Please Welcome

Lincoln Gabriel
4:27am August 27th 2007
7 pounds 4 ounces
19 inches tall

Sweet baby Lincoln,

You were born in the wee hours of the morning on what became a beautiful day August 27th, 2007. It was one of the most powerful moments I have ever witnessed, and truly a blessed event for your parents.

Your mama went into labor all on her own at 3:30pm the day before, at 38 weeks 3 days of gestation. Her water broke all over the kitchen floor when she answered a call from your Daddy, which was a surprise for everyone! Daddy came home and off the two went to the St. Charles Medical Center in Bend, Oregon. By 4:15 Mom’s contractions were regular, if spaced. She walked… and walked and walked! around the labor ward. Finally by 8:30, after some hard and close contractions, Mama decided to get her epidural. The anesthesiologist came, gave her her epidural… and waited. It wasn’t working like it should have. Mama was numb in odd places, just in spots. Her epidural line wasn't draining properly and the drug wasn't getting into her body. He gave her a big bolus injection along with the drip, she felt some relief, and he left. Mama was back to her happy, chipper joking self once again, although getting tired.

An hour and a half later, her epidural started failing. Her pain was returning, her contractions were powerful, and Mom asked for the anesthesiologist to come back. It took him more then an hour to get there. Mama was such a champ! Moaning and breathing through her contractions, staying on her side ( you were much happier when she was on her left side!) and dealing well. Between she was a wee bit less chipper, but still funny! When the anesthesiologist was finally able to get back, he was concerned. Her epidural placement wasn’t great. It was VERY hard to get the drugs into the epidural line. He forced several CC’s in along with a bump injection and waited to see what happened. He was a very pleasant man, joking along with Daddy and I the whole time. After 45 minutes or so it seemed to work. Mamas pain was less, she was just tired. She was dilated to 6 centimeters.

We got comfy too soon, it seems. About an hour after her epidural injections, after rolling over, Mama started to get pain again. And another funny sensation: pressure. When she was checked she was found to be dilated to a 8/9, very soft.. Really doing well. But your head was up high.
Mama worried about the pain. The anesthesiologist was far away, and with Mama being dilated so far, no one thought he’d get there in time, anyway! Oh, how wrong we were. By 1:15 Mama was completely dilated and ready to push after 9 hours of labor.

Pushing was hard, and YOWZA did it hurt! Mama’s contractions were very LONG and hard, and she pushed 4-5 counts of 8 each one. Over and over and over. Slowly, ever so slowly, you moved down. Some times your heart would slow down a little bit with the contractions, but it always popped back up to where it needed to be after them! Mama did awesome. She got very little break between pushes, and was exhausted. She moaned and panted through the pain, which might as well have been full force pain as her epidural at this point really wasn’t numbing much, if at all.

It was forever. It was a lifetime of pushing. Daddy supported Mamas back and left leg, I supported mamas neck and right leg. Push. Count to 8. Breathe, AGAIN. Push. Over and Over. She did it. Your mama just did it. An hour and a half into Mama’s pushing she was given an oxygen mask which made you very happy, and your heart rate stayed stable throughout with only the tiniest of dips with contractions. Daddy got a wet cloth that he held to mamas face between contractions. Mama's useless epidrual was turned off. She did everything right: she relaxed completely after each contraction, letting her body rest as much as possible. She slept with her face resting next to Daddies in those brief moments.

Slowly, oh so slowly you moved down. You seemed very comfortable just where you were and were in no real hurry to leave! But once you made the turn and your head made it past her pubic bone, things moved quickly. Mama got scared some times. The pain is overwhelming. She didn’t think she could do it. But we knew better! Your tough, stubborn Mama could do it, and WAS doing it! We’d remind her that she could do this, that she was doing this, that this is what she was made to do, and she’d double her efforts on the next push. From the time your head started crowning it was quite the race to the finish.

You were born into this world on August 27th, 2007 at 4:27 am. Your mama had been pushing for 3 hours and 15 minutes and still had huge, heroic pushes left in her to bring you into the world. Once your head crowned you slid easily, with 2 pushes, into the arms of Mamas Doctor. Your little arms and legs stretched, you were so surprised at the room you had now! You began to squeak and squirm, getting used to this world outside. You were put onto your Mamas belly as you began to cry, and she cuddled you to her bosom and welcomed you “home”.

You were soon weighed and measured under Daddies supervision and the whole room was shocked to learn of your hefty weight; 7 pounds 4 ounces. Your "big" brother was only 6 pounds 10 ounces and he hadn’t “fit”! While you were measured Mama delivered your healthy if small placenta and was stitched up with a pretty row of 3 for her slight tearing. Soon she was all put back together and sitting up, chipper once again, ready to really hold and look at you, her youngest son.

Lincoln Gabriel, you are loved. You are beautiful. And you were fought for. Your Mama beat all odds to birth you naturally via V-BAC when NONE of the medical professionals thought she could. She fought long and hard to bring you into this world, and the world, with you in it, is a better place.

Welcome, Lincoln.
Welcome home.