Birth Story 

This story helped me heal from my own birth story almost 3 years ago. I wasn't living for God the way I should have been and He used the birth of my son to bring me where I needed to be. Just like you I dreamed of having a natural vaginal birth and I was actually so excited for labor. I was overly prepared. I prayed for the Lord to allow me to go into labor naturally. When I got to the hospital the night I was supposed to be induced the nurse told me I was already having contractions. I was so grateful. Fast forward a few hours later suddenly my contractions go from mild to comepletely off the chart. I was only in early labor and I knew if it was going to be this painful for the entirety I couldn't do it. I cried with disappointment as I got my epidural. At some point in the night it wore off on one side and I had to get it re-done. Around 11 am the next morning the nurse tells me its time to push. I pushed for 2 hours before his head came out. Suddenly the nurses are surrounding me and one of them is forcefully pushing her elbow into my stomach as they told me not to stop pushing. It was excruciating. Turns out my son had gotten stuck and they only had a few minutes to get him out before brain damage could occur. My doctor reached his whole arm in to release his shoulder and pulled him out. Apparently during this time I hemorrhaged and lost a lot of blood. My son had to be resuscitated while they were trying to stop my bleeding. I ended up having a 4th degree tear and had to get a blood transfusion. When I was finally able to go home I thought it was all downhill from there. Unfortunately I ended up developing postpartum pre-eclampsia and had bells palsy at the same time. It was the scariest time of my life. Its been almost 3 years and I still remember everything vividly. Since then ive struggled with severe anxiety. Its been the hardest thing i have ever done, but I praise God that I went through it because it was through that situation that I truly came to know the Lord. Thank you for sharing this, it has helped me heal.

Emma, I may not walk with the Lord, but I have been following you for years, and have always kept an open mind reading/seeing all your content. I want to say congratulations, and i’m so happy for you and Josh!! I absolutely loved listening to this story, and i LOVE how supportive Josh is to you. You two are both so sweet. Both gems. I hope you are enjoying motherhood!!!❤

The sound of baby Margo's grunts into the mic as you and Josh spoke was the most precious thing ever.

How beautiful! You rocked it momma! What a supportive husband . You just worshipped that baby to earth! This is such a beautiful story!

He answers our prayers so faithfully, just not how we thought He would. I needed this.❤

“Whatever seasoning you’re in, you’ll never regret surrender your plans to the Lord. Your joy is found not in something going how you thought that it would. But your joy is found through trusting in the Lord who is carrying you. He is sovereign and He is in control. Even when it feels chaotic, it’s actually in order whenever you are abiding in Him.” Such a powerful message, Emma! I truly tasted and saw the goodness of the Lord through you both sharing this story. May God bless your family 🙏❤️ thank you

Amazing, Emma Josh and Margot! I watched this with my baby girl of almost 9 weeks on my chest. My due date was aug 27th and my contractions started 41+5. And she was born early morning 42weeks exactly, an hour before out induction was planned, praise the Lord. I recognise what your saying about how the Lord is so sovereign in His plans with us. Even, I feel like, for such a ‘small’ thing as a baby being born. For me and my husband and our life, it feels like the biggest thing of course!!!! But earthly-scale-wise babies are being born every day. But God is in these ‘normal’ human things so incredibly deep. I can’t help but marvel at how good our God is when I look at my daughter. The words of psalm 139 have never felt so real. And what you said about laying awake at night with your husband next to you and baby next to you and just thinking ‘what just happened’. I had to wait till 42 weeks, which was mentally really hard. But I got to have a natural birth (at the hospital) low intervention. Which is so amazing and I am so thankful for. Thank you for sharing your story. It will bless people, I’m sure!! Hoe great is our God?! ❤🙏🏼 love from Hannah, from The Netherlands.

Seeing you with a baby and husband is the best thing to witness since seeing you in high school God is good!

