sam's birth story

only about five weeks later...but here is sam's birth story!

feel free to skip this post and scroll on down to see pretty pictures if you aren't interested in the deets :)

the short version: arrived at hospital at 6:15am and baby boy sam was born at 6:53 am! 

the very long version:

my doctor had decided to induce me on friday march 25 if i hadn't had baby #4 on my own yet.  my labors have typically gone quickly once my water is broken and i needed to get the four hours of antibiotics during labor for group b strep.  i had been 3-4 cm dilated for three weeks already so we anticipated a smooth labor and delivery once he broke my water.  i haven't needed pitocin in the past, so that was the plan this time as well.

thursday afternoon i received a phone call from OB saying they had an almost-full house and might not be able to induce me in the morning.  ok, not a big deal, but since my doctor was planning on leaving town for the weekend after he delivered our baby, i was nervous i would go into labor on my own while he was out of town!

we continued to plan on going in to OB in the morning at 7:30, unless we heard differently.  my mom was already planning to be in ankeny watching the girls that night, so she headed to pella late thursday night (along with a surprise guest...my aunt di from wyoming!).

i didn't sleep much that night...not easy to sleep when you know you will meet your baby the next day!  i woke up around 4:30 or so and just kept thinking i had to go to the bathroom.  three trips at five minutes apart each, i decided maybe they were contractions.  but i had been having contractions for months, so no big deal. finally decided to take a warm shower.  that usually made things calm down for me in the months prior.  well...by the time i got out of the shower (after shaving too of course :)), i decided i should call OB.  i told them i might need to come in before 7:30.  they said they had room for me and to come in whenever.  

at this point, it was probably 5:45 or so. i woke chris up and told him it was "go time!"  we finished throwing last minute stuff in the bags and i was really having to breathe my way through contractions (while straightening my hair - ha!).  i had planned to eat a nice big pbj bagel and banana for breakfast but at that point couldn't even touch toast.  we got in the car and headed to the hospital...in three inches of snow...on march 25! craziness.  

by this point i was finally in pain.  i told chris baby was coming now. i'm sure he thought i was being overly dramatic.  little did he know :)  i had him drop me off at the main entrance and told him he knew where to find me. i bypassed the check-in desk and headed straight to OB.  my nurse decided to check me right away before getting everything set up for my antibiotics.  the look on my face must have made her think that was a good idea!

so at this point it's about 6:15am and i am 8cm already! nurses started frantically calling my doctor in, setting up my IV (thank goodness it didn't take an hour to start like it did with tate), running my antibiotics, and getting everything ready for delivery! i believe someone asked me at some point if i had been planning a natural birth with no pain relief. um...no!  i always thought i would like to try but as soon as the contractions hit hard i thought no way.  i had intrathecals with all the other boys and had planned on the same for this delivery.  chris finally found me already all hooked up in my room and was a little shocked!

now we were just waiting for my doctor to show up! i was in pain and wanted meds but there was no time. here is how the next five minutes or so went:

doctor arrives

checks me - 9.5 cm

breaks my water - all clear!

now 10 cm

push through two contractions

and it's a boy!

sam lucas lauman

perfect little blessing number four

8 lbs 5 oz, 20.5 inches

we spent the morning in shock from the crazy morning and loving and bonding and cuddling with our sweet baby boy!  chris picked up chase early from school and brought all the brothers in to meet their new baby brother. 

chris and i are so thankful for wonderful nurses and our doctor, who has now delivered all of our boys!  

we are so very blessed and thank God for all our blessings!