Out of all my babies, Flora has the wildest birth story! Nothing went according to our plans, but as we reflect, we can see God orchestrating every detail, keeping both Flora and I safe and healthy.

You can read my other baby’s birth stories here (Eden) (Knox) (Ivy) (Willow). Quick synopsis, my first two were medicated hospital births. Ivy was a homebirth, and it changed our world! It was the best, most beautiful experience. You could say I became addicted to natural, no-intervention childbirth. I started reading books, researching, learning about the female body- I couldn’t get enough. For the first time in my life (and 3 babies in!), I felt educated and informed. A year after Ivy’s birth, we had our miscarriage. We were devastated, but God brought beauty from ashes. Just a few months later, He gifted us with a new life, our Willow. I knew immediately that I wanted another homebirth. Ivy’s birth was fast- 3 hours of labor. Willow’s was even faster- 1 hour! Long story short, we have learned that my body does all the “early labor” in the weeks leading up to birth. It’s not at all uncommon for me to sit at 6-8cm dilated in the weeks leading up to baby’s arrival! Then, when it is go-time, it’s go-time! Like I’m pushing out a head go-time! That makes life quite interesting because we all have to be on immediate standby. Life needs to be ready to halt at a moment’s notice and switch into “let’s have a baby” mode.

Because of this, we were prepared for a fast delivery with Flora. My amazing midwife, Ashley, lives about an hour from us. She prepped Simeon and I both in the event that she didn’t make it in time for the delivery. This was our 5th baby and 3rd homebirth, we felt pretty confident that we would be ok.

And now to share my dream of what I hoped her birth would look like- Being our surprise Christmas present from God, I dreamed of having baby by the Christmas tree. Twinkling lights, surrounded by my husband and our children, soft music in the background- it was going to be magical and perfect. We waited to find out the gender, so I told Simeon to catch baby, pass baby up to me, and after a quick snuggle, I was going to do the big reveal for all the siblings crowded around.

That is not how things went down.

My due date was December 26th. I know that’s more of a guess date than an eviction notice, but I still had my hopes up that baby would come early, or at least “on time.” The week came and went. New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day; this little one decided it was going to be a 2024 baby. The evening of New Year’s Day I was 40+6. Simeon and I played a new game he got for Christmas. (GAME) I think he was trying to cheer me up or distract me from the reality that I was pregnant another year. (fun fact: I have been pregnant a portion of every year from 2016-2024!!) I had uncomfortable cramping that evening but had determined I wouldn’t get my hopes up.

10:30pm- We went to bed.

12:00am- I woke up with very uncomfortable contractions. I tossed and turned for a while but could tell they were getting more painful.

12:30am- I got up and started getting my birth things together. I woke Simeon up and told him I thought I was in the early stages of labor.

1:00am- I’m in labor, no doubting it now! Contractions were strong and every few minutes. We called our midwife, she gave us the eta of 2am. Simeon got the family room ready with all my birth supplies, turned on the Christmas tree lights, and my favorite hymn cd. I labored in there for a short while, but my legs were shaky, and I wanted to be in a different position. We moved out to the living room, and I leaned over the back of our couch.

1:30am- While laboring on the couch, my water broke. Contractions were more intense, and I was pushing. Simeon woke up our oldest 3 children and brought them out. They were so sweet checking to see if I needed anything. Then they were off coloring at our kitchen table while Sim and I were there beside them in the living room.

2:00am- My midwife and her assistant arrived. They could tell right away that I was pushing, and as we had chatted throughout the entire pregnancy, they began to prepare things for baby to arrive at any moment. I was so hot leaning on our fabric couch that we had to move to a different spot. I was shaky and quite tired, so they suggested moving to our bedroom so I could lie down. Nothing was comfortable. Every position hurt. I’d get really hot, and we’d move to our shower. Simeon would spray me with cold water to cool me down, then I’d start shivering, and he’d spray hot water. Back to the bed. Repeat. I began to realize that this was taking longer than we expected. By this time, it’s probably around 3:30am. My midwife thought that there might be a piece of cervix delaying baby. We attempted different positions to help that, but nothing.

4:00am- My midwife was concerned at the length of time I had been fully dilated and actively pushing with no progress on baby’s descent. She asked if she could do a vaginal exam. I agreed. When she felt for baby’s head, instead of feeling the crown of baby’s head, she felt a nose and eyes. Definitely not what she was supposed to be feeling! Baby was brow presentation. This only occurs in 1 out of every 4,000 births. She attempted to manually rotate baby, but it did not work.

5:00am- We tried different positions, deep squats while pushing, acupuncture, none of these were helping baby budge. The midwife noticed that with every contraction, baby’s heart rate was declining. Then, we began the conversation I never thought I’d be having. She suggested a hospital transfer. My heart broke. I was so tired and weak. I could not believe after so much effort that baby was not here. I was scared. On top of all of that, we had logistical things to consider. Who was going to watch our kids at a moment’s notice? How long would we be at the hospital? My world felt like it was spinning. I felt discouraged and defeated, but I knew I needed help getting baby out. Simeon and both agreed that we needed to transfer.

5:30am- Simeon called our Pastor and his wife. Within minutes, they were heading to our house to watch our children. God is so good!

6:00am- Simeon helped me get into our van. The hospital was 20 minutes away. (interesting side note: the hospital is in Parramatta- the city God called us to plant a church in) My midwife drove behind us. I was turned around backward in the passenger seat squeezing the back of the chair through each painful contraction. Those 20 minutes felt like an eternity! When we finally made it to the hospital, we didn’t know where to go. We pulled up to the main entrance, but it was quite the walk to get inside. My midwife ran in and asked for a wheelchair, but no one came. With shaky, weak legs, I climbed out of the car and started walking (more like shuffling) toward the door. I couldn’t wait! I needed this baby out. I had to walk past many people sitting outside on benches. Contractions were intense and happening every 2-3 minutes. I was leaning on my midwife as she helped me walk, but I had to stop for a contraction. I must have appeared desperate, because an older gentleman sitting on a bench offered me his walker! We finally made it to the elevator and rode up to the maternity ward. When the doors opened, a nurse was waiting outside with a wheelchair. I climbed in it on my knees facing her. She looked confused and said, “Oh this isn’t for you. I’m supposed to pick up a mom downstairs.” Well, too bad! I wasn’t leaving the wheelchair until they put me in a room. She obliged.

