The Sorrowful Mysteries: The Agony in the Garden (Part 1)

[I've been praying and meditating on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary lately, as they have really been on my mind as I prepare for Gianna's birth. The Mysteries, which include Jesus' agony in the garden, the scouring at the pillar, crowning with thorns, carrying of the cross, and the crucifixion, don't really seem like a traditional kind of prayer for someone who will be giving birth soon (more normal would be "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" or "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want..." etc...), but these meditations have brought me great peace and happiness and I'd like to share bits of those thoughts with you. ]


The First Sorrowful Mystery – The Agony in the Garden (Matt 26:36-41 or Luke 22:40-45)
Following the last supper, Jesus goes to Gethsemane with Peter, James, and John, asking them to pray and "keep watch" with him. Jesus goes further on to pray alone and in agony, his sweat becomes like drops of blood, three times saying "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done."


When I (or any woman, for that matter) go into labor, although I will have people near me and even in the same room, like Chris and my midwives, my experience of this time will be completely different from theirs. Like Peter, James, and John, they may even fall asleep at some point! Although I will not be alone, the pain and emotions I experience will be separate from them. I know there may be many times that I will want to give up or have the "cup" taken from me, but I know that I, like Jesus in the garden, will not be truly alone, because my Heavenly Father will be with me.

Jesus, I unite my suffering with yours in the garden of Gethsemane; be with me at my time of need, most merciful Lord. 

Did you miss the first post? Read my Introduction to the Sorrowful Mysteries here

The 5 Sorrowful Mysteries: Introduction

I've been praying and meditating on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary lately, as they have really been on my mind as I prepare for Gianna's birth. The Mysteries, which include Jesus' agony in the garden, the scourging at the pillar, crowning with thorns, carrying of the cross, and the crucifixion, don't really seem like a traditional kind of prayer for someone who will be giving birth soon (more normal would be "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" or "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want..." etc...), but these meditations have brought me great peace and happiness and I'd like to share bits of those thoughts with you. 

 Intro to the Mysteries and Childbirth:
In general, I've thought a lot about the what and whys of the pain of childbirth, because in our 21st century society, it's a common notion to believe that "pain and suffering" should not exist.

 But what if this pain and suffering in childbirth exists to make us holy and more like Christ? What if it's part of God's loving plan for our salvation? What if God wants to use natural childbirth as a way to empower women to make them stronger wives, mothers, and daughters of Christ and to help them to truly know that they "can do all things through Christ"? (Obviously, I'm speaking in the case of normal births which are approx 90% of all births, not if medical intervention is medically necessary!)

Two popular birth-related Bible verses:  (*all emphasis in Bible verses mine)
*Genesis 3:16, God says "I will intensify your toil in childbearing; in pain, you shall bring forth children."
*John 16:21, Jesus says "When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world." 

At face value, it seems a little dramatic, right? God says I'll make having babies painful, but then afterwards it'll be joyful and awesome. I've found that there's so much more though. If our God is loving and just, why would he want women to experience such pain? The simple answer is in the question--because He loves us, but as to the real rhyme and reason of how that love is manifested in birth pangs? The full picture comes into focus when we have greater context (it's always, all about context!). 

Reading a couple verses before in *John 16: "Are you discussing with one another what I said, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me'? Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. When a woman is in labor...."

Now the puzzle pieces begin to come together. Throughout the Bible, in fact, references to the pain of childbirth are connected with (either obviously here, or more hidden throughout the OT) Jesus' death. Understanding of the pain of childbirth and joy of a child comes to fruition in the context of Jesus' death and glorious Resurrection! 

In childbirth, God gave women a powerful way to be "like Christ" in his Passion/death (pain of bearing a child) and Resurrection (joy after birth of child). It's a way that is not easy, not really pleasant, but incredibly special, in that no man every gets be so closely united to Christ in this way, as a woman is. And this was the plan, from the very beginning! Oh how much He loves us! Jesus' death on Good Friday gave meaning to pain and suffering, making it holy and redemptive.  

 Jesus tells us to "pick up your cross and follow me" (*Matt 16:24) and "come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me....and you will find rest..." (*Matt 11:28-29). “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor 1:18) It may seem silly in the “modern world” to experience pain in childbirth, but God intended this pain for women for a purpose; this is the “cross” He desires for us. It is not a cross that we construct for ourselves that causes unnecessary suffering, but the cross designed for us as women to carry, one that fits us perfectly. With that cross (pain of childbirth), we can join Jesus in our sufferings, learning from him how to make our pain holy and redemptive, and finding rest in Him. 

