Sam's Birth Story

I am just now getting around to sharing the story of one of the happiest days of our lives... the day we welcomed Samuel Paul Lemmons to the world. Mommy was scheduled for labor induction check-in at 4am on 3/9/10. Mimi and Pops took Mommy and Daddy out for a steak dinner the night before and of course Mommy and Daddy really didn't sleep a wink from all of the excitement! After our early arrival, we filled out some paperwork and the nurses started my IV. They then started the Pitocin shortly afterward around 5am. The contractions began but did not feel severe at all. Around 9:30a, Dr. Tinker came in and broke my water. I realized that water breaking was DEFINITELY something I would know was happening when it happened the next time around (I had been worried about leaking amniotic fluid for a couple of weeks leading up to Sam's birth). Dr. Tinker also let us know that due to a family commitment he had to leave at 5p. He would be around until that time if we had Sam before then but if I had him afterward Sam would be delivered by another doctor on call. I was really hoping Dr. Tinker would be the one delivering him. Throughout my pregnancy, he has provided me with such calmness and peace of mind. Once my water broke, the contractions became very intense. Instead of asking for my epidural right away (I could have had it the moment I came in since I arrived at 2cm dilated and 90% effaced), I waited about another hour. It was then that I wished I hadn't! It took the anesthesiologist about another hour once I ordered it to arrive and when he finally came in around 11:30a I was having VERY intense and painful contractions. Getting the epidural was not too bad since Jonathon and Nurse Sue distracted me well by asking lots of questions about Ella and Addie, the nursery and how I wanted to dress Sam once he got here. :-) Once I got the epidural, the anesthesiologist Melvin was testing it and immediately said, "You just finished a very painful contraction. Did you feel anything?" I didn't even know one had passed! Woo hoo! Thank goodness the epidural kicked in immediately and I was no longer in pain. Still kind of uncomfortable, but not in pain! My next check around 1:30 revealed I had only made it to 3cm. I was getting kind of discouraged at this point and thinking it would be later in the evening before we would meet Sam. But, Nurse Sue, Mom and Mimi kept reminding me that it takes the longest to get to 4cm and goes very quickly after that. The next cervical check around 2:30 revealed I was up to 6cm! WOO HOO! I spent most of the afternoon lying in bed calmly resting and watching TV while I continued dilating. My mom said it was like no labor she had ever seen or heard of... I was so calm and relaxed! At 4:00p, Nurse Sue came in and checked me. I was expecting to maybe be at 7 or 8cm. Instead, she looked at me closely and said, "I feel his head and you are all the way at 10cm. Are you ready to have this baby?" If it weren't for the epidural making my legs numb I would have jumped out of that hospital bed and leapt for joy! This meant Dr. Tinker might make it for Sam's delivery after all! Everyone scurried quickly to gather Jonathon, my mom and Aunt Anna who were in the delivery room during Sam's birth. Uncle Heater also made it just in time to be in the waiting room. Dr. Tinker came running in ready for me to start pushing! I began pushing around 4:15p. My contractions slowed immediately upon pushing, so I feared the process might be longer than we all wanted. After only about 30 minutes of pushing, Sam arrived at 4:44p! I think the most wonderful moment was when after lots of pushing, I first heard him cry. Everyone else could see his head full of dark hair (which REALLY threw me for a loop because I was expecting a bald baby with maybe a little blonde peach fuzz) and I KNEW he was here when I heard that little cry! Jonathon heard me yell, "That's my BABY!!" The next thing I knew, Dr. Tinker put Sam on my chest and he was wide eyed and SMILING at me! I know everyone says newborns don't smile, but he did and he looked just like a little man!! Sam was then taken to be checked out while I was sewn up and I worried a great deal because he wasn't crying much. After a NICU nurse came and checked him and he had a great APGAR score of 9, everyone assured me that some babies just have even temperaments and that the lack of crying did not mean he was underdeveloped physically or mentally.

I figured we would begin to hear PLENTY of crying when he made it home from the hospital. I was right!! A wonderful angel baby, but he definitely has some pipes. :-)

All in all, a smooth labor process and delivery and I couldn't have been happier with how it went- and of course, the final product we were handed in the end.

WELCOME, SAM!!!!!!!!