6:45am- Booking in at the hospital took forever! Well, not really, but that’s what it felt like at the time. I was so thankful to have my midwife with me. While the hospital staff could not have been kinder and more helpful, my midwife knew my desires for birth, and although everything felt like it was going sideways, she was my greatest advocate for as natural of an experience as possible. As they were offering things, I was able to lean on her medical knowledge and trust her suggestions of “yes, I’d do that”, or “no, you and baby are safe to decline.” Because this was completely new territory for me (hospital transfer because of a complication), it brought me such peace and security to be able to lean on her judgment calls. At this point, Simeon took a less active role in helping me cope with labor. He had been either by my side or running to get things for me every moment from the beginning until now. I am so thankful for his support, love, and attentiveness to doing all he could to make my desires for this birth happen. But at this point, the medical staff started taking over, and he was more of a moral support. He stood by me, held my hand, and we did our best to quickly process all that was happening.

This is where everything starts to get blurry for me as far as a timeline goes. I remember the details quite well, but not the time stamps of everything. I’ll just share the details and pick back up with times at baby’s arrival.

There were so many people in the room! Apparently, I was the talk of the ward. No one could believe that a mama x5 was trying to push out a brow presentation. We had several doctors, midwives, and a few student midwives present. The attending doctor attempted a manual rotation, but he was unsuccessful as well. He talked us through our options, the best of which was to have an instrumental birth. They were going to try to vacuum baby first, and if that didn’t work, they would try using forceps. I was terrified! I didn’t know very much about those methods of delivery, but the images conjuring in my head were of torturous births in the early 1900s. Not a lovely picture, and probably not reality, but still scary! The doctor suggested that I get an epidural in case they needed to use the forceps. It went against all that I wanted, but God was quickly teaching me that this birth would be one of humble surrender. I was so exhausted at this point, I had to get relief. Simeon and I decided the epidural was the route that this birth was requiring.

Once the epidural took effect, I noticed my body relaxing a bit. The doctors were preparing the instruments for delivery when I got several strong contractions and had the urge to push. My midwife encouraged me to bear down and put every effort into pushing. After just a few pushes, they noticed baby was descending! The attending doctor rushed over and helped coach me through the final pushes. To the amazement of everyone in the room, my brow presentation baby had crowned unassisted! Unheard-of!

8:55am- Simeon got in position to catch baby. Push! Head was out face up looking right at Daddy! Wait for a contraction. Push!! Baby was out! My midwife took her from Simeon and placed her on my chest. Oh my goodness! After all that work, and the high highs and low lows, I finally had my baby in my arms!

We quickly began to notice that she wasn’t doing very well. Flora had swallowed a lot of meconium and needed suction and oxygen. I only had her for a few seconds before they had to take her away, but it was long enough to peek between her legs and see that we had- another girl! The next few minutes are some of the scariest I’ve ever faced. Simeon and I waited, watched, and prayed for our baby girl to be ok. Her oxygen levels began to rise, slowly at first, then climbing quickly. She went from purple and limp to pink and wriggling. Within 15 minutes, she was back on my chest, completely fine and healthy! Praise the Lord for His unending goodness.

She did have quite a bit of bruising on her head and a wound on her forehead from my pubic bone. But she was perfect! Beautiful and perfect!

We were both assessed by several different midwives and doctors, and everything checked out wonderfully! My midwife pulled some strings, and we were allowed to go home just 6 hours after Flora’s birth. This was such a gift from the Lord. After all we’d been through, the complete deviation from what our expectations were, it was so good to be heading back to our own space with siblings who were anxious to meet their little sibling.

Although this was not the birth I’d dreamed of, the more we reflect on each detail, the more we see God did answer our prayer- that we might come to know Him, the giver of life, in a new and deeper way through this birth. God answered in beautiful, miraculous ways. Not the ways I had hoped for, but as He proves to me time and again, His ways are beyond mine, and they are always best. At the end of the day, we held the most lovely baby girl in our arms, and everything else faded away.

James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,”

Flora Quinn Brazzell

January 2, 2024 8:55am

8lbs 9oz / 19 1/2 inches

What a wide ride my pregnancy and birth was with Willow! So many things were different about this pregnancy. Being a rainbow baby added a whole new dynamic to it all as I battled worry and fear. This was my first pregnancy to experience morning sickness, and oh was that rough! There were many other things scattered throughout those 9 months that challenged my faith and drove me to my knees. We are so thankful that Willow is here and that she is perfectly healthy! God answered so many of our prayers.

In some ways, her birth was exactly what I had been dreaming of. . . ever since Ivy was born. If you’ve read or listened to Ivy’s birth story, you’ll know she was my first natural, home birth. That all came about at the very end of my pregnancy with her, and I had no idea what I was getting into. Well, it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever experienced! Fast forward, I was so delighted to be pregnant again and get the full experience of midwifery care and home birth. But in other ways, her birth was nothing like what I pictured, or had planned for. As I write this and hear her peacefully breathing beside me, I know that God was in every detail, doing what He does best- working all things together for good!

We’ll pick up the story around week 35. I had never experience Braxton Hicks contractions with my other babies, so it caught me by surprise when they started so early and so intense with Willow. I was having them every 20 minutes or so, and they were quite uncomfortable. I had spent the whole pregnancy convincing myself not to get my hopes up that baby would arrive early, but here I was at 35 weeks starting to make final preparations thinking that things were going to happen sooner than later.

My due date was May 8th, Mother’s Day. If I wasn’t going to have baby early, then I definitely wanted her on Mother’s Day. How perfect would that be?! Well, Mother’s Day came and went. As did the next day, and the next day. The days drug on. Every day I woke up thinking “This is the day! It’s got to be today.” I’d spend the day walking, bouncing on my birth ball, eating pineapple, and a dozen other tricks only to go to bed crying that another day had passed and still no baby. I had been 6 cm dilated and 90% effaced for at least 2 weeks. I had received 2 membrane sweeps that did nothing. These were such difficult days for me. I battled discouragement. I prayed, but felt like God wasn’t listening. I was so uncomfortable and sleep was a struggle. In my heart, I knew God’s timing was perfect, but my mind doubted and questioned.

