Kid #4: Her Birth Story


Meet the newest addition to our family....

Saleima Lupeautino Fuimaono

Born Friday November 20, 2015
7 lbs 12 oz
11:02 PM
American Fork IMC Hospital
American Fork, UT

Saleima 
(after my maternal Grandmother)

Lupeautino
 (Aljay's Mom, her paternal Grandma)

Fuimaono
(keepin it consistent with the rest of the tribe)


 Here's the play by play on her birth....
Wednesday November 11, 2015
I woke up around 8 with mild contractions. By 10am they were 5 mins apart. This was consistent for a couple more hours. In the past, my contractions that were 5 mins apart meant it was time to go in. We decided we'd wait a bit, get the kids over to Penny and Vjals house and play by ear. By 5pm we checked into labor and delivery....we waited an hour to see how things went...and boo my contractions slowed down and eventually stopped and they said we could go home. I told Aljay not to post anything until I get checked....but he didn't listen. So we had to post the false alarm after we checked out of the hospital. kalos

I'm pretty sure that if I had been walking like I said I would, my contractions would not have stopped and I probably would've had baby that day.

 P.S. My Mom was to arrive the day after (Thurs 11/12). So I think I was mentally telling myself to just wait till Mom get's here. Mind over matter perhaps? #brainpower 
Thursday November 19, 2015

 yes....over a week later...oh and my Mom flew back to Maryland on this day. 

 I was 3 days past my due date, going in for a fetal stress test and amniotic fluid check.
The midwife popped in to check on me and asked me if I wanted to get induced.
Aljay and I replied with a HECK YES! We left pretty happy and relieved.
So they notified the hospital and we waited for the phone call to let us know when we could go in.

 I remember saying to baby (yes I talked to my baby bump...I know she can hear me) "we're really nice I promise! Even though we sometimes sound like a bunch of crazies...but please come join our family!!! We're so excited to meet to you!!" lol

 Friday November 20, 2015 [ D Day]
yup...the day after my Mom left....by the way this is the third time she's attempted to be at my delivery and the third time she's missed....ahh we were so close this time though lol..

5:30 AM Phone call from the hospital saying that we can come in at 7:15am

 7:15 AM Left the house. Uncle Toa luckily was off from work and watched our minions. 

 7:30 AM Checked in at Labor and Delivery at American Fork Hospital

 9:00 AM Petocin (started at a low level)

 11:00 AM Contractions are 3-5mins apart, pain level is low...feels like cramping

 3:00 PM Broke my water....4cm dilated. I'm able to walk around, use the bouncy ball, and stand.

 6:00 PM Contractions are 2-4 mins apart. Contractions are getting slightly stronger but breathing through it. A fetal monitor is inserted to get a more accurate measure of the strength of my contractions. This meant I couldn't get in the tub to labor, which I didn't mind. Apparently my contractions were at a level of 280 (which the midwife said was really high) so they dropped the petocin. 

 9:00 PM - 10ish PM

 Stronger Contractions...definitely in active labor. I'm tired and sleeping in between contractions. 7 cm dilated. At some point I was just so tired that I wanted the epidural...the midwife asked if she can check me again after a few more contractions and then we'll see if I still wanted it....and then I thought "nevermind I don't want to sit up and be still for an epidural" and that was the end of that lol

 I labored on my side during this period. For some reason it was the most comfortable for me. They gave me the peanut shaped ball which was super comfortable for me. 

 10:55ish?  I had the urge to push. 5 Mins later....

 11:02 PM BOOM KA-NANI-NANI...Baby arrived

 They immediately put baby on my chest and we just chilled during the afterbirth procedures.
The placenta was delivered shortly after baby. It's weird but I enjoy delivering the placenta because (1) no bones! (2) it's such a unique organ and (3) I'm so curious to see it. lol I know, I'm weird. Like those people on the show My Strange Addictions....but I'm not addicted lol.

I had a two degree tear that the midwife repaired which took about 20 mins. Baby was posterior (facing up? back of her head facing my spine I think?), which is probably why I felt more pain in my back.




