I have experienced a homebirth and a hospital birth. I absolutely loved my first labor and delivery experience at home for my daughter and was hoping to do the same my rainbow baby (had a miscarriage at 10 weeks between my daughter and this baby, and only Jesus was able to carry me through that, and then bless me 1 month later with my rainbow baby pregnancy) but since my rainbow baby came early at 34.5 weeks I needed to deliver at a hospital with a NICU just in case baby needed it. Not exactly what I had planned for (especially 3 days after my daughter Lissette Angeline's 2nd birthday!) I prayed and told Jesus I trusted His promises for my healthy labor and delivery and healthy baby, and all the anxiety I felt about going into preterm labor disappeared, and I had peace that if this was gonna happen, He was with us and everything was going to be okay. And since I had taken and completed Bradley Method course with my first pregnancy and was in a refresher course during my second, I was ready with a hospital birth plan and my midwife and doula for support. As expected the hospital did put up a fight and played the scare tatict card with me because I was preterm, but because I was well prepared and supported I did not give in and stuck to my wishes for a natural birth with no interventions and only intermittent fetal checks every 20min. Luckily the hospital eventually honored my requests for both me and my baby, and although I was not at home as I would have preferred 10x over, I still got to have a natural labor and delivery at the hospital. The best part of the experience was all the staff getting to witness a natural labor and delivery without all the interventions and complimenting me on how awesome I did. Had I not been prepared from my Bradley Method class on how to deal with labor and understanding my hospital choices and having a hospital birth plan ready, and had I not had great support from my midwife and doula, the hospital may have been able to scare me into unneccessary interventions for both me and my baby. Unnecessary interventions can lead to complications which can then lead to emergency c sections which can then lead to your baby needing extra support from all the drugs in their system, and with my baby and I doing well during labor and delivery there was no need to intervene even though I was preterm. And even moreso since my baby was preterm I definitely didn't want any drugs in their system so they could be as active and as strong as possible. Thanks to Jesus for His divine protection on both me and baby, for everything to go so smoothly and as beautifully as it did even with a spontaneous preterm labor and delivery in a hospital, and my baby being strong and healthy and only needing to be monitored for 48hrs in the NICU without any interventions. At the end of the day, if mommy and baby are doing well, leave mommy and baby alone as God designed it!

Sebastian Ryder

Rainbow Miracle Baby

Born on March 10, 2017 at 34.5 weeks

5lbs 12oz 17.5 in long

God is always faithful - always good.

He carried us in the storm of our miscarriage in June 2016.

He strengthened us throughout our pregnancy beginning in July 2016.

We trusted in His promises during our preterm labor and delivery on March 10, 2017.

We continue to thank Him for His divine protection over our son born at only 34.5 weeks.

Strong and healthy, able to come home after only 2 days in the NICU without any interventions.

To Jesus be the Glory!