It was Monday, May 16th- 8 days after my due date. I had an appointment with my midwives, and we talked through our options. I knew that they could not deliver at home after the 42 week mark, and I felt the clock was ticking with no labor in sight. They told me that they could break my water, and that it would definitely get labor started. That was not at all how I saw this birth going. I wanted the spontaneous surprise of labor starting, but I was tired. We were ready to meet our precious baby!

Simeon and I spent the next few hours praying through the decision, and we felt at peace with having my midwife break my water. We notified our birth team, and things were in place. Everyone would arrive around 7pm that evening. There was a good chance that it would take a bit for labor to get started. I thought that starting at 7 in the evening would give plenty of time for our younger two to be fast asleep before baby’s arrival. We had a friend lined up to come and watch them, but since we thought baby would arrive in the middle of the night, we saw no reason to have someone there.

My doula was the first to arrive. This in and of itself was a God-thing. I hadn’t planned to have a doula this time. I had one with Ivy (and she was incredible!), but Ivy came so quickly that my doula made it about 10 minutes before she was born. We figured this birth would probably go quickly too, so we chose not to invest in a doula. Two days before Willow’s birth, a dear friend responded to a photo I’d posted on social media. She told me that she was finishing up her certification to be a doula, and offered to be a part of my birth team if I wanted. We chatted on the phone for a while, and decided that God was orchestrating her joining in. Fast forward to Monday, I called her that afternoon and asked if she was available that evening. She has 6 kids of her own and lives and hour away, but she was able to clear her schedule and come! We had a sweet moment of prayer before the midwives arrived.

Around 5pm, I had started having mild contractions. We were unsure if it was the beginning of labor though because my body had been doing that for the past two weeks, then contractions would stop. I had my midwives check me before they broke my water. She said I was not in active labor. She broke my water at 7:16pm. She asked me if I could go take a walk to see if that would get things moving along. I barely made it down our hallway before the first contraction hit full force! I did make it onto our front porch, and I believe I walked the length of it maybe twice. Contractions were coming every few minutes. We went back into my bedroom, and maybe 15-20 minutes later, my body started pushing.

Ivy was asleep in her bedroom, but Knox was still up. We had expected things to go fast, but not that fast! We put on a movie for him to watch, and Eden came back to our room. Labor was so intense. It is amazing what the female body can do! I was surrounded by people who loved me and were cheering me on. There were my 3 midwives, Simeon, Eden, Simeon’s mom, my doula, and my photographer friend. Baby started to crown, and there was a beautiful moment in between contractions where I looked up at Eden, got her attention, and with the biggest smile I said, “Eden, baby’s almost out!” She got the cutest little smile. It was so precious having her be a part.

I had wanted to be the one to catch baby, but as the moment got closer, I felt too shaky and weak to do it. I did get to feel baby’s head as she came out, but Simeon was the one to catch her. He got her and handed her through my legs up to my chest. Oh, there’s nothing in the world like that moment!! She was born at 8:17pm which was exactly 1 hour and 1 minute after my water breaking!

I held her for a few minutes, then pulled her back to see the gender. I looked at Sim and said, “It’s a girl! It’s another little girl!” We had Knox come back to meet his little sister. I thought he might be disappointed because he really wanted a brother, but his smile hasn’t faded since telling him that he had another baby sister. Each one of us have been completely smitten with our Willow.

We could not be more thankful for Willow and for the opportunity to raise another child for the Lord. Her birth was such a beautiful experience for our entire family. I will treasure the memories for the rest of my life!

Below, you will find the show notes for her episode.

Importance of Nutrition

– replenish (loss of 10% of mineral stores with each birth)

– hormonal issues

– positive or negative effect of menopause years and beyond

– Postpartum is a sacred time that should focus on nourishing the mother which will nourish the baby. Recovering from birth and creating breastmilk, requires rest and proper nourishment and hydration. Many women are depleted even before getting pregnant so this time is vital to replenish and restore!

Physical – nutrition and healing

Emotional – support with hormones (oils, massage/touch)

Mental – processing and journaling

Spiritual – praise and gratitude, scriptural encouragement (study if possible)

Rest

– this is what will actually help you heal the most effectively and completely

– lying flat on your back as much as possible for first 2 weeks

– Rule of 5-5-5

Nutrition

-Vitamin and Mineral Impact (from good sources)

– Beef liver (natures multivitamin)minerals, B vitamins, Vit A, copper

– Trace minerals (Celtic sea salt or unrefined mineral salt)

– Egg and yolks (iron, zinc, selenium, copper, calcium, iodine, phosphorus, potassium,

riboflavin, B5, biotin, folate, choline, B12, via ADEK

– Bee pollen – amino acids, vit CAKDE, ALL B vitamins, choline, trace minerals

– Raw dairy (Vitamins ADEK) (Butter-iodine, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium)

-Protein – essential for… muscle health, hydration, immune system, milk supply; try to get at least 100g a day

Hydration

– Filtered water (prune juice warm for 1st BM)

– WARM as much as possible

– Add trace minerals, juice, raw honey, coconut water,anti-inflammatory,

– (Redmon salt, Golden Turmeric, Mineral Essence, Ningxia)

– Teas, bone broth, healthy hot chocolate (milk, collagen, salt, raw cacao, honey or maple

syrup)

Getting Practical

(Nourishing foods that are easily digestible/ consume enough calories, min2700)

– Gelatin (bone broth, homemade gummies and marshmallows)

– raw dairy (vit ADEK, magnesium

– fresh fruits – fiber, hydration, energy, (apples, oranges, berries…)

– warming and hearty soups

– adrenals cocktail – thyroid (hormone) support, basically a mineral math for your adrenals (not to be used as a meal, best used leading op to a meal) Basic recipe: 1/2 c orange juice/1/2 cup coconut water, 1/4 tsp mineral salt (Vit C, Potassium, minerals) you can also add a scoop of collagen and 1tbsp cream if concerned about blood sugar

– sprouted oatmeal (soak >5 hrs) (then cook with gelatin, salt, honey, and raw butter)

– collagen/egg yolk coffee (must be pastured eggs)

– Egg yolk benefits – choline(inflammation and neuro) ADEK

***Note – Food is Fuel! Yes, it is yummy and can be emotionally related, but you must remember this is your energy source. If you are not eating enough you will not have the energy and fuel to properly heal and also perform all the bodily functions necessary to be in your best health.

