6 things I learned from the birth of our 2nd child

This past Monday morning, Claudia and I welcomed our new baby daughter into this world, Evelina Pearl Good. A 9 lb 2 oz bundle of pure joy!

The birth of a baby is an exciting time. Sure, it’s a bit of an adjustment having a newborn to take care of and going from a family of 3 to 4, but we couldn’t be more thrilled!

There are lots of things to learn from the birth of a child, but today I wanted to share six with you that stood out to me. Here they are:

1. Our humanity is beautiful –  Sometimes life feels a bit objective, like it’s something I’m somehow detached from.

But then I experience something like the incredible miracle of childbirth, and it gives me a deeper understanding of my humanity. It makes me feel more grounded, more connected to life and those around me.

2. The benefit of  picturing things in your mind ahead of time – For a few weeks leading up to Claudia’s due date, I’d run through in my head what the day she goes into labor would look like.

I pictured myself doing everything from remaining calm while getting everything loaded into the car, to exactly what we would do once we arrived at the birth center.

Doing this allowed me to have repeated “test runs” before the big day. And it really helped. A lot of what we did that day was familiar because I had been doing it for a couple of weeks already.

3. Having more than one child gives you a broader perspective – Claudia and I also have a two year old, Jude. And it was funny, the day we brought Evelina home, instantly, my perspective as a parent changed.

With one child, it’s easy to get hyper focused on that child and over analyze everything, to the point where it gets to be too much. Having additional children takes care of that.

4. The value of my morning routine – Having a newborn in the house will throw just about every routine off. And I’m OK with that.

But because of that, I realized how much clarity and energy I draw from my morning routine. I get up at 5 AM to sit and be still, pray, and read something inspirational.

5. The Lord is always good – In light of the healthy arrival of our daughter, I’m reminded of this promise in scripture:

For the Lord is always good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. – Psalm 100:5

6. Life is a gift – I’ve made it a habit a while back to say a simple prayer when I wake up each morning. “Father, I want to thank you for this day. Thank you that I’m alive and healthy.” Now, this prayer means even more to me.

The birth of a baby is an exciting time with lots of changes and lots to learn. My hope is that you can apply some of the things I’ve learned from the birth of our daughter, whether you have a baby on the way or not.