Ruth Evelyn: 39 Week Update & Prayer Needs for Labor and Birth

Yesterday morning, our amazing midwife, Joni Yankus, came for our in-home prenatal appointment. I loved getting to show her our home and talk about the logistics of our coming labor & birth. We sat on my couch and talked through final birth plans and then listened to baby girl's heartbeat and checked my vitals. It was SO nice and relaxing! Ruth's hearbeat was 132, pretty standard for her. My blood pressure was at it's normal, 96/65. I've had a bit of ankle swelling, but it wasn't much during the appointment. We had a BUSY day for the rest of our day and I had more swelling than I've had with being in the car and on my feet more, so working to up the water intake and stay off my feet today (Friday) and take a nap so my feet are up - my swelling on the ankles always goes down when I get a nap. Plus, I'd been a bit lax for a few days on carb intake with some busy days and working mornings, so I'm back on my passionately rigorous commitment to no carbs and lots of water! 

My weight gain has been great - didn't gain going into this week, which is awesome! I feel good and find it hard to believe we are 39 week, 2 days now! I get uncomfortable standing after I've been in bed all night, but other than that I still feel pretty good moving around, bending over, etc. I feel my belly lower, which I'm hoping is a great thing as my little one gets in position for birth. She has been head down at all of my recent appointments. I even had my chiropractor, who we saw yesterday, check position and Ruth's head is down and low! My chiropractor is a prenatal and infant/children specialist and known in this area for positioning and spinning babies. She actually is the same chiropractor that adjusted Jacob not long after his birth and resolved the rather large hematoma on the left side of his head from his long, malpositioned labor. We think the world of her! I've had braxton-hicks contractions on and off for weeks. They take my breath away, especially when driving to work, but I'm so grateful to God for these as a sign of my body preparing and doing what it was designed to do!

Our house is in order and I've got our birth kit ready in the area where our birth pool will be, along with some baby towels, adult towels, and some burp cloths just in case. I've set out a first outfit for Ruth, and a cute little NB diaper! Our food is prepared and we have snacks for us and the birth team. 

I know our girl will be here soon though I am at peace about the "when". Here are our prayers as we wait to see when Ruth will make her arrival:

1. Jacob: we have a dear friend who will be keeping him while we labor/birth and then bring him back so we can get some early family photos while our birth photographer is still here. My prayer is that the Lord works out the logistics of Jacob getting where he needs to be without Josh being gone long since labor can be unpredictable. Also, that God surrounds Jacob with HIS peace as he is apart from his Mama and Daddy and that his time away is a positive experience and he is soon reunited with us and his new sister.

2. Safety: for our sweet Ruth as she travels through her journey of labor and birth. I think a lot lately about how this is not just my labor and birth story, but it is equally hers... ours... a journey together, just as I had with Jacob. I pray that, even as she goes through labor and being born, her young heart and mind sense God's and her parents' great love for her!

3. Our Birth Team:

I am praying for each member of our birth team, for the logistics of everyone getting where they need to when they need to and for God's provision for their needs in this process. For those who feel so lead, here are these amazing women you can be lifting to God in prayer. Please pray for safety for them all as they go and come and for the needed energy that is required when being a part of birth for another family:

I. Joni Yankus, our midwife

Joni has been a part of our pregnancy journey from the first weekend we started having bleeding and cramping and were told we were most likely miscarrying. She texted with me throughout that weekend and is even the one who encouraged us to go to the ER to ensure we weren't having an ectopic pregnancy because my symptoms line up with this possibility. We weren't even her clients yet, but I had wanted to meet with her, so texted her when my bleeding started and she took us on as a couple she cared about and cared for from that moment on. She worked alongside Dr. Cummings, my OB, during the first half of our pregnancy, providing me the midwivery model of care I prefer while we ensured that all was physically safe and it was wise for me to transfer full care to an out-of-hospital birth approach. We have been so blessed by her medical knowledge, guidance, encouragement, and faith in this birth! I cannot wait to have her there for our daughter's entrance into the world! She has spoken such truth and love over our journey and believes in this birth along with us!