Breastfeeding

– high quality diet is what gives you high quality milk (supply too)

– Balance blood sugar (helps reduce some of the nutritional stress caused by nursing)

– Protein must be the anchor in your snacks and meals to keep blood sugar from spiking

– String cheese, apple, dark chocolate

– greek yogurt, honey, berries, granola

– beef jerky and fruit (pouch)

– cottage cheese, jam, fruit (lo fat)

– deli meat roll ups, toast

– hardboiled eggs, sourdough

– remember – Protein, fat, carb

– watch for toxins (pesticides) – will still pass through milk

Pelvic Floor

– deep breathing to relax

– diaphragmatic breathing

– see a specialist – its worth it!

Exercise

Don’t rush! (Personally, nothing more than walking and stretching before a month)

Postpartum Problems

If you are experiencing issues – get help!

Talk to to someone you trust get help

Check your mineral levels (HTMA test)

– Check your thyroid

Pinpoint what is stressing you – seek measures and supports

Find more helpful resources and information on Rebecca’s Instagram accounts.

Rebecca Grant

Low Tox Talks

While I understand that we can’t just rest and cuddle a new born 24/7 for 6 weeks, I think we put too little emphasis on embracing this season. Hence, we see a rise in postpartum depression, intense mood swings, exhaustion, nursing difficulties, and more.

My postpartum with Willow has been completely different than my previous experiences! You can check out the No Higher Calling Podcast for episodes going more in depth into how I prepared for this postpartum season, but below, you will find a list of my postpartum essentials- products that are tried and true as I have used them to recover from birth.

For Down Below

Herbal Perineal Spray by Earth Mama– With clean ingredients and an inverted sprayer, this cooling spray feels great!

Soothing Herbal Bath– This is a gentle, natural way to soothing your skin that has stretched and torn while also reducing bleeding and swelling.

Thinx Postpartum Panties– This was my first postpartum using a reusable product for bleeding. I didn’t use the panties for the first few days when bleeding was at it’s max, but they were wonderful once it slowed down a big! We use cloth diapers at our house, so it was easy to add these to the wash. I’ve found that many disposable products tend to cause my skin to break out after extended use, and these alleviated that discomfort!

Frida Mom Washer– I don’t know who designed peri bottles, but they are definitely flawed. It’s so difficult to spray up when gravity pulls down. The Frida Mom Washer is designed for upside down use!

Frida Mom Cooling Pad Liners– I hadn’t used these before Ivy. I had always made my own “padsicles” in the past, but these are amazing! Instant cooling relief, and they help with itching.

Doctor Butler’s Hemorrhoid and Fissure Ointment– This is going to be TMI, but I can’t be the only one to struggle with this! I get hemorrhoids SO BAD after having a baby. Like I will battle them for 6-8 months. I’ll have extreme pain, itching, trouble sitting, anxiety over using the bathroom. Ugh! This is definitely my worst part of postpartum recovery. But, this ointment is incredible. Read the Amazon reviews, they’ll make you laugh! The reviews were so convincing, I thought I’d give it a try. This stuff works!! After just two weeks, my hemorrhoids were completely healed and gone!

Rael Organic Disposable Underwear– For the first few days of postpartum bleeding, I love using disposable incontence underwear. It is easy to have something I can throw away, and it tends to be more absorbing. (Added plus is that they fit that postpartum belly comfortably!) These are a great “clean” option!

For Pain and Hormonal Support

Postpartum Balance– Herbal tincture to help balance hormones, lessen bleeding, and replenish vitamins and minerals.

Ease the Ache– Herbal tincture to ease postpartum cramping, bloating, back pain, and and mood swings.

For Breastfeeding

Breast Balm Herbal Salve– This is an all-natural, herbal salve that helps soothe sore, cracked nipples.

Sunflower Lecithin – This is my first baby to take this with. Several months after having Knox, I got a terrible case of mastitis. Since then, I’ve had problems with milk ducts under my arm getting clogged. My midwife suggested taking this supplement to help with that. After just a few days of taking them, I had no more problems with clogged ducts!

For Overall Health

Progessence Plus Serum– Since my miscarriage, I have struggled with having low progesterone levels. I had to supplement with synthetic progesterone early in my pregnancy with Willow, and it had some unpleasant side affects. This serum comes highly recommended as a natural way to boost progesterone levels. Those levels dip significantly during the postpartum, so I’m hoping this will help bring that to a proper balance.

Care/of Vitamins– I have been taking these vitamins for about 3 years now, and I couldn’t be more pleased! The quality is wonderful, and they’re made with trustworthy ingredients. Care/of is a monthly vitamin subscription plan. They send a month’s worth of vitamins all packaged in a daily bag which makes them easy to travel with! You can cancel at any time and edit your vitamin choices. I have recently done this as I switched out several supplements from what I’d take during pregnancy to what I take postpartum. I did quite a bit of research to find quality supplements at an affordable cost, and I found Care/of to be quite a bit cheaper than most other options! You can click the link to take a quiz and find out what supplements are best for your needs. (Care/of is not just for pregnant and postpartum women. They had all sorts of supplement options!)

What are your postpartum essentials? I’d love to hear what has helped you!

*Amazon links are afflilate links. As an Amazon influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you!!