It's more just asking Jesus to "get me through this"-- it's uniting myself to Jesus on the cross and participating in his Passion, knowing that Good Friday brings Easter Sunday and that soon there will be a child to rejoice much about.  

Jesus, be with me in suffering, and rejoice in my joys. 

Stay tuned for Part 1--The Agony in the Garden....

Week 34 Update and usual randomness

6 weeks to go!

I have the iPregnancy app and the weekly updates are getting pretty boring now that I’m on the home stretch. Basically every weekend it tells me I should be feeling more and more miserable (thankfully not yet) and that baby is getting fatter (hopefully). Apparently, by the end of the week Gianna could weigh as much as 6 lbs! I literally can’t fathom that, but it’s super awesome!

And here are your picture updates for Week 34. (BTW, this is the 2nd time I've typed 24 instead of 24 34...wow...3rd time...wonder what that means lol)

 And now....the silliness ensues.

 Because it's not the Rachel...

 Unless there's a ridiculous face involved.

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Chris and I watched Jim Gaffigan’s Mr. Universe stand up special recently . In the portion below, he jokes about home birth, hospitals, midwives, having 4 kids, Sarah McLachlan’s dog commercials, and bed time. FRIGGIN HILARIOUS. Watch it!!! 

I promise. It. Does. Not. Disappoint. :-)

(p.s. his “McDonald’s” bit from this special is also hilarious as well)

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We lead quite the charmed life here in Tyler, TX,  I have an egg farmer and am part of a raw milk co-op. It's pretty cool to know where your food comes from.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm farm fresh eggs fryin’ on the skillet. Deb at Jaggerbush Farms pretty much rocks.  I bought 5 dozen (at $2/dozen) my first trip (2 weeks ago) and we’ve only got 9 eggs left!

This weekend, we picked up our first gallon of raw milk from Trimble Farms ($6/gal). Bottled on Thursday, picked up on Friday, and Chris and I enjoyed 2 HUGE glasses with an impromptu homemade half batch (really I halved the recipe and only cooked half of it and refrigerated the rest…portion control LOL) of cookies this weekend! 

 Yes, that is a chocolate finger print on the label. 

 

This is Chris's "I'm a G" face. Because we have raw milk. Yes, we are that lame cool.

In the future, we definitely hopefully will not consume over ¼ gallon in one sitting, but we were so excited! This morning I used part of the gallon to make some homemade yogurt. I’m eager to see/taste the difference from my normal yogurt (which I usually have pasteurized 2% milk, this is raw whole milk) and although I won’t be able to “see” it, it will have LOTS more probiotics—yummmmmmy for my belly.

So we're just here, getting ready for Christmas with lots of DIY projects and baking, livin' the good life :-)

11 Reasons to Eat your Placenta ;-)

Hahahahahaha. But seriously. Kind of. Just keep reading. I've taken a lot from this article at Passionate Homemaking, so I'd suggest reading that one as well.

The idea of "eating" your placenta after giving birth is not new at all. In our modern world the whole thing seems pretty disgusting, right? But here are some things to consider...

God made women to make babies and tied the whole baby-making bonanza up into a natural, beautiful, genius fertility process (if you're on artificial contraception, this doesn't happen though). He made the womb a nourishing place to grow a child. He created women's bodies to allow for the impossible to be possible (baby leaves womb via small...hole..., pardon the crude/prude description). Logically then, why wouldn't He also have a plan for after the baby is born, to help restore the mother's health and strength, so that she could take care of herself and her family?

It's not very logical, is it? 

God did in fact plan for our own bodies to be nourished and restored postpartum--the placenta. During pregnancy, the placenta acts as a fetal life-support-ish system for the baby, but it's job doesn't (have to) end at delivery--it can act in a similar way for a mother, nourishing her after delivery as well. The placenta has lots of natural iron, protein, and other essential hormones that a woman lacks after delivery. To be more specific:

The known ingredients that give the placenta its healing properties are:
Gonadotrophin: the precursor to estrogen, progesterone and testosterone
Prolactin: promotes lactation
Oxytocin: for pain and bonding; produced during breastfeeding to facilitate bonding of mother and infant. In pharmaceutical form this is a very addictive drug because it promotes a feeling of connectedness with others
Thyroid stimulating hormone: boosts energy and helps recovery from stressful events
Cortisone: combats stress and unlocks energy stores
Interferon: stimulates the immune system to protect against infections
Prostaglandins: anti-inflammatory
Hemoglobin: replenishes iron deficiency and anemia, a common postpartum condition
Urokinase inhibiting factor and factor XIII: stops bleeding and enhances wound healing
Gammaglobulin: immune booster that helps protect against postpartum infections.
(Source)

So, by eating your placenta, the benefits to be reaped include: higher milk supply, resulting in better baby weight gain, better baby bonding, faster recovery, much lower chance of postpartum depression/general baby blues, boosting energy levels, alleviate postpartum bleeding, nourishing the body with essentials depleted at delivery...just to name a few.

