Samantha Mae

[moonstone523]

Born 9/30 at 4:10pm at Labor of Love Birth Center
9lb 6oz, 22in long


Part 1---

Saturday, September 29, 2012 started off like any other Saturday. Lucky went on a walk. Dave and I went to the YMCA. I ran into a friend and commented that I was five days overdue and felt zero signs of labor approaching. After the Y, I dropped Dave off at home and went to run a bunch of errands. I got Samantha the cutest strawberry hat for Halloween, had lunch at the health food store, and did our weekly grocery shopping at Publix. When I came home, I cooked a pot of soup, and finally put my feet up around 4pm. Dave went into his office and I remember talking to him saying something felt off. I didn't know what; maybe I was just tired from all the running around. I talked to my mom next and I was still feeling weird, complaining of cramping. Things still didn't register.

Dave and I had an early dinner, and then took Lucky for a walk. While walking I had to stop a couple times and rest on Dave. Half way around our normal route, he said we should turn around and head home since I wasn't feeling well. We stopped at a friend's house to say hi, and after a few minutes I became irritable and needed to leave.

Once back at the house, I googled "contractions" and "how to know if you're in labor." it was looking like I was, yet I was still in denial. I started timing contractions around 8pm and they were consistently 5min apart. I texted my doula saying, "I might be in labor." She warned me it could be a long night and to try to get some sleep now. I "slept" from 9-11pm, and then woke up Dave. I texted the doula again, still wondering/doubting being in labor. Dave and I went on a full moon walk and the contractions felt like they were coming closer together. We headed home and called the doula to come over. In the meantime, with each contraction, Dave had to put counter pressure on my back and the pain was 100% back pain.

Stephanie Moore, our doula, arrived around 1:30am. We worked through more contractions, and they were 3-4 min apart. At 2:30am we called Bea Rowell, the midwife on call, and said we wanted to go to the birth center. She agreed to meet us there at 4am. Dave started packing the car, and we were off.

The drive was 30min and I had 7 contractions on the way over. That was one long car ride. We hit every light going through Ybor, and there were no sensors on those suckers.

Once at Labor of Love, I got checked. I was only 2cm dilated and 100% effaced. Needless to say, I was pretty defeated. Fast contractions, with very little progress, and I had already been in labor for 8 hours. I braced myself for a long day.

I'll continue with Part 2, when I can get my notes from my cell and there isn't a beautiful girl laying on my chest.

[moonstone523]

A few hours after birth.

[moonstone523]

16 hours old

[moonstone523]

This morning

[sara76]

Yay you got the app! Pictures pictures and more pictures please!

But way to leave us in suspense there Moonstone:). So far I can say, you're only 3 centimeters and I'm already in tears. It already sounds a bit overwhelming. But man that baby girl looks so worth it.

[mrsjenrn]

Great story so far! Can't wait to hear the rest! Samantha is beautiful. Congrats!!!

I wish I had gone to a birthing center with Zoe. Hindsight is 20/20 I guess!

[tashaandsage]

Oh, I can't wait to hear the rest! I love birth stories! Congrats again. Enjoy those snuggles with your sweet girl.

[aegis2005]

Ahh ... she's a cutie! Congratulations!!

[mrsshawanab]

She's sooo cute! I was cringing reading your story about having that many contractions. I only had contractions for like 40 minutes before they gave me my epidural. That pain was thhe absolute worst.. I still get sick thinking about it. I am also in suspense since you were only 2cm dialated.. did you have to have a c-section or what happened???

[mrschelseap09]

She is so adorable. Congratulations!!! I was in denial about being in labor with Lila. H kept telling me that "I needed to call the doctor, because I shouldn't be in pain like this. Something is wrong"... lol. I can't wait to read the rest.

[kimandross]

She is adorable. Congrats! Can't wait to hear the rest!!

[moonstone523]

Sorry to keep y'all suspense. From 4am till 4pm is a long blur but I took notes along the way. Going to midwife now but will write more later. The end of the story is I did have a natural birth and it was worth it. It wasn't glamorous or easy though. More later. thanks for the support.

[loskadoodle]

Oh she is sooo cute!

[lovethesun]

She is so cute! I just love those chubby cheeks. Glad you are both doing well.

Cant wait to hear the rest of the birth story.

[jen812]

So cute! Do you have any pics when she's awake? I don't like the cliff notes version of part 2. Looking forward to hearing the rest of her story. ::tapping foot:: :-)

[sara76]

It sounds like little Sam had quite a trip out and she will probably sleep for a few days! I can't wait to see her eyes open too! Moon has bright expressive eyes and I'm dying to see if her little pumpkin takes after her mamma!

[melis74]

Congrats, she is beautiful! I can't wait to hear the rest of your birth story!

[babybchbum]

I can't wait to read more!!! I am a birth story fanatic

[scjb143]

She is so cute! Congratulations!

[etteyam]

Look at those cheeks! She's absolutely precious!

[moonstone523]

So where did I leave off...

So after I got checked at 430am (sept 30th), I was 2cm and 90% effaced. ( I think I said 100% above). Considering 4 days before I was 1cm and 90% I felt defeated. It wasn't that I couldn't do it, but I questioned if I would be having a baby "today" and "if this was normal." I kept questioning everything and wondered if it was normal. Feeling like I still wasn't in labor, I decided to try to sleep. Every three minutes when I felt a contraction, I got Dave and he massaged into my back. I barry felt a tightening in my stomach but felt extreme back pain. I guess this is why I didn't know if this was real.

I got up at 7 and decided to take a shower. The hot water felt good on my back and did relieve some pain, but things were definitely intense.

