Waiting on God’s Intervention

By DF

Pray (Philippians 4: 4-7) Trust (Proverbs 3:5-6) Wait (Isaiah 40:31, 64:4)

“Going to the hospital to give birth is like a deer giving birth in the headlights, everything comes to a screeching halt.” DF

It was during the time of my second birth when I discovered the keys to God’s spiritual intervention. What I understood was that birth is a natural process and I was determined to allow the process to occur that way.  My determination to go natural resulted from what I had experienced in a prior medically managed birth.  All I knew was that the medical interventions I had previously allowed resulted in unnecessary pain and complications for both me and my baby.  “Been there, done that, won’t do it again, was now my motto”. Unfortunately, I was not aware that there were better options where I could give birth, other than the hospital.  Also, I was not aware that there were better options in choosing a healthcare provider.  So once again, I found myself giving birth within the hospital with all the medical props.

When my labor started progressing with intensity, I made the decision to go to the hospital.  Right away my Obstetrician made the decision to intervene “medically” with the artificial rupture of the membranes.  AROM is believed to assist in augmenting labor by piercing the amniotic filled sack that acts to cushion the baby’s head during labor.  With the baby’s head directly on the cervix, the intensity of the contractions increases.  There is no evidence that this intervention speeds up the labor process but it does increase the strength of the contractions for a longer period of time, along with leaving the baby’s head vulnerable.

With the increased intensity of the contractions during this early stage of labor, I found it very difficult to cope.  However, I was determined not to take any pain medications.  I knew that the pain medications would interfere with the natural process, and more importantly, they would enter my baby’s bloodstream.

“Been there, done that, won’t do it again. I guess you could say experience is the best motivator and teacher.”

After the AROM I was wheeled flat on my back into the labor room.  My husband was allowed to be present during this time.  The contractions were really getting more difficult to endure, so when the medical staff offered me pain medications, they were puzzled at my refusal. My OB came in and tried to persuade me to take the pain meds, but knowing what I knew gave me the resolve to reject them. His statement was not encouraging.  He told me that I would labor for at least four more hours.  When there was nothing for the medical staff to do, since I had refused their “medical intervention”, they left.  However, I was not coping well and tensing up with every hard contraction. And then, it finally occurred to me to “Pray” and to put my “Trust” in God.  So instead of relying on what I knew to do (I had forgotten everything). I made the decision to seek His counsel. So I called on my Lord with this short prayer, “Help!”.  As soon as that request left my mouth, I heard within my mind’s ear the following suggestion;

“Relax, I want you to concentrate on relaxing from your waist down, and allow your body to go completely limp like a wet noodle.”

I am not sure if I ever heard that technique mentioned in my Lamaze class, but at any rate, the Lord was either reminding or telling me exactly what I needed to do.  I then began concentrating on relaxing my body without tensing up.  Almost immediately, I sensed my cervix fully dilating.  I knew then that my baby was about to be born.  I told my husband the news, but because it had only been minutes since the medical staff had left, he doubted the possibility of the baby coming so soon. But finally, he got the message and went for help.  When he returned with the staff, I was experiencing the natural urge to bear down and push.  It felt so good to participate along with my body in this natural process.  Unfortunately, there were two separate rooms -one for labor and one for delivery.  Because I was still in the labor room the medical staff started discouraging me from pushing and told me to wait until they could get me into the other room.  But I was on a roll now, and it was too late for anything else other than to allow my body do what it knew to do.

“Instead, I Waited upon the Lord and with one last push, the Lord was there to deliver in His time and in His most excellent Way!”
Galatians 4:4-7

With wings outstretched and maternal confidence soaring, I heard within me another voice shouting –

“You are mother, and you will roar”.

 “May my cry come before you, O LORD;
give me understanding according to your word.
May my supplication come before you;
deliver me according to your promise.”
Psalm 119:169-170

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