This actually really helped me because I had an emergency c section and i prayed for a vaginal birth my entire pregnanacy too. I couldn’t understand or see the purpose in me having a c section, I was so let down. Seeing other Christian’s go through similar things helps me not feel so alone in it. Also I just had a miscarriage when we tried for baby number two, so trusting the Lord in that as well. He has purpose for our pain

God is so faithful!

I admire your strength and positivity even in the unexpected by trusting the Lord. It’s inspiring! Congratulations to your sweet lil girl!🙏❤️❤️

Congratulations you two! I totally feel this! Our baby boy was born on the 1st of October. I developed pre-eclampsia and had to be induced, went from 0-7 cm in 30 minutes, and baby boy went into distress and they couldn’t find his heart rate for three minutes so I was rushed to have a c section! They had to put me to sleep because there wasn’t time for an epidural and I definitely felt that loss of not having the birth I imagined! Feeling numb and afraid, and like I wasn’t actually there are exactly how I would describe it. So scary! But GOD! He is so good and praise the Lord for His protection! So happy for you both! Thank you for sharing this story, while I wish you had gotten your vaginal birth, hearing this story has blessed me !

This was truly so beautiful Emma Mae!❤🥰

Oh my goodness I’ve been so excited for this story! Emma you are such an incredible Mom! I pray that this next season in life with your beautiful daughter brings so much joy

So so sweet how calm Margot is! Congratulations!! She is absolutely beautiful!!

Thank you for sharing your story!

this story brought me to tears! thank you for sharing and just allowing us to know God’s good glory through you!!

This is so beautiful and brought tears to my eyes. Thank you guys for sharing and being you.

CONGRATULATIONS EMMAAAA and JOSH! Thank you so so much for sharing this story! It's so encouraging! Love you guys! 💛💛💛

Love you guys! Thank you for sharing. Congratulations on your precious blessing!

Wow! You had a baby ❤️❤️ That is so exciting! And for some reason I didn’t know you had a podcast!

What a sweet, painful, encouraging story. Thanks for sharing and congrats to a healthy Margot 🤍🫶

You have a gift for story telling, Emma! So beautiful. Congrats!

Congratulations Emma and Josh. Thank you for sharing such a sacred experience. Your message and mission has single handedly turned me back to faith after some of the most challenging seasons of life. He is so proud of you for how you share the word. Bless you 💗

Beautiful story! Congratulations! It’s the way he looks at you with love in his eyes. May God continue to bless your family 🥹🙌

Congratulations!!! We are so HAPPY for you! Thank you for sharing your story. So thankful that Emma and baby are safe! God bless your family!

Thank you so much for sharing!! This story really touched me. 💛

You’re such a blessing Emma! This was such a sweet birth story, and you brought education into it as well. There are lots of things you mentioned that will help future mothers. Thank you!

Thank you so much for sharing your story.. so many lessons and blessings in here.

AMEN! God is always good! Emma thank you so much for sharing your story. So happy for you and Josh. May God bless you ❤

Wow, congratulations on your beautiful baby girl. That’s amazing 😢❤

A beautiful story. It's amazing how birth can cause you to have so many feelings at once. You mentioned how the first time you don't know what to expect because it's your first baby but during my third pregnancy, I thought I knew it, and still had the same thing you had, frequent contractions that took me to the hospital and then they sent me back home lol. I guess every delivery is different. I loved how you still remembered your prayer that God would be glorified during her delivery. Thanks for being so open and vulnerable.

Wow Emma! Congratulations🤍 I have never had tears run down my face from someone birth story. I could hear your true emotions come through from all the disappointments but the way you always brought it back to God glory and seeing him in every detail of your story was just so beautiful and overwhelming. Thank you for sharing and I pray God blessing over you all in this new beautiful season of your life 🤍🤍🤍

Emma I cried 3 times!! Glory be to God!!! Thank you for sharing your story 🩷

Thank you very much for sharing Emma Mae. May God bless you richly

Listening to this with an 8 week old in my arms feeling reassured and comforted listening to your birth story to then reflecting it back to mine which was an emergency c-section. Thankyou for sharing so honestly, you described it in a way I can fully relate. God Bless you guys

