Being pregnant and giving birth during a pandemic is quite the experience.
My husband (Iresh) and I found out we were expecting in February 2020 and we were excited! Little did we know that Sri Lanka would go in to a total lockdown starting March that year. I passed my 12 weeks without an ultrasound scan just to hear the baby’s heartbeat, purely because the doctor advised us not to come to the hospital. There was a certain level of anxiety that came with that but through prayer I taught myself to trust the Lord that He will see to it that the baby is healthy. We were able to get our scans done when I was about 20+ weeks in, which I initially had to go in alone.
I remember standing in line waiting to go in for a scan so we could see the baby, where our doctor would measure the baby’s growth and all I did was ask the Lord, “please allow my husband in” and the the doctor asked both of us to come in! From that point on I continued to keep my faith because I knew Jesus was going to come through for me during this pandemic.
As the weeks and months went by, my doctor advised me to stay ready to give birth starting 38 weeks since baby was already in position. Everyday was exciting just knowing that we would meet our bundle of joy at any moment! Although the 40 weeks were nearing, I kept going for my weekly check ups to see if I am dilating and I was, very slowly but there was still no sign of going in to labour.
A friend of mine shared this verse with me to hold on to;
“Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord. “Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?” says your God. “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her. For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance.” For this is what the Lord says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” Isaiah 66:7-13 NIV
I prepared for this pregnancy through the leading of the Holy Spirit, I prayed – put all my faults at the feet of the Lord, changed many of my ways, made sacrifices, just to try and be a better person than I was the previous day; it’s HARD. It’s hard to say no to your ego, anger and temptations, but making these sacrifices only made my journey with Jesus easier. My life became PEACEFUL.
There was no point of working out, or doing yoga to prepare for this birth if I didn’t have a pure heart to welcome this child (ANGEL) from heaven with PRAYER, PRAISE and WORSHIP. Iresh and I grew (still growing) together spiritually; every element of our relationship goes through God and that’s the only way we see life dead in the eye. We held on to, manifested and surrendered to this Word for the perfect time for Àna to be born. God’s perfect time is the right time and the way this child would be delivered was also held on to through this Word.
The night before our baby girl was born we had Indian food, I woke up in the middle of the night thinking I had a stomach indigestion, and I did, i puked at 2:00am and was worried, last thing a pregnant mom needs is a bad stomach. Thereafter, Iresh helped me get cleaned up and we went back to bed. An hour or so later I got a weird and bearable stomach pain which kept coming back regularly. I knew something was up but since I wasn’t in any discomfort I didn’t rush in to anything. I put on some praise music and worshipped. I asked the Holy Spirit to lead me through this, to tell me what I must do, I was led to drink about two bottles of water and to tell my husband to get ready after I got ready but there was no need to rush.
We left home at 6:30am and on our way I knew I was getting contractions, I remember getting them twice through our journey, but it was bearable and it didn’t hurt at all. When we got to the hospital car park I was completely comfortable with walking to the hospital, but as soon as the hospital staff saw me they were adamant that I used a wheelchair.
At 7:15am the house doctor examined the baby’s heartbeat and it was of one rhythm and not fluctuating like it was supposed to, and then he examined me and said I was 8cm dilated and that I am in labour and I didn’t even know it. Iresh and I looked at each other and smiled because Jesus is a God who keeps His promises.
When I was rushed in to the labour room, the staff informed me that the private rooms were not available and I have to use the common room and my husband won’t be allowed in. After telling them that I needed my husband by my side, I looked to Jesus and asked him to keep my husband by my side and I put on some praise music, opened the bible and kept moving about around the bed and on the bed. When the nurses wanted to inject me with various drugs, I was led to refuse them as I wanted an unmedicated birth. So I waited, it was 8:00am and the house doctor informed me that it would be a long wait as it takes about 2 hours to dilate from 8cm to 10cm, but I knew bub was on her way! I asked him to examine me and when he did I had already dilated to 10cm, Praise God!
My OB walked in at 8:30am and broke my water bag and I was ready to push. The song that was on was “So will I” by Hillsong and I listened very carefully to the tune and the lyrics, it speaks of how creation worships God, and when it came to the bridge of the song, my prayer to Jesus was “this last push is my worship to you” and I pushed that mighty push and my baby girl was out by 9:19am. My husband was right by my side through it all.
At 39 weeks and 4 days on the 18th of October 2020 God made this happen, he was orchestrating every minute of that day just like he does when all of us Mums go in to labour. His faithfulness is great and all we have to do is make him a part of what we go through. He is waiting to be found by us, it confirmed to me as the very scripture I was holding on to came alive to me on that day.
God bless you.
Originally posted 2021-06-16 12:24:11.