I have been meaning to write this post for, well honestly, a few years! While I feel like this is advice that every new mama requests, it is a tricky thing to give advice on. Every mama is different. Every baby is different. Then, the more kids I have, the more I realize that they have different preferences. On top of all of that, with each new baby, I realize that so much of what I thought I needed really isn’t a necessity! All that to say, in this post I have written about some of my favorite baby things that we’ve loved. I’ve also reached out to many other moms to see what they recommended as essential. I have cross-checked that list with mine, and this is the condensed version. This is not even close to comprehensive, but to save readers some time, I haven’t listed things that are a given like diapers, socks, clothes etc. If I have mentioned something that is a basic necessity, it is only because I have found a brand/item that has been superior to others I’ve tried.

So, here we go. . . (heads up- these are in no particular order!)

• Diaper Bag: This will be a personal preference thing, but I have tried several different styles of diaper bags, and I’ve landed on the JuJuBe Be Right Back as my absolute favorite! It is a backpack style diaper bag with LOTS of pockets! It is designed in a way that, though it has a ton of storage space, it is easy to find everything. It includes a change pad which has come in hand so many times. The material is easy to wipe clean, and it’s even machine washable. Hands down worth the investment! I bought my bag when Eden was a baby. It’s now 4 years old, has went through 3 kids and it’s still in great shape! We hope to have more kids in the future, and I’m pretty confident this is the only diaper bag we’ll ever need.

• Nose Frida: First time moms, this will more than likely gross you out, but buy it anyway. You will be SO glad you did. And in no time at all, boogers, and many other body fluids, will become a regular part of your day. So if you’re grossed out by this, you won’t be for long! When polling moms to find their essentials, this came up over and over again. It’s a must-have!

• Baby Carrier: There are so many different types of carriers out there. I’d recommend seeing if there is a babywearing group in your community that allows you to try on different carrier styles. We have a group in Knoxville that even has a lending library where you can borrow carriers! (East Tennessee Valley Babywears for those local mamas who are interested) I have owned and tried many different brands and styles, but my favorite carrier is my Free to Grow Tula. It is a buckle carrier, so I find it very easy to put on. I like wraps, but they do have a learning curve. I like the free to grow style because it grows with baby. I loved wearing Eden, but the more kids we have, the more essential a comfortable carrier becomes.

• Teething Oil: I don’t need to say anything other than you must get Punkin Butt Teething Oil. It’s amazing!

• Carseat/Stroller combo: I won’t write much about this because it is definitely a personal preference thing. We have a Chicco Bravo Trio Travel System carseat/stroller combo that we’ve used with all of our kids. Eden and Knox currently have the Graco 4Ever carseat. When shopping for a stroller, I suggest going to a store to look at them so you can push them and feel how heavy they are. A mom has a lot to carry, the last thing you want is a heavy stroller.

• Sleepers: I know this one is a given, but it took us 3 kids to discover sleepers that zip both ways! We were seriously mind-blown. It makes diaper changes so much easier, and their chest and belly doesn’t get cold from being completely unzipped. Simeon would have me trash all our snap sleepers and replace them with these. Also, I would suggest only getting a few cute outfits from NB-3/6 months. Most of the time, the outfits go unworn because sleepers are just more practical for little ones.

• Sound Machine: I don’t have a specific recommendation for this one. You can even find free sound machine apps on your phone. Playing white noise has been a game changer for our babies sleep habits! I also like it because now that I have a baby and two noisy toddlers, it helps cancel out the older ones loud noises when Ivy’s napping.

• Wipeable bibs: We LOVE our Bumkins sleeved bib! It does look like a rain poncho, but it is the best for keeping baby clean. These have been a lifesaver on deputation because we often go out to eat Sunday between services. If it wasn’t for these bibs, we’d have to do complete outfit changes because of the mess from lunch. Just wash them with soap and water, and lay them out the dry. They dry pretty quick!

• Nursing Cover: A friend introduced me to Lou Lou swaddle blankets about a week before I had Ivy. I wish I would’ve known about these with me other two! They are the softest blankest, perfect for swaddling! They are really large, so I just tie two corners together and use that as a nursing cover. It’s long enough to cover my top and even drapes over my legs. It’s nice to have it double as a blanket and nursing cover.

• Bassinet: We have our babies sleep in our room for the first 6 months. We’ve used several different bassinets, but we bought this one when Ivy was born, and we love it. It has been great for all of our traveling. I also love how compact it folds up to be. I’m at the point where I don’t want to get rid of and rebuy baby stuff with each child, but SO MUCH STUFF accumulates that it can easily take over the house. I want things that can be condensed and easily stored. This bassinet is great for that. Ivy is no longer in it, and we have it folded up under Eden’s bed.

• Pack n Play: We’ve used our pack n play a lot for traveling. Now that we have 3 kids, Ivy actually sleeps in a pack n play at home too. There’s just not enough room to fit Eden’s bunk bed and a crib in her room. I don’t mind though. Again, it’ll be nice to not have to worry about storing a crib once Ivy’s out of it.

• High Chair: After cleaning up so many messes and constantly having to wash the cloth lining of a high chair, I found this high chair, and I’ll never use anything else. It is so easy to clean! We put a command hook on the back of the seat to hang bibs on.

• Toys/Books: There’s only a billion options for entertainment out there, so I am just going to mention a few favorites. Melissa and Doug is definitely our favorite brand of toy. They are very well made, fun and educational. This banana teether has been all my babies favorite toy, and it has worked wonders at helping them cut teeth. Crinkle paper is always fun for little ones. Hands down, our favorite books are from Usborne. They are so worth the cost!

• Bath Seat: When I had Eden, I had a large, hard bucket style bath tub for her. That thing was impossible to store! Then I bought this padded sunflower pillow thing that you put in the kitchen sink. It was a neat idea, but it took and eternity to dry. Then a friend gifted me this bath seat when I had Knox. It’s been great! It dries quick and folds up small.

• Bouncy Seat: With each child we add, I am becoming more and more minimalistic. But I will always want a bouncy seat. They come in handy during those months when baby can’t sit up yet.

• Cloth Diapers: I know that cloth isn’t for everyone, but we have loved using cloth! I wrote a detailed blog on everything I think you need to know to get started cloth diapering. You can read it here.

• Products for mama: I have written a very comprehensive list of postpartum essentials on another blog post. You can read that here.