Please pray for her to be well rested and encouraged and uplifted as she walks into our labor/birth and that her needs will be met for energy, food, rest, etc. as she guides the process of our daughter's birth. 

II. Kaitlyn Wages, our doula

Joni recommended Kaitlyn to us when I asked if she knew of any doulas she recommended. They had recently worked a birth together and Joni was SO impressed by Kaitlyn. After interviewing several doulas, it was a HARD decision and yet I felt the first time I spoke with Kaitlyn on the phone that she was the one God intended for us. Her first 2 babies were born at the hospital where I had Jacob and her third was a home, water birth. Also, do to extenuating circumstances with her first birth, she had to go through relactation to breastfeed her oldest, so has unique training beyond the average doula about breastfeeding and I wanted that kind of support and insight. I wasn't sure with my first pregnancy that I needed a doula, but decided I wanted one this time. Josh and I BOTH think it is one of the best decisions we've made for pregnancy, labor and birth! Kaitlyn has provided encouragement, prayer, information, guidance, and friendship to us and we just have fallen in love with her! If we have any more pregnancies, we will not do so without a doula!

Please pray for her rest and strength as well. God knows when we will go into labor and I pray that she has been able to rest, have time with her family, and has the strength needed for doula support. Her involvement starts earlier and is more physically involved, as a team member along with Josh. 

Kaitlyn and her husband, Seth

III. Brandie Davis, our birth photographer (Mindful Momma Photography)

I found Brandie through searching online and was SO impressed by her portfolio and the view through her lens as seen in her pictures of birth online. We emailed and I loved what her packages offered and that we could afford what we wanted from such a talented photographer! She had a little boy this summer, who we got to meet at our in-home visit with her and he is a DOLL! I love having a fellow Mama capture our birth and how involved she is in the local birth community here in DFW!

Please pray that she has gotten to rest and is able to get to us at the right time. Also, that the breastfeeding needs of her son are met as she captures births on film!

Brandie and her sweet youngest little one, born just this summer!

IV. Sarah Falk, a dear friend from our 1st birth journey and now our church and MOPS - she will be caring for Jacob! She has a son just about 3 1/2 weeks older than Jacob.

Please pray that we coordinate getting Jacob situated at Sarah's easily in a way that is smooth for both families. Also, pray for Jacob and Samuel (Sarah's son) as they play together - to get along well and be loving and just have fun! There's a lot to learn about playing with others for almost-2 year olds and I know Jacob will be a bit disconcerted being apart from me and his Daddy, so I pray for his temperament and peace in his heart as he is in another home during this time. Pray for Sarah and her incredible heart of friendship as she cares for 2 little boys!

V. Donnellyn Dominguez, possible midwife assistant
Donnellyn is the owner of All About Babies Birth Center and she and Joni often are the assistant for one another at births. We don't know for sure who will assist Joni, but there is a chance it will be Donnellyn. We haven't interacted with her much, but have heard she is an amazing midwife who loves the Lord and is incredible at births. We pray she is a seamless part of this team we have fallen in love with and used by God in her role in Ruth's birth.

VI. Josh Bruffey, my best friend, husband, and partner in labor/birth

Josh has been so incredible with both of our pregnancies and was an amazing partner during our labor and delivery of Jacob. Our birth team then was so impressed by him! I know he will be just as awesome this time. He is working long hours and has just started a 2nd, part-time job for us. My prayer for him is that he is blessed with unexpected rest before we are in labor and a calm heart and mind as he offers support, friendship, and encouragement to me and Ruth during our labor and birth journey. He has several forms with information on being a labor support that he has to study from our childbirth class and he wants to have them in his mind and heart when we are in actual labor, so pray for time for him to really take those to heart. Pray he has peace and focus and a sense of God's presence and joy as we labor together! 

Thank you to those who are praying for us and offering encouragement! We cannot wait to introduce our Ruth Evelyn and more than anything to hold her, see her with her big brother, and be a family of 4! 

~ Mama Bruffey

Wife of One, Mother of Two