Congratulations on your sweet baby girl! And what a story wow! God bless all three of you 🙏🏼☦️🕊

Thank you Emma for sharing. So beautiful 💕 God is glorified in our surrender. Amen sister! Blessings and shalom to you and Margot and your hubby. Congratulations

Thank you, Emma and Josh, for sharing the beautiful birth story of your precious daughter and trusting the Lord through it all. Congratulations 🥰

I literally cried. Glory to God! Thank you for sharing this story. A reminder of surrender and trust in Christ 🙏🥹💕

Congratulation Josh and Emma. Thank you for sharing the birth story of your precious baby girl Margo.

Bawling over here 🥹 Thank you for sharing your birth story. I don’t think i’ll ever forget this podcast. 💛 (Margot’s breathing sounds are just 🫠🫠🫠)

Beautiful story. Congratulations Emma God is so faithful and good

Love you all. God bless you, Josh and baby Margo. Xx

My goodness God’s faithfulness is so evident in your story! Thank you so much for sharing ❤

Wow, I felt that so hard with you when you shared how you were told you’d need to have a c-section😔 praise God for strengthening you, what a beautiful story!

This is such a beautiful story of God’s plan over our own 😭 I’m pregnant, about to go into the second trimester, & this so encouraged my heart towards labor & birth!

God is so good. Praise God! Beautiful birth story. You are very strong to have gone so long in labor. Reminds me that the joy the Lord is our strength. He was rejoicing at the birth of your little girl and was with you through it all.

Emma Mae! I’ve been following you since your first videos all those years ago. At the time I was not Christian but you and many others led me to Him about 6 years ago. Watching you get married and become a mother at the same time I got married and am trying to start a family has been so sweet! Praise God for you and your message ❤

Thank you. Your testimony of faith is so precious. My mom was Margot, a faithful follower of Jesus. Blessings for you and your Margot. Keep up the good work !!

This is such a beautiful story ❤️

What an unexpected but beautiful story Emma! God truly works every thing out for His glory and our good! Prause br to Him. Congratulations to both you and Josh!

Our Heavenly Father is so good. I was moved by your story. The way God works in your life, as you walk with him in it, is beautiful to behold. May God continue to bless your loving family.

Such a beautiful story Emma. Glod bless you all

I love you guys. Congratulations. I smiled as I listened to your testimony of God's goodness and faithfulness. You're amazing. Birth is incredible and God is so good. Amen

Thanks for sharing! Such a crazy but beautiful birth story. 😢❤

Wow…. I have chills and cried multiple times over the goodness of God. This birth story brought glory to his name through and through. “You will never regret surrendering to the Lord” amen!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! You and Josh are so incredibly blessed to have a beautiful, healthy little life to love and nurture. I know your birth plan didn't go as you wanted it to, but at the end of the day you have a beautiful HEALTHY daughter. There are many people who kind of forget that hospital staff, C-sections, modern equipment has saved the lives of so many women and their babies. Yes women have birthed since the beginning of time. Many in straw huts, fields and less than ideal or sanitary conditions. However many of these women and their babies did not survive. It is by the grace of God that we have access to modern medicine and all the benefits of that. The most important part of giving birth is getting that baby out in a way that is as safe as possible for Mum and baby. Nothing else matters at the end of the day. I am so happy for you and Josh and Margot. 💕💖

So sweet to hear this. And to watch you two.... 🥰🙃🙃🙃

Wow God is so good, and faithful to His people. You're still here Emma, and He gave you a healthy baby! She is a miracle from heaven, i know she will grow up to do great things for the kingdom. Thank you for sharing this inspiring and encouraging story. "I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears." Thank you Jesus!