• Gift Cards: Once you have baby, many different needs will arise that you hadn’t thought of previously. You’ll realize you need way more diapers than you ever thought possible. It’s nice to have some gift cards to help cover those expenses. It’s also nice to have some restaurant gift cards, especially for restaurants that do take out. There will be nights that you’ve barely survived the day and having someone else provide dinner will be a huge blessing.

I hope this list is helpful! Remember, especially if it’s your first, don’t over buy. I’ve gotten rid of so much baby stuff that was barely used. Also, don’t let all the details stress you out. You might think you have to have every element of the nursery just right before baby’s arrival. Then once they get here, the poop on all the cute clothes and blankets you’ve bought, and they just want to sleep cuddled up with you in your bed. It doesn’t take long for our sweet babes to form strong opinions haha! Feel free to comment with what baby items you deem essential.

To fully understand the background of this post, you’ll have to also read Ivy Jade’s Birth Story. I won’t take the time to retell many details that I wrote there, but I did want to devote a post to our home birth experience.I think one of the things that has amazed me most about Ivy’s birth was the realization that we, as parents, have so many options when it comes to childbirth. I have quickly become an advocate for home birth! It was the most incredible experience, and I pray that any future children we might have can be born at home. I do want to give a few disclaimers as I begin though. . .

• I do not want to bash the experiences I had with Eden and Knox. Both of their births were beautiful and miraculous as well, it was just a completely different experience. And there are several things that happened with both of their deliveries that were negative that I really don’t think would’ve happened if we’d had a more natural birth.
• Home birth is not for everyone. I am so thankful for modern medicine, hospitals, and doctors! There is a place for it all. I do believe that God designed a woman’s body to bring babies into the world, and much of modern medicine is more of an intervention than a help.
• God led Simeon and I both to the decision to choose a home birth. If either partner is scared or concerned about it, there are valid reasons to feel that way. I wouldn’t ignore that if you are the one on board with it. It never hurts to make an educated decision though. Research, talk to those with experience, and first and foremost, pray about it together. I believe with my whole heart that if a couple seeks God for wisdom, He is faithful to guide you BOTH to His perfect plan for you and your baby. As much as you love and want the best for your little one, God loves them and wants the best for them infinitely more!

You Have a Choice Our path to home birth all began with a few friends who reached out and shared their stories. I guess I always just assumed when you find out you’re pregnant, you schedule an appointment with an OB and in the end have a hospital delivery. These stories opened my eyes to the truth that we have choices! Looking back, so many “decisions” with my first two pregnancies and births weren’t even decisions. No one asked my opinion or if I wanted options. They were simply done because it was protocol.

A perfect example of this was during Eden’s birth. . . We found out after she was born that she had her hand by her head when she came out. Because of that, I had to push for 2 hours to get her out. It was exhausting, but I had an epidural and couldn’t feel any pain from it so I was fine to keep working hard to get her out. The doctor wasn’t as patient (my OB was on vacation when Eden was born, so I had an on-call OB from another practice). In the midst of being super tired and continuing to push, I overheard her preparing to do an episiotomy. I did NOT want that done! I had to speak up and intervene because no one even asked me if that was ok! Of course the doctor was quite frustrated with me for stopping her, but it wasn’t her choice- it was mine!

The experience with our midwife team was entirely different. They were thorough and on-top of everything, but the best word I can think of to describe the care I received from the versus the hospital was non-invasive. I’m use to having my dilation checked from week 35 on, and multiple times while laboring. I only had it checked once with my midwives, and that was at my own request. They explained to me that it really isn’t a good indication for labor. (Makes sense! I was 8cm dilated with Knox and had NO labor pains. I was 1 cm dilated with Eden, and my water broke) We were given choices about the shots, screenings, and treatments Ivy would receive at birth. Each thing was carefully explained to us with all the pros and cons. With my other two, I didn’t even know what treatments they received much less what and why. It was simply standard hospital procedure.Fears and ConcernsI mentioned in Ivy’s birth story that Sim was opposed to the idea of home birth the first time we discussed it. These are some of the things he was concerned about. . .

• The mess: Yes, this was probably the first concern on his list. He was just grossed out at the idea of birthing a baby in our bedroom! To be honest, I was curious how all of that worked as well. I mean, birth is messy. Would our bedroom ever look the same again?? When I was researching the midwife team we wound up choosing, under their FAQ page, one of the first questions they answered was “What about the Mess?” They explained that they clean up everything, and leave your house cleaner than before your baby arrived! They did just that! Everything was spotless, our bed was completely clean, and they even threw in the laundry before they left!
• What if something goes wrong? There are so many uncertainties in birth, and things can go wrong. Thankfully we had a very smooth and healthy pregnancy with Ivy, but that didn’t guarantee us a perfect delivery. The midwives were very thorough in lining up an emergency plan if we needed it. Thankfully we didn’t, but it put us at ease to know exactly what the transfer procedure would be if we did.

A Peaceful, Relaxing Environment I really don’t even know how to describe the peacefulness and relaxation of giving birth in a safe, familiar space. First, it was so nice not having to quickly grab bags and drive somewhere. Everyone came to us! If you read Ivy’s story, you know she came very quick. I had planned on laboring in the birth pool and possibly even delivering in it, but we didn’t have time. I wound up birthing her on the floor beside my bed. After she was born, the midwives moved us to my bed. The lights were dimmed, and the midwives excused themselves to start cleaning up. For the next hour, we just lied there, snuggled, and she nursed. It was beautiful. Simeon got in bed beside us, and we got to enjoy those first moments with out anyone taking our baby or pestering me with exams. After that first hour, the midwives returned to help me deliver the placenta, cut Ivy’s cord, and look her over. They gave me the option of being there for all her checks or moving me to an herb bath they had prepared. I decided to get in the tub after I got her weight and height. They quickly finished with her and brought her to me in the tub. I sat in the water and nursed her while they went over postpartum care. Once I was ready to get out of the bath, they helped me dress and get back in bed with Ivy. They went over a few last minute things, and then we were left to rest and begin life with our new bundle.RecoveryI keep getting the question “Now that you’ve experienced medicated and unmedicated births, which would you choose and why?” Unmedicated, hands down! Why?-

• Ivy was so alert after her birth. I’d read that this was very common in babies born unmediated. Often when a mom receives medication, it transfers to the baby causing them to be lethargic, etc. Ivy was bright-eyed from the beginning. She nursed almost immediately after birth, and she barely cried! She just looked around and took in her new world.
• I could walk! I’m use to being trapped in bed for hours after giving birth. I was shocked at how easily I was getting around after having Ivy.
• I don’t know if it’s because I had a catheter with the first two, but going to the bathroom was a difficult thing. With Ivy, I had no problem.
• I write this day 6 ppd, and my overall recovery has been so smooth! I still have a bit to go, but I feel much better at this stage than I did at this point with my other two.

