivery in three and a half hours.

George was an awesome coach, cheerleader and supporter. He was allowed to be in the room for the delivery and saw it all happen. George got to see Eli right away, but I couldn’t hold him until we went to the maternity ward. It was around 2:30am when I got to hold my precious son. Still in shock about what just happened, I couldn’t sleep. George stayed with me and we just looked at Eli, amazed that he was here.

Since we left quickly and didn’t have anything prepared, George had to leave to go home and to the store to get a few items. By the time he returned, we decided I should try to be discharged as soon as possible. I was able to walk and felt really good, so why not just go home?

The doctor who delivered me came around 10:00am and gave approval for me to go home. By the time George took care of all the details (paying the bill, getting my medicine, having the pediatrician see Eli, etc) we were able to leave around 1:00pm on Sunday. So, less than twelve hours after delivering, our family of three was on our way home.

Now we are home. Eli is sleeping a lot and learning to feed. Many of you heard about his arrival on Facebook and we are so excited to share this with you, even from afar.

God is so good. He must have known if I had to go through a natural delivery (something I never thought I would or could do), this is how it had to happen. I couldn’t agree more. If it had been that much pain for hours and hours, I may have given up. This way, it just happened so fast, my mind couldn’t keep up with the quick progress and I was just able to do what was required in the moment.

We praise the Lord for Eli’s safe and speedy arrival and thank you for all your prayers and support.

(In his hospital bed side bassinet, complete wih mosquito net)

(At home in his foldable portable bed sent by grandma red hair, also complete with built in mosquito net)