Sam arrived on December 30th, 2008
Sam James Munnerlyn
Born December 30th, 2008
Length: 20 inches long
Weight: 8 pounds 4 ounces
Time: 7:04
Time: 7:04
Wow! When I think back on the day that Sam was born, I would have to say that it was the happiest day of my life. It wasn't the easiest day of my life, but it was the Happiest day!
The joy that I felt inside my whole body was overflowing; as I gazed into Sam's twinkling, bran new baby eyes.
December 30th, 2008 was a long and exhausting day that began at 5:30 when I woke up to some new stomach pains. I was really feeling this new stomach activity, but I couldn't quite explain it. I said to James, "Something is really different, I am not sure what it is".
We had learned from our Hypno-birthing class that . . .
• laboring at home is far more comfortable than in the hospital.
And
• Don't arrive too early because you don't want to be sent home.
With this in mind we decided to carry on as normal. I started the day with a glass of cold milk, because that was the trick for not throwing up in the morning. James got ready to go to work, and I got ready for the day too. Our apartment was at it's normal cold temperature and it was very clean. It was especially clean because I had cleaned the fish tank the day before. We started teasing and quoting the line from the movie "Finding Nemo" - "Today's the Day, the Tank is Clean!"
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| 3 days before delivery |
James wondered how he should spend his day. Was it time to leave for work or time to have a baby? This baby was 1 day past my due date, and we didn't know what to expect. I urged James to continue the day like normal and go to work. I told him I would call and keep him updated. After James left the apartment I continued to urge myself to carry on like normal. I took the garbage out to the curb and talked to my neighbor and Friend Sofia Richmond. We talked about the morning and discussed my 1 day over-due baby. All I could say was "I am feeling something really different today, but I cannot really describe it. Today might be the day!" Sofia happily listened and teased me about taking out the garbage.
James called very regularly because he needed updates. As I analyzed the mornings activities and analyzed my contractions, I came to a conclusion at about 10:00 am.
I told James, "You should come home, I think we are going to have a baby today." James came home from work and I came up with a plan.
I had an appointment at 3:00 with a midwife at Mount Timpanogos Women's Health Center. That appointment quickly became a priority for the day. I called the midwife's office to discuss my contractions, then we decided to re-scheduled my routine appointment for 1:00. I was also thinking if I am going to deliver this baby today, I need some serious energy and I need to eat. I said to James, "Hey, I don't think we are going out for our anniversary dinner tonight, so lets go out to lunch." We headed out to our favorite restaurant - The Olive Garden.
We sat down and ordered the combo plate (Fettuccine Alfredo, Parmesan chicken, and Lasagna) a perfect dish for the Undecided - This is our favorite dish to share. I tried my very best to eat and enjoy the salad and bread sticks, but it was a serious effort between each contraction. Our food arrived, I took 1 bite, and that is when my serious contractions started.
I headed to the bathroom because I was determined to empty out the waste in my body before I was on the labor bed. I had this real fear that I would poo on the labor bed and be totally embarrassed.
Meanwhile James got our food boxed up and paid the bill. He had a sense that it was time to go. We headed to the mid-wives office for my appointment. I was told that I was dilated to 3cm and thinning. I was encouraged to go home and rest; and maybe get some sleep, because it was going to be a long day. We headed over to my mom's house because her house was closer to the hospital, and because she has a nice big bathtub.
My mom left us to do our thing while we waited for a few hours, we were waiting for things to progress. I tried lying down but my back pain (back labor) was way to painful. The only way to relieve this pain was to sit in a warm bath. I was in and out of the bath quite a few times - because I was too hot, too cold, in way to much pain, and sort-of loosing my mind. I couldn't sit down or lay down, so I paced around like a wild animal. I started to get exhausted and emotional. And I started to cry to James because I didn't know how long this was going to go on, and I was running out of energy.
Then, just like flipping a light switch . . . I started to enter this new state of mind. It was the "baby delivery zone" – A very cloudy, out of focus zone. A place where I cannot really hear anyone specifically. I cannot really hear orders, or requests. I cannot make any decisions so don't ask me any questions - it's so surreal.
At this point, my mom was strongly encouraging James to get me to the hospital. James looked at me in the eyes and said, "It's time to go to the hospital". He took me by the hand to lead me outside to our car. I couldn't even take 5 steps without stopping for a contraction. I don't really remember much of the drive, it's all a big blur. But, apparently James was pretty nervous; because I was about to have a baby, and we were driving the freeway around 6:00pm - during "Rush-Hour".
James dropped me off at the doors of the hospital, and I managed to walk myself to the front desk. As I leaned over the check-in desk to support my whole body; I scanned the room for some eye contact, because I could barely speak. A nurse noticed me and said, "do you need some help?" All I could muster up was "YES!" Someone sat me down in a wheel chair and wheeled me into a room to check me.
I put on a hospital gown so they could check my progress. I was dilated to 4cm. They said that they would keep me for a while to see if things progress, or maybe they would send me home. Then they called the mid-wife. They placed monitors on my belly to check the baby's heart rate. I sat still only for the amount of time that was necessary. I was in and out of the bathroom. Once again I was very determined to not poo on the labor bed. Also my body was refusing to digest the food that I ate for lunch, so I was emptying it out in the bathroom.
NOTE TO SELF: drink a protein drink for added energy. Do not consume a full meal right before delivery.