Was home birth the right choice? This is the questions we kept asking ourselves over and over when we were thrust into the decision because of the changes that COVID-19 was enforcing. It came down to this, if Ivy came and the world was still in upheaval, would we be glad we made the switch? YES! If the world got back to normal before Ivy’s delivery and all normal hospital policies resumed, would we regret the change of plans? We really didn’t think we would. So we made the switch. Now that we are on the other side of the decision, we know without a shadow of a doubt that God orchestrated every detail to lead us to the decision to birth at home. Words like “incredible” and “amazing” don’t feel adequate enough to encapsulate the experience that it was. Was it hard and painful? Oh my goodness yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely! Honestly, I’m writing this 6 days ppd, and already the memories of the pain have so quickly faded. I’d do it all over again to be cuddling my little angel. I put this verse at the top of the post, but I want to insert it here again

“A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.” John 16:21

For the first time, I was in tune with my body and experienced birth as God created it. Sorrowful, painful? Yes, but only for a moment. The immense joy that follows is so overwhelming. It’s been funny the comments I’ve gotten when I share Ivy’s story. I’ll be the first to tell you, I am no beast, viking, or superwoman. A paper cut makes me cry. But I am a woman designed by God to bring life into this world. I spent many hours in prayer leading up to Ivy’s arrival asking God to give me His strength because I knew I didn’t have the power in and of myself. He answered my prayers, and all glory goes to Him!

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Psalm 139:14

June 4, 2020 / 3:06am

7lbs 6oz / 20 inches

I’m writing this day 4 postpartum, and I really don’t even know where to begin. Ivy’s journey to the world has been a wild ride from the very beginning, but it has also been our best birth experience yet! Here’s her story. . .

I look back and wonder how did I find the time to research birth like I did with Ivy’s pregnancy when I was chasing around 2 little toddlers, but somehow I did! About half way through the pregnancy, I realized I wanted a much different experience than what I had with Eden and Knox. I had an epidural with both, and Knox was induced. While their stories are unique and precious to me, I wanted a more natural approach this time. As I read and researched, I decided the best place to start would be to find a doula. God led us to Katie Ferguson. It only took us a few moments talking with her to know that a natural birth was definitely what we wanted this time, and that she was the perfect person to add to our team!

Fast forward to week 30 of pregnancy (mid-March)- This is when the world began to turn upside down. News of COVID-19 took over the headlines and began changing hospital policies drastically. We had no idea how long things would be in such an upheaval, but there were so many uncertainties that we began to question the decision to give birth at the hospital. I have several friends who have done home births. Sim and I actually discussed it briefly when we first decided to do a natural birth, but Simeon was very opposed to the idea. The virus caused us to rethink everything, and we began praying earnestly for God’s guidance and direction. I asked the Lord that He would guide my heart and Sim’s heart to the same direction. I began feeling like a home birth was the best option for us. After a week of prayer, Sim and I talked, and he said on his own that he felt like a home birth was the route the Lord was leading us to go and he had complete peace with that decision. I took that as my confirmation from the Lord that this was indeed His will.

Week 32 of pregnancy we switched from my OB doctor to Roots and Wings Midwifery. Once again, God was so faithful in guiding us to another essential part of our birth team.

Now for the best part- her arrival! My due date was June 6th. About 2 weeks before, my midwives told me that Ivy had dropped and that it could be any day. I walked every day, bounced on a birth ball, visited the chiropractor weekly, did squats and pelvic tilts. . . basically everything I could do to get Ivy and I ready for delivery. Days came and went with only sporadic Braxton Hicks contractions.

Wenesday, June 3rd I felt great! I saw the chiropractor, had a pool day with the kids, took a walk late that evening, got a shower, and settled into bed by 10pm.

1:00am- I woke up with uncomfortable cramping. It continued for the next 30 minutes, so I began to think that this was the beginning of our labor journey. I woke Simeon up and had him start to gather things for the kids while I got ready a bit.

1:40am- Contractions started getting stronger, more painful and closer together. They were coming about every 3 minutes and lasting for 1 minute.

2:00am- I never imagined that I’d be a screamer as I labored, but out of no where, the contractions were so painful I could do nothing but get on my hands and knees and scream.

2:15am- I only had 2 minutes between contractions now, and the only way I could cope with them was to push when I had them. We knew we had to start calling people (hindsight is 20/20, but we should’ve never waited so long to call!!) Sim helped me tag team calling the midwife, my doula, our parents, and my sis-in-law because I had such a brief time in between contractions where I could talk.

2:40am- Savannah, my sis-in-law, arrived first and took Eden and Knox. My mother-in-law, Roxanne, was next to arrive. She came right when I was in the middle of a painful contraction, and she ran in and started rubbing my back and helping me through it. A few minutes later, Rebekah, my midwife arrived. She began setting things up. Katie, my doula, arrived and was immediately at my side helping me breathe. We were supposed to have a birth pool, and I noticed no one was getting it ready. I asked Rebekah about it, and she said, “Honey, we don’t have time. You’re about to have a baby!” Ivy arrived only minutes after this!  I was on my hands and knees beside my bed. They gave me a birth ball to lean on. Simeon was amazing through it all! He sat beside me and let me almost break his fingers from squeezing his hand so hard!

3:06am- It took 2 pushes to get Ivy’s head out, and with one more push, her little body came out. It was the most intense pain I have ever experienced, but it was over so quickly and instant relief came. Ivy was here, and she was perfect! She came out so clean and beautiful. They moved her and I to our bed. Sim lied down beside us, and we cuddled our precious baby girl.

