New Life; Sam's Birth Story

Sweetest Baby

My dear sweet Sam Bear is 6 months old today.  August 1st at 11:17 am he greeted us with his sweet self and my world will never be the same.  Oh Sam, you are such a sweet baby, so beautiful and I love you with my whole being.  I never knew how much love I could hold in my heart until I became a Mama and then I became a Mama again. Somedays I feel like my heart and soul just cannot contain how blessed I feel, how much love I have for my boys.

I love birth stories and shared Ren's story here. And although it has been 6 months (my goodness where  oh where does the time go) I wanted to sit down and write out Sam's story too.

We found out that we were pregnant right after Thanksgiving.  We had just visited a fertility specialist and when my cycle started I was scheduled to go in for blood work and all the other fun stuff that infertility brings.  I was a couple days late and had a couple testes here at home...I took one waited about 45 minutes and took the second one...just to make sure.  POSITIVE...YaY!!!  I was so excited and thankful to God for this miracle growing inside me.  Nine months later on his due date our little Sam Bear was born.

My labor was relatively quick and such a powerful experience.  I woke up around 2-2:30 in the morning with mild cramping and tried to sleep.  It was so hard for me to get my mind to rest but I knew my body needed it.  So I lay in bed, half sleeping, half praying, a little excited and a little scared of what the day might bring.  Around 5 am I got out of bed, checked my overnight bag (which had been packed for weeks) and showered.  Not sure what to do but not wanting to wake anyone, I sat down and began paying bills.  Ed was up by this time and wanted to get his morning run in and try to make it to work to submit leave paperwork.  I told him to go ahead and I would call if I needed him home sooner.  My Mama (who is a Doula) and my sister Irene were visiting...waiting for Sam to make his entrance.  My Mama talked me through some breathing exercises and Irene timed the contractions.  About 9 am after holding on to the back of the couch and dropping almost to the floor during contractions we decided it was time to head to the hospital.  Ed returned home as quick as he could and my Mama helped us get everything in the car and ready to go.  Sitting in a jostling vehicle and breathing through contractions a lot harder than standing and partial squatting through contractions.  When we arrived at the hospital I forgot that we had to check in through the ER...so after going upstairs looking around...seeing that no one was coming to my aid we got back in the elevator and checked in through the ER.  It was around 9:30 when we were fully checked into a L&D room.  I was checked and was so disappointed only 4 cm.  I just thought...great...only 4..I have so far to go.  My Mama encouraged me to do what my body was telling me to and the nurse agreed that I did not have to labor on the bed unless there was a medical reason to.  So I knelt beside the bed, knees on a pillow on the floor, the top half of my body laying over the end of the bed, palms open, breathing deep and long.  I remember bearing down, praying, moaning,  feeling an immense peace and also thinking that I was crazy for wanting to go drug free again.   When my OB came in, around 11am, to see how I was I could see he was a little taken back that I was not in the bed but on the floor beside it.  He asked if I wanted my waters broken, said that it would speed up delivery.  I asked won't that make it hurt more...He said, Yes...but a 1/2 dozen of one, 1/2 dozen of the other.  After another contraction or two I looked up at Ed and decided Yes...Yes break the water...but I didn't want to get in that bed.

First Snuggles

Get back in the bed I did, I was 8cm when checked.  He broke the waters and said he would be back soon....Ed told him not to go very far that Sam would be here quick.  And quick he was...6 minutes and a couple pushes later my Sam Bear was born.  Wednesday, August 1, 11:17 am, 8 lbs 3 oz and 19.5 inches long.  He was a bit blue...cord wrapped a couple times...so he was turned over to the baby nurse for oxygen and a good rub down. As soon as he was able they laid him on my chest and there I was falling in love all over again.

My little Sam Bear

It is such an awe-ing experience to carry life and then bear it into the world.  I look at Sam (and Ren) now and wonder of the miracle and God-magic that we beings are.  Created from such miniscule beginnings inside of me....and here they are larger then life, perfect and whole.