Samuel Ryan Faulkner


It's really hard to pinpoint the exact time labor actually started since I did have two episodes of false labor, one on June 22, 2000 and the other started on July 1, 2000, in the evening and ended early morning on July 2.  And every day I would have contractions ranging from weak to strong and short to long.  At my last doctor's appointment on July 6, my doctor told me that the only other thing he can thing of to look for true labor would be to keep a mental note of the intensite and stregnth of the false labor contractions and if I feel anything stronger than that, then maybe it will be the real thing.

That very night, at about 3am, I woke up having stronger contractions then before, every ten minutes, then they subsided around 6am.  I thought that was going to be it, since the pain prevented me from sleeping between them.  Then, the next night (Friday night, actually Saturday morning), I woke up again, this time at 2am and they were even more painful than the night before, but there was no pattern to these contractions.  I was still unable to sleep in between since they were much stronger than before.  They would come ever 1- to 30 minutes, and I started to need to breathe with some of the contractions, but they never developed a regular pattern, but boy was the pain real!  We went about our business since we weren't sure what was going to happen.  We went out to breakfast and then went shopping, and still no pattern, but the intensite grew stronger.  Larry and I debated when to call the doctor, and I kept putting it off.  Finally, around 5:15pm, I called my doctor after having a contraction that nearly sent me through the roof.  He asked me what I wanted to do, stay home and wait for a pattern or go to the hospital.  I said, "I WANT RELIEF FROM THIS PAIN!  So, I will go to the hospital."  My doctor said if my cervix isn't dialated anymore than before, they will send me home to time these contractions for a few more hours.

At 6pm, Larry and I arrived at the hospital and the nurse hooked me up to the monitor, always good to hear Samuel's heart beating.  She checked my cervix and I was dialated between 3 and 4 cm.  I was so happy to hear that these contractions were finally doing their job.  After arriving at the hospital, the contractions finally started a regular pattern.  I can't remember just how far apart they were, I just know that they were finally close together and continuing to get stronger.  At 7pm, I was between 4-5 cm and then at 8pm, I was pretty much at 6cm and at 9pm, I was still at 6cm.  My doctor was just getting ready to call his wife to let her know that he was going to be later than expected, when I was suddenly at 10cm (more like 9 1/2 to 9 3/4) and ready to push.  Needless to say, he did not call her after all.  I tried not to push until I was told to so when I couldn't stop myself completely it is a good thing the nurse was checking my cervix and she said that if her hand hadn't been there, Sam probably would have come out then.  They seemed a little concerned that I was not completely at 10cm, but Sam didn't care...he wanted out and I wanted to push him out!  Then, I was told to push with the next urge. 

Well, the urge went away, so I pushed when I was told to push.  Geez, I wanted to push when I was told not to and didn't want to push when I was told I could.  I couldn't even feel the contractions anymore, so when I was having one, someone had to tell me so I could push.  I don't even know how many times I pushed.  I was so tired, being up since 2am and 19 1/2 hours later, giving birth really does cloud your memory a little, or maybe it is the natural amnesia that can occur during childbirth.  Either way, some of the details are a little hazy yet.  Finally, at 9:43pm EDT, Samuel entered this world and was placed on my belly and then Larry cut the cord.  I can't believe I did as well as I did with the pain.  I only had fentynol.

When Sam was born, none of us could believe the size of his cord.  It was super thick!  The first thing the nurse said was, "What a BIG boy!  Look at the size of that cord!"  My doctor said, "You sure fed him well!"  I am not exaggerating when I say his cord was thinck.  There is no way that it could possibly have gotten around his neck and I say that is a gift from Sydney.  Sydney gave me the best gift of all!  She gave me Samuel and she made sure he was safe and healthy.  I also feel that she will always watch over us all and protect us the best she can.

Samuel Ryan Faulkner
Born 9:43 pm
July 8, 2000
8 pounds 4 ounces
20 Inches Long