August 27, 2018 / 4:51pm

7lbs 10oz / 20 1/2 inches

I want to laugh every time I tell Knox’s birth story. It is definitely quite unique. . .

About 6 weeks before Knox’s due date (September 10, 2018) my doctor told me that I had started dilating. I was at 2 cm then, and I continued to progress at least a centimeter at every weekly appointment after. She told me to be ready to have him any day! We were caught off guard. Eden came 4 days late, so I wasn’t expecting to have Knox 6 weeks ahead of schedule! We made a mad dash to prepare for his arrival. All was in place, and the waiting began. Though I continued to show dilation progression, there were no other signs of labor.

Monday, August 27, 2018, I went in for my 38 week check-up. By that appointment, I had been expecting him to come any moment for at least 4 weeks. All of Sim’s family had made plans to come in town that weekend to see Knox and celebrate Labor Day. My doctor asked how I was doing, and I was honest- I was so ready to have this baby! Her exam revealed that I was 8 cm dilated!! I still was not having any contractions or other signs of labor, but my OB was afraid that if she sent me away, Knox would come so quickly that I wouldn’t make it back to the hospital. We left the appointment and were admitted to the maternity ward. Ready or not, it was time to meet our son!

We had dropped Eden off with Roxanne, my mother-in-law, while we went to the appointment. The plan was for us to come back and take her to the zoo after we were done. Of course that all quickly changed. We wanted Roxanne at the birth, but we had Eden’s car seat with us. Thankfully, my sister-in-law was able to come get Eden’s car seat and stay with her so Roxanne could join us in the hospital.

I was admitted to the hospital around noon. Dr. Cottam came and broke my water around 1pm. I received the epidural at 1:30pm. Things were progressing quickly! Too quickly they thought. The nurses wanted me to get the whole bag of IV fluids in before Knox was born, so they stalled my labor a bit.

We did have a scare that I barely remember, but Sim is scarred for life! Though I was almost completely dilated when we were admitted, I had zero pain. I still regret even getting the epidural, but I did. The nurse gave the lowest dosage, and told me to push a button to increase it if the pain began to worsen. I don’t remember the exact time, but of course, the pain did start to get more intense. I pushed the button, and after that becomes a blur for me. Apparently, it sent my blood pressure into a tailspin. All I remember is calling Sim over and telling him that I felt dizzy and tired. From there, he said nurses rushed in, hooked me up to oxygen, and were rushing around trying to regulate my blood pressure. Everything finally stabilized,  and I barely knew what happened.

My OB came in at 4pm and said it was time to start pushing. Once we started, she bet that I’d have Knox out in 10 minutes. I joked, “I bet I can do it in 9!” Nine minutes later, our sweet Knox Clayton was born. He was born at 4:51pm weighing 7 lbs 10 oz and was 20 1/2 inches long.

He’s been the best little boy from day one! He loves to sleep and snuggle. We are so thankful that the Lord blessed us with this baby boy. It was so precious to watch Eden meet him. They were buddies from the start!

November 25,2016 / 8:26am

7lbs 14oz / 20 1/2 inches

Eden’s due date was Monday, November 21, 2016. That day came and went. I was a first-time mom and had no idea what to expect. Had I been having braxton hicks? Any real contractions? What do they even feel like? To say I was impatient was an understatement! On top of that, we had some issues that were pressing us for time. My brother Clay was to leave for Germany a week after my due date. I wanted more than anything for him to have a chance to meet Eden before he left. He was moving there to live, and I didn’t know when we’d see each other again. My OB had planned to induce that same Monday if Eden didn’t come on her own. It still wouldn’t be enough time for him to meet her. So I prayed, did millions of squats, and danced all over the house.Thanksgiving day came. I was 40 weeks 4 days and ready to pop any minute. We had lunch with my family, and then went to Sim’s parents for dinner. Everyone joked with me about going into labor sometime that day. Something about all the food I ate pushing her out! The day came and went, nothing. . .

It was around 10pm, when we settled down at home and got ready for bed. Sim was already lying down watching a Colts game on his phone. I slipped into bed beside him, and all of the sudden, it felt like a bubble inside of me popped! My water had broken and contractions began. We called both sides of the family, and gathered our stuff to head to the hospital. I called my best friend, Julie, on the way to the hospital to help calm me down.

We arrived at the hospital around 11pm. They sent me to triage, and checked my dilation. I was only 2 cm dilated, but since my water broke, they went ahead and admitted me. I had planned throughout my pregnancy to have a natural birth, but if the pain got too bad, I’d opt for the epidural. Well, it didn’t take long to ask for the epidural! I got that around 11:30pm. My mom, sister, and mom-in-law arrived close to midnight. I was given pitocin to speed things up, but the nurses told me to rest while I had the chance. I actually slept pretty well!

My biggest disappointment with Eden’s birth is that my OB was out of town for the holiday weekend. A different doctor wound up delivering her, and I definitely wasn’t a huge fan! They came in around 6am and said it was baby time! Everything was prepared, and the pushing began. Sim was such a champ through it all. One of the nurses told him he was doing so well coaching me through it that she let him take over for her. He held my foot and counted through contractions with me. I pushed and pushed with very little progress. We realized that Eden was trying to come out with her fist by her face. Because of that, her hand was stuck on my pelvic bone, and she wasn’t moving much. The doctor wanted to do an episiotomy, but though I was tired, I couldn’t feel any pain, so I asked to keep trying without that.

Eden made her arrival at 8:26am November 25, 2016! She weighed 7 lbs 14 oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. Sim joked that we unfortunately didn’t get a Black Friday discount. Haha!It was an incredible moment. There’s no words to describe how you feel when you hold your baby for the first time. We fell in love with our perfect Eden immediately!

P.S. The Lord answered our prayer, and Eden was born 4 days before Clay left for Germany. While this was so special at the time, it has become even more precious to me, because that weekend was the last time we’d see Clay this side of heaven. He passed away just a few months later because of an unknown heart condition. God was so good to allow him to meet Eden. Those few pictures I have of them together will be something I treasure always!