Moses’ Birth Story

Sunday June 2, 2:30pm water broke while on front porch looking at the plants we just finished planting. We had taken a nice walk that morning and were up in Estes the day before for super spuds a walk around lake Estes and up to trail ridge with Allie and Aaron.

When my water broke, I started crying and laughing at the same time. Sheena took a shower, Brian called the midwife. They wanted us to go to the hospital when my water broke since I was a strep B carrier.

We arrived at the hospital at about 3:30pm and got settled into our room. They started the IV with penicillin. Labor had barely started, so after the first bag of penicillin we went for a walk around the hospital.

It was hot out!

When we got back they hooked me up to the fetal monitor and saw I was having contractions, just not very strong ones.  They checked me and I was at a 2 and 80% effacement. As I was being checked a big rush of blood came out. The midwife, Linda Davis called in the on call OBGYN to check and they requested to see my ultrasound information to make sure the the placenta hadn’t separated. It was a little scary and labor slowed down after that. They wanted to put me on pitocin to get labor moving, but I refused. Instead we used the breast pump to get natural oxytocin going. This worked. My contractions progressed and by 6am I was a 8 with 100% effacement. At 7 am the midwifes switched shifts. Patti Valasek came on. She got Brian and I both a soda and checked me.  She put me at only a 7. She asked again to start pitocin and I had concented since I was getting really tired. I then had to go to the bathroom and ended up Laboring in there for about 30 min. That was the most pain I had been in all my labor. Brian was a great coach and helped me to remember to relax through my breathing. I then felt like I had to have a bowel movement and they check me again and I was now at a 10! I could now push when I was ready.

Patti came back in the room be geared up. I labored on my side to deliver Moses. I pushed for about 45 min or about 10-15 different contractions. Using a mirror during the labor was awesome! It allowed me to see how far each push was progressing.

Once I pushed the head out. Patti said “Sheena, grab your baby!” So I reached down and brought him to my chest! It was the most proud I have ever been of myself in my entire life! I am so in love with this new little man, Moses David Campbell! Birth was the most pain I’ve ever been in but with the most incredible reward!

We delayed cord clamping, so he laid on my chest for quite awhile. Once the cord wasn’t pulsing anymore they clamped the cord and Brian cut it. Moses was able to nurse within minutes of being born!

Moses weighed 7#8oz and was 20 1/4 inches long. His birthday is June 3, 2013 at 9:14am!

Mama and daddy sang him happy birthday when they played the birth song in the hospital. 

After 18 hours of labor with a short 30 min nap (interrupted by contractions) I was very exhausted! I received 5 bags of penicillin, but was able to do the whole labor without any pain medicine! Which was my goal! Mom and dad got a nap around noon and a few visitors came after 5pm to meet him.

I tore a little bit, a grade 2 tear. Everything is healing nicely!

Moses is a great nurser. He eats well and sleeps well! His two week check was 6/19/13 and he weighed 8#8oz and was 21 3/4 inches long! He is a happy baby 🙂 we are so in love with him!

We are very thankful we took your class as it prepared us to tackle the labor. Brian was an awesome coach and did a great job keeping me calm and rubbing my back, praying for me, etc. it would have been much harder without the prep you provided.

Thank you!

Sheena, Brian, and Moses