As I held her on my chest and comforted her (she came out demonstrating how strong her lungs were), Aljay looked at her and immediately said we should name her Saleima. We came to the hospital not really having a name confirmed and when we looked at her we just knew. 




12:00 AM  Oh yeah it's not over.

!WARNING! Some info might be TMI/disturbing but it is what it is.

So after the midwife was done and my nether regions were "cleaned up" I got my stomach massaged about 4 times....WORST FEELING EVER!!! But it got a lot of the blood out which really helped out later in the recovery. yeah thats all the TMI lol

12:45 AM   We got moved from delivery to recovery and lucked out with a nice size corner room. Once baby and I were settled in, I got to eat!!! YAY! And then Aljay left to go home to take care of the kids.

Then I slept....or at least tried to get some sleep.


The next morning....VISITORS!!!!
Uati and Omi stopped by and brought yummy food in the evening.  Earlier in the day Aljay and the tribe came!! I was soooo excited when the kids were able to come visit :) I smiled when I heard their little winter boots stomping all loud through the halls. They were soooo excited to meet Saleima. So now we have four gorgeous kids...which I think officially makes us a tribe lol. 







And now for some after birthing thoughts.... 

How was natural birth?
honestly....It wasn't that bad. Yes there is pain, but I kept waiting for that moment where I would want to scream and act a fool and maybe punch Aljay in the face...and it didn't really get to that point. I think it's because I was more prepared...mentally that is. Maybe it was also because my body had done this before.

Even when she crowned, it wasn't that painful. It was actually easier to push her out because I could feel what was happening and my body just did the work...I didn't have to try so hard to figure out how to push. When I had epidurals, I was so heavily dosed that it was difficult to feel anything down there and know when or how to push.

What did I do differently this time around?
  1.  I read this book,  Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin, that really made aware of how capable the female body is and especially the power of the mind. It helped me to focus on positive thoughts and eliminating fear. When I was pregnant with Leila, I remember hearing stories of the immense pain that women go through during birth and it scared me. I think that fear and lack of education on birthing is why I just opted to have an epidural for Leila's delivery. This book was really informative and empowering. I would recommend this book to any woman.
  2. Raspberry leaf tea. I started drinking this stuff during the last month of pregnancy when it was starting to get really cold and I couldn't have hot chocolate (gestational diabetes #hateit). I couldn't add honey or sugar so I just drank it with a lemon slice and sometimes frozen mixed berries (still blah but better than nothing). It is supposed to tone the uterus and help the pelvic muscles. I think it may have helped because my contractions were really strong and productive.
  3. That's it. I hardly exercised. I'm sure exercise would have helped tremendously. Does stretching count? Cause that's usually what I ended up doing when I was supposed to exercise lol. 

How do I feel?
You know....after the first three kids I always had a small part of me feel like I never truly experienced "real birth." Yet, as I was laying there with baby on my chest,  I didn't feel like "YES I SURVIVED A NATURAL CHILDBIRTH!!!"....i was sort of just happy that baby had arrived safely...it was really beautiful and not the least bit traumatic. I remember thinking to myself...birth is birth....no matter how you go about it...the end result is still the same....that overwhelming feeling of being able to bring a child into the world is immeasurable. 

So now after four babies, I feel like I've sampled the most common types or birth-

 1st Baby> Vaginal delivery with an epidural.
2nd Baby> Vaginal delivery w/ epidural and baby suctioned out due to hyper extension.
3rd Baby> C section due to breach baby and cord issues
4th Baby> Vaginal delivery. Induced Labor. non-medicated. Baby delivered posterior.

 So whats next?

 Maybe water birth or home birth or birthing in a river stream. NUTS RIGHT??!!! no but I did see a video on youtube...so yes there are people out there that take "natural birth" to the next level. I don't intend to get on that level. EVER.  

 Anyways....no need to worry about all that just yet. Right now we have a beautiful baby girl, three very excited and anxious older siblings, and two tired (yet overjoyed) parents.
Welcome to the family Saleima...I hope you like us :) Cause we are crazy excited to have you hear with us finally. 



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