My next internal was at 7:30am. I thought for sure I would have made good progress, but when I was checked I was told I was only 3-4cm dilated but my cervix was paper thin. To me I read that at very minimal progress despite Bea trying to make it sound like things were moving along well. To have progressed 1cm (I was convinced the "to 4" part of the equation was just to make me feel better) in all that time was horrible to hear.

Since my water still hadn't broken and the baby's vitals were excellent, we weren't racing the clock. Once my water breaks I have to be in active labor within 12 hours or off to the hospital I'd go. The plan was to check me at 10:30am and we'd gameplan after that.

Dave and I went on a really long walk around the nearby neighborhood. I must have looked like crazy lady, in PJs, no bra, leaking, and all. Every contraction, I'd either put my hands on a tree or in my knees and Dave would press into my back. Again I'm just watching the clock, counting down the time until my hypothetical finish line. I needed to know how much longer, even if it was a lie, so I could focus on the finish. They hate throwing times out there, but I begged for an answer.

After the walk, Dave laid down to get a nap, and I took a shower again, then got in a rocking chair until 10:30. I was hanging out with the doula and midwife shooting the shit. Kinda crazy that every few minutes I'd be mid sentence and have to stop talking to breathe through a contraction.

I had lunch around 11:30 sitting on the birth ball. It felt painful the sit up straight or bend forward. I liked the rocker as I could lean back. Bea wanted me to be straight though so Sammy would descend better. "But it hurts." was all I kept saying.

Again watching the clock tick down till 2:30 when I'd have my next check....

Tick tock.

We went on another walk. This one much shorter. Two laps around the perimeter of the birth center. With every contraction I was instructed to squat, heels down , back straight. It hurt like hell. I just wanted to curl over in a ball to relieve my back pain.

Another shower. This one I sat on the chair, straight up, with my head in the corner. I felt imprisoned. It was such a small room and I felt trapped.

1230pm - Back to the bed I went with Dave massaging my back with each contraction.... When I felt a pop, and a leak, and said, "Dave, I think my water just broke.". Bea and Stephanie came in and were pleased with the news! I stood up and had the next hour of contractions standing and leaning over the back of the couch. Based on my appearance and verbal queues, they started to fill the birth tub. Little did I know what was left to come.

At 1:30, I was in the tub. This is what they call transition, aka the descending of Sammy through the birth canal. Verbal signs of transition are when I start the say, "I can't do this." The worst part was trying to get comfortable with contractions coming every minute. The back labor was horrible. They kept asking if I could feel pressure up front since that would be a good sign. Honestly the back pain overshadowed everything else I was feeling.

Bea wanted to check me, but I was scared that I hadn't progressed. Everyone assured me that there was no doubt that I hadn't. Thankfully I was at 8cm.

Dave got in the tub with me. He was great. Feeding me cold water, putting cold towels on my head, telling me he loved me and that I could do it. At one point he said, "my whole world is in this tub!".

At 2:30 I started pushing. I kept hearing things like, this baby will be here by 3. I was watching the clock, pacing myself to the finish... Unfortunately the finish wasn't as close as I thought.

Pushing in the tub, I felt Samantha's head. I saw her head peaking out. I just couldn't push her out. Bea had her hands inside me trying to stretch me wider. Nothing was working.

They decided I needed to get out of the tub, so with the top of Sammy's head revealed, Dave grabbed my upper body, the birth assistant had my legs and they put me on the birth tool. This was hard because I had to hold myself up. I leaned into Dave behind me, with my legs out being held open. My trust lied in those holding me and my shaky arms. I just didn't feel safe, and Samantha wasn't coming.

The decided I needed to move again. This time I was lowered to the floor, where I was flat on the ground with my legs up being held open with each push. The goal was for no tearing so lots of olive oil was massaged on me as well as controlled pushing. remember, Sanantha's head is very visible., not crowning per say, but 80% there. Dave was very scared at this point. I couldn't see him, but I just heard him say, "I love you Carolyn" over and over!

[moonstone523]

I'm not sure how long I pushed on the floor, but soon enough, Samatha's head was out. She was posterior, meaning she came out with her face up, eyes open and crying! I could feel her breathing against me. Everyone there said they never saw a baby cry at that moment. On the next push, I remember Bea grabbing Sammy and pulling her from the head out very hard. Everyone seemed relieved she was here.

Sammy came right to my chest. I remember asking if he was in fact a girl with 10fingers and toes! Yes, our beautiful baby girl had arrived at 4:10.

The "placenta birth" continued but all that mattered was the baby in my arms and the life Dave and I created together.

<3

[sara76]

Jesus Carolyn! That's friggin crazy! I need some time to unwind from that story. You're one damn tough woman.

[moonstone523]

Oct 2, 2012 16:07:53 GMT -5 sara76 said:

Jesus Carolyn! That's friggin crazy! I need some time to unwind from that story. You're one damn tough woman.

Yeah, I need some time to unwind too. LOL

[jen812]

Oct 2, 2012 16:07:53 GMT -5 sara76 said:

Jesus Carolyn! That's friggin crazy! I need some time to unwind from that story. You're one damn tough woman.

Haha! You took the words out of my mouth. Way to go, strong momma!

[babybchbum]

Back Labor is the absolute worst... I'm glad she made it safe. She is beautiful!

[alzi]

OMG. you are amazing!!

[kimandross]

Wow, that's a pretty awesome story. You rock!!

[jennifer8080]

Way to go mama! Amazing story. I cried all through it. Caleb was posterior too and the back labor was definitely rough!! She is absolutely gorgeous.

[moonstone523]

Here are her eyes!