Aww Congratulations to you both! The Lord is good, all praise to Him.❤

Amazing story!!!🥹🫶

Emma, first a big congratulations to you and Josh! Margot is precious! 🥹 Your perspective throughout your birth has helped me so much. I’m currently 19 weeks with baby #3 and I’ve been praying and hoping for a vaginal birth even still after 2 csections. God was so wonderful to me during both births and they were so beautiful in their own ways… but I am still feel like I’m wrestling with God with this “dream vaginal birth” come April. Your story reminds me to surrender fully. To say thank you Lord, your will be done. Here are my hopes, but I will be glad in Your ways and trust You. Thank you Emma! I think you sharing has helped ease a lot of my anxieties and unnecessary worry and stress. Blessings on all 3 of you! ❤

Congratulations!!

She is so precious ❤❤

Congrats 👏 👏 👏 ❤❤❤😊😊😊 what a beautiful story!!!!! 🎉

Same here! I pushed for two hours and then had to go in for an emergency c section due to a narrow canal. Sometimes I feel like I should have tried harder to have her vaginal but i know deep down there was nothing i could do. I also felt like my body failed me but i feel proud of my body now because i carried a baby and recovered from a manor surgery. Kuddos to all of us c section mommys.

This is beautiful!

Congratulations !! God bless you…

Beautiful miracle!!! GOD!!! Were with ya'll the whole time. GOD!!! IS!!! GOOD!!! ALL!!! THE!!! TIME!!! Such a ordained marriage!!! Be blessed!!!🕊🤍

Hi Emma!!! You spoke at my school a little while ago, Christian Unified Sand Diego!❤❤❤

Thank you for sharing! So powerful! Did you take the (christian) pain free birth course? Helped me sooo much with my second.

God is good, congratulations Margot and mom and dad

Praise God for this amazing birth story!!

That is the exact thing my doctor told me! 12 hours of labor and he couldn’t fit through 🥺. But we had a beautiful c section

Thank you for this sweet message of the Lord's goodness, Emma. I had to put it in his hands as well, nearly 5 months ago, when I had my first baby. My complications were not exhausting physically as yours were, as I was induced a week after my babies due date and barely had time to labor. I ended up having a C-section due to babies heart rate not staying where it needed to be. We barely even started the induction process. Like you, I was also faced with the odds of an emergency C-section being very high. It's funny how as women, when we have a baby in a way we did not plan, we feel robbed of an experience we wanted, when in reality that experience is not at all what matters most and what we ultimately experience is from the Lord, which is so much more beautiful than anything we can ever plan for ourselves. I wanted a vaginal birth as well, but the moment I realized just how out of control I was, I gave it to the Lord very similarly to how you did. And the moment we ultimately decided I was going to have a C-section, my body shook from then, up until it was over, but my mind was numb/calm that entire time until my sweet baby boy came out! God gave me the supernatural strength to get through the very last thing I ever wanted to do when having my baby. My biggest fear. All through my pregnancy I said, "A C-section is the last thing I want. Not unless it is an emergency." God humbled me. What I got from that experience is to take NO pride in my own ability. If I had I would have risked the life of my baby. Instead God wanted me to let him take control of what needed to happen to bring my sweet Uriah Benjamin into the world. The nurses, techs, and Doctors were all so incredibly good to us during delivery and our stay. I look back very fondly at our Hospital stay. Especially the moment they took my baby out and the first time I got to hold him and nurse him. God is so, SO GOOD. Thank you again for sharing your story. Blessings on you and your sweet family. Welcome to the world little Margot. ❤️

Congratulations ❤

Hey - congratulations on the birth of your daughter! I just want to say a c section isn’t a bad thing - it’s a procedure that has saved countless lives. I had c sections for my babies. My first baby was placenta previa and I wasn’t allowed to labour. At all. To me, a RN hailing originally from the operating theatre, it felt like a natural thing. The first c section was very difficult, but the outcome was achieved- safe baby and mum. C sections have been around since the time of Caesar, and fortunately for us techniques & anaesthesia have vastly improved. Congratulations on joining the ranks of mums that will do anything for the safety of their child. C sections are an equally valid delivery option.

Wonderful!!

I forgot all about you. Omg. That’s crazy that you have a baby the same time I had my first baby 🤯 congratulations!!

Idk why I’m crying 😭🙏🏻🫶🏻✨

the labor shakes are noooo joke! Fellow C section mama here - you're amazing!!!