Our God is certainly an awesome God and made a plan at the creation of the universe to help women after childbirth. Who am I to think I'm somehow "above" this plan or to think it's "gross"? As Paul says in often quoted Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". In that case, I guess my placenta is a like a shield of armor to help me in the battle of becoming a mother, so SIGN ME UP!!!

LUCKILY for me though, I live in the 21st century. I don't have to literally eat my placenta postpartum to reap all these benefits. In fact, I never even have to touch the thing. Once I deliver Gianna and placenta, the midwives will bag it up, and Chris will drop it off at Tiffany K's house, owner of Mom's Health First, and in a couple days, we get to pick up a jar of pills. If I can swallow nasty black strap molasses, I can certainly swallow a gelatin capsule that tastes like nothing.

While I know this idea of placentas is not ideal dinner conversation or anything, it doesn't make sense to be so grossed out by it or to be taboo to talk about. Just as in cooking a whole chicken we would want to not only use the meat, but also use the left over carcass for chicken broth, so too when life gives you babies, you use to "left overs" to make placenta pills! Hahahahahahahahahaha Makes perfect sense, right......? :-) :-) :-)

If you're interested in learning more about the benefits of placenta encapsulation, a quick google search will give you A TON of good resources. Enjoy that "food for thought" ( hahaha, I crack myself up)

**also, small note, if you deliver birth at a hospital, you have a right to your placenta, it is yours afterall! Let your doctor/nurse midwife know and it can be saved for you after delivery**

Less than 7 weeks!!!!

 I can't believe time has gone by so quickly, she'll be here before we know it! And don't forget, if you haven't weighed in on G's birth stats, do that here. (Which reminds me...I have a few more to add oops!)

I had a dream last night that G had just been born but I was coming into the dream at the point where we were already home. I picked her up and she had a HUGE (Christopher) head and already had over 10 teeth!!! She was unfathomably large for a newborn...like 4 month old baby sized.  However, she was literally perfect and so adorable, with barely any light light brown hair. 

Yesterday, we rearranged our bedroom furniture so that Gianna's stuff will fit better and that there's space for a reading/rocker nook. I used a super low tech way to "design"...graph paper and cut outs drawn to scale. To, note, Gianna has legs, she is just swaddled in the drawing of her in the crib. Just wanted to clarify :-) (see below) 

It's been a fun/weirdish couple of weeks. Some random updates:

• 2 weekends ago a man offered me his seat. Official pregnant lady stuff. Yay!
• I forgot to take my prenatal vita/food goodies for most of last week and turns out...that makes me feel like a good for nothing tired horrible human. Good to know they do their job for keeping me alert and happy hahaha. 
• Last week from Sunday-Saturday I didn't have a phone, as I left/lost it at T/R's house. Although I'm not a phone addict, I realized how useful my phone was. Like calling Chris to ask a question while I'm at the store. Getting on the spot directions. One more thing to not take for granted :-)  
• Gianna tries to butt her way out of my right side throughout the day. She's also a huge fan of the right rib. Just likes to put her butt all up in there so that my rib is literally burning all day.
• I'm working through our "things to buy before G gets here list", like ordering cloth diapers (I decided on Kawaii...they're BumGenius knockoffs), changing table pad and cover, diaper pail for cloth diapers, cloth diaper pail liner, diaper bag...I suppose that's pretty important so I'll get on that....soon...

  I believe this me at 31 weeks +1-2 days. I love that tank top, I got it in May for $1 at Target. 

 This was yesterday, at 33 weeks on the dot, in my gyms clothes. I should really start to wear make up and look nicer for these pictures. Someday....maybe week 39. Chris and I walked to the movie theatre to watch Life of Pi, and then to Ross and Taco Bueno, so I though it merited workout clothes.

 Remember how I was saying that I don't look "as pregnant" as a result of how I stand? I wanted to show y'all the difference. In the above picture, I'm standing with my tailbone tucked in and my spine elongated (so as to not have any added strain or pressure on the low back...even non pregnant people should stand like this!) so that the core muscles are engaged. In the picture below, I've stuck my butt out a la typical preggo fashion. Result? Instant back ache, and look a lot bigger and more uncomfortable. So today, everyone, your task-- TUCK THE TUSHIES IN!