Within 10 minutes of arriving at the hospital my water broke all over my socks and all over the floor. I felt so embarrassed and I was very apologetic. In another 10 minutes my midwife arrived, right as another contraction came along. This contraction was so intense; I couldn't stand on my own. James was running out to the car to get the video camera, so I reached for the midwife - Roberta Ward. I threw my arms over Roberta's shoulders and braced myself for this incredible contraction. At this point Roberta checked me and I was fully dilated. She then encouraged me to find a position that would work for delivering my baby. She said, "You can't deliver this baby standing up, so why don't you kneel on the bed."
What a great idea! I turned to face the bed, climbed up on the bed in a kneeling position, I grasped the bed rails to help brace myself through another contraction. I can only remember a few encouraging words from James, my midwife and from the nurse. "You're doing great Ang (James), make some sound that really helps (Roberta), push push push (the nurse), take it easy, let your body do this (Roberta). Then Roberta said, "Here comes your baby, I can see the head, it's crowning, do you want to feel it?" so I reached behind me to finally feel my baby on the outside of my body for the first time. It was strange and beautiful all at the same time. It felt like a head of warm cauliflower, kind-of bumpy and soft. So weird! I pushed through the next contraction and my little angel finally arrived at 7:04pm. Roberta caught the baby, cleared his airway, left the umbilical cord connected, then slid him right between my legs and up to my chest. I flipped around to lay on my back, so I could lay my brand new baby boy right on my chest. We were both pretty messy but it really didn't matter to me. My warm and soft new baby was here with me and I could finally feel him and see him.
 |
| Beginning some Serious Labor Contractions |
I headed to the bathroom because I was determined to empty out the waste in my body before I was on the labor bed. I had this real fear that I would poo on the labor bed and be totally embarrassed.
Meanwhile James got our food boxed up and paid the bill. He had a sense that it was time to go. We headed to the mid-wives office for my appointment. I was told that I was dilated to 3cm and thinning. I was encouraged to go home and rest; and maybe get some sleep, because it was going to be a long day. We headed over to my mom's house because her house was closer to the hospital, and because she has a nice big bathtub.
My mom left us to do our thing while we waited for a few hours, we were waiting for things to progress. I tried lying down but my back pain (back labor) was way to painful. The only way to relieve this pain was to sit in a warm bath. I was in and out of the bath quite a few times - because I was too hot, too cold, in way to much pain, and sort-of loosing my mind. I couldn't sit down or lay down, so I paced around like a wild animal. I started to get exhausted and emotional. And I started to cry to James because I didn't know how long this was going to go on, and I was running out of energy.
Then, just like flipping a light switch . . . I started to enter this new state of mind. It was the "baby delivery zone" – A very cloudy, out of focus zone. A place where I cannot really hear anyone specifically. I cannot really hear orders, or requests. I cannot make any decisions so don't ask me any questions - it's so surreal.
At this point, my mom was strongly encouraging James to get me to the hospital. James looked at me in the eyes and said, "It's time to go to the hospital". He took me by the hand to lead me outside to our car. I couldn't even take 5 steps without stopping for a contraction. I don't really remember much of the drive, it's all a big blur. But, apparently James was pretty nervous; because I was about to have a baby, and we were driving the freeway around 6:00pm - during "Rush-Hour".
James dropped me off at the doors of the hospital, and I managed to walk myself to the front desk. As I leaned over the check-in desk to support my whole body; I scanned the room for some eye contact, because I could barely speak. A nurse noticed me and said, "do you need some help?" All I could muster up was "YES!" Someone sat me down in a wheel chair and wheeled me into a room to check me.
I put on a hospital gown so they could check my progress. I was dilated to 4cm. They said that they would keep me for a while to see if things progress, or maybe they would send me home. Then they called the mid-wife. They placed monitors on my belly to check the baby's heart rate. I sat still only for the amount of time that was necessary. I was in and out of the bathroom. Once again I was very determined to not poo on the labor bed. Also my body was refusing to digest the food that I ate for lunch, so I was emptying it out in the bathroom.
NOTE TO SELF: drink a protein drink for added energy. Do not consume a full meal right before delivery.
Within 10 minutes of arriving at the hospital my water broke all over my socks and all over the floor. I felt so embarrassed and I was very apologetic. In another 10 minutes my midwife arrived, right as another contraction came along. This contraction was so intense; I couldn't stand on my own. James was running out to the car to get the video camera, so I reached for the midwife - Roberta Ward. I threw my arms over Roberta's shoulders and braced myself for this incredible contraction. At this point Roberta checked me and I was fully dilated. She then encouraged me to find a position that would work for delivering my baby. She said, "You can't deliver this baby standing up, so why don't you kneel on the bed."
What a great idea! I turned to face the bed, climbed up on the bed in a kneeling position, I grasped the bed rails to help brace myself through another contraction. I can only remember a few encouraging words from James, my midwife and from the nurse. "You're doing great Ang (James), make some sound that really helps (Roberta), push push push (the nurse), take it easy, let your body do this (Roberta). Then Roberta said, "Here comes your baby, I can see the head, it's crowning, do you want to feel it?" so I reached behind me to finally feel my baby on the outside of my body for the first time. It was strange and beautiful all at the same time. It felt like a head of warm cauliflower, kind-of bumpy and soft. So weird! I pushed through the next contraction and my little angel finally arrived at 7:04pm. Roberta caught the baby, cleared his airway, left the umbilical cord connected, then slid him right between my legs and up to my chest. I flipped around to lay on my back, so I could lay my brand new baby boy right on my chest. We were both pretty messy but it really didn't matter to me. My warm and soft new baby was here with me and I could finally feel him and see him.
We have been so blessed – the Lord has sent us a little angel.
The happiest day of my life!
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