Congratulations

Well congratulations guys.

Love you ❤

You are such a beauty Emma

Aw wow congratulations,

So glad everyone is happy and healthy!! I don’t have kids myself. I am an advocate for Natural birth if at all possible and I’ll be honest and say that I struggle to trust Doctors for personal reasons 😅😬 Getting that out of the way.. I find all of this fascinating and am genuinely asking things out of curiosity. I like to learn and better understand. Did they try to move her head to fit through the pelvis? From my understanding and what I’ve learned about the body, both baby and momma are “flexible” (so to say) to some degree during labor. I also understand there are positions that are preferred and the baby and momma have to navigate through that at times… Like a square peg has to be inserted a certain way for it to fit, babies do too(to some degree).. did they move the baby to help with this or have you as momma move around to better help position you? Genuinely curious. I feel like they potentially robbed you of the birth you wanted if they didn’t consider those things. 😢 A RU-vidr “Bridget Teyler”, “mamasteFit”, and several others have mentioned this as well. Often times doctors want you on your back.. that actually closes off everything and yes makes things smaller, more difficult, more likely to rip, and it’s straight up fighting gravity.. no other animal has their babies on their backs.. it’s convenient to the DR. Surgeries also make them more money 😬. If you have done everything naturally and not used the Pitocin or anything(which I’m super impressed by and proud of you!) then they don’t have a lot to “charge” you for basically. To be clear, I’m not saying your DR. Are bad or that they are doing these things but I’m not blind to the system. I work with clients who have seen some things.. I have a dr in the family who will admit things he’s seen 😢.

Margo McDaniel?! Oh, I just love alliteration names!!! 🥰

I am so sorry this happened to you. There is no way for a doctor to tell by checking you if your pelvic opening is too small. Please get a second opinion. Unless you have had a crippling accident, a birth defect (like major), or a major childhood illness (like rickets), then you’re pelvic opening will allow for a baby. Please seek the opinion of a natural birth/home birth midwife and let them read your records. I am so sorry. The good news is you know your body will labor beautifully.

WAIT YOU HAD A BABY?!! CONGRATULATIONS OH MY GOSH

Hi Emma, can I ask what denomination of church you go to

Honestly in these days , all the RU-vidrs i watch, they have a similar stories, whether it be with miscarriages or with delivery stories where it turns into c section. It scares me, i have a hope for it not being scary but GOD help us. I’m glad you can glorify God in these hard times, God really is amazing at comforting us in anything. I don’t want to be scared to start a family, but girl idk im SCARED! Perfect love casts out fear tho but it just is spooky … sending love

Hi!

I feel so related to your birth experience, but you have a beautiful way to express it! 1 week after my due date. My labor take forever too. I start Wednesday and I had my baby girl Friday at 4:04pm Yes things didn't went like I expected.. I have a natural birth, but we have to rush to the emergency. My midwifes where amazing and there experience and knowledge save my baby girl, she wasn't breathing when she born had a meconium aspiration. So when we take her to the emergency she was breathing, but we need to check on her! After all the difficulties God strengthen us so much, finally Monday we where able to come back home with a miracle. They usually say that the recovering can take weeks and possibly not have recovering at all. I remembered jesus death and resurrection true my baby. When Friday she is in the point of death and sunday she breathing by her own back to life. The Lord give me such a sweet time in his presence during this time, I learn so much of his power and will true all season! Thank you for sharing the goodness of God CONGRATULATIONS 🎉 for your little girl! God bless you ❤

oh wow! how beautiful

When i got told i needed a csection i was really upset and i didnt want to cry or be emotional because my husband was very nervous and panicky (babies heartrate was not doing well) all i could do was quote shrek and make jokes 😂 they are scary! But happy for a happy and healthy baby and mom❤

Did your water ever break?

Here are my words to describe contractions: ever had a charlie horse/muscle cramp in your calf? It's like one of those but over the entire belly- in slow motion. On repeat, for a whole day (or longer)

I knew they would do a birth story.