Win Charlie Soffe

The Birth Story.

Born August 31st at 5:19AM. 8 Pounds even.

I'll start off by telling you why we were in such a hurry to get Win out into the world. Reyn had a big shoot in LA for a week 4 days after my due date. As you can imagine, I was in panic mode. Picturing him off in LA while I went into labor with no family here. Giving birth alone. Having the midwife as my only support. I know I was only being dramatic in my head. Of course Reyn would've never left me alone past my due date but when you're 9 months preggers and about to attempt a natural birth, there is some craziness going on in the brain.

For the majority of my pregnancy we had been practicing HypnoBirthing. I had an epidural with Poppy and just wanted a totally new experience. Don't get me wrong, the drugs with Poppy were AWESOME but I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it and wanted to know what it was like to feel EVERYTHING. I also have some back issues and didn't want to give birth on my back. I wanted to be as prepared as possible so I would read and listen to these relaxation CD's almost every night before I went to bed. One of the first things I thought of after I popped out this little guy, "SO glad I don't have to listen to those freakin CD's anymore." If you've done HypnoBirthing you know exactly what I'm talking about.

My past birthing experience with Poppy was pretty easy. I was in Labor for 9 hours total and pushed her out in about 3-4 pushes. I was basically banking on the fact that I was going to have an even shorter labor this time around. So I thought, Why not? I'll give it a try.

6 days before my due date I started feeling very minor contractions about 10 minutes apart but only for an hour and then they went away. I thought maybe they were just braxton hicks because I was running around all day and my body was super tired. The next day I was running around even harder. It's almost impossible in this city to, "take it easy." I was at the park with Poppy all morning, took her out to lunch, road the bus home, ran some last minute errands, etc. We decided that night around 10PM to try pressing on some pressure points on my feet and hands. Suppose to help induce labor. At 2AM I had to PEE and what do you know, Yes...I saw it. Don't need to say anything further about that.

I immediately started having contracting about 4-5 minutes apart about semi intensity. I woke up Reyn and said, "lets do this!" I got in the tub, put on my headphones with the hypno on, and lit a candle. Thinking I would do a majority of my laboring at home and then head to the hospital when they were super close. We live about 15-20 minute cab ride to hospital. Reyn was trying to get a hold of some friends to come over and stay with Poppy but everyone had their phone off. Of course, it was now around 2:30AM. Nobody was awake. Luckily The Fords answered (they had a newborn at home) and were going to head over. I kept telling Reyn, "don't have them come over yet. We're going to be here a while and I don't want them to be here while I'm laboring around the house. Call them right before we leave...Oh, another contraction." They started getting more intense and a little closer together. I tried relaxing my body and breathing through them with as little noise as possible. I was thinking at this point, "Ok, I can do this. They are intense but manageable."

I was in the tub for about an hour and wanted to switch things up. I thought maybe I could lay on the couch and try and sleep between contractions. They were about 4 minutes apart and I honestly thought I could sleep for 3 minutes and then wake up for 1 and then sleep for 3...you get it. Yeah right. I was on the couch trying to find a comfortable position because they were getting super intense at this point. That part about being manageable, not so much anymore. I literally start making animal noises because that's the only thing that made the contractions bareble. Now they were about 2 minutes apart. All of a sudden, my water breaks all over the couch. Ewwwww! Luckily there was a foam pad Reyn had put down for me. Phew. Because it was EVERYWHERE. Sorry not to gross you out but I was drenched.

Right when my water broke my contractions took on a whole new level of intensity. I was in transition and didn' even know it. I can't really explain the feeling but at one point I thought, "I'm not sure if I'm going to make it." I couldn't move for a few seconds because of the intensity and was curled up in a ball saying to Reyn, "I'm going to have this baby right now. We NEED to leave. WE need to leave." right after I got up I start getting the urge to push while I'm now sounding like a cow mooing. Crazy how those primal instincts take over your body. I couldn't control it. Yelling like a cow took some of that pain away. I ripped off all my wet clothes because I am now dripping sweat. So freakin hot. I stand in front of the AC unit and blast the air yelling at Reyn who is trying to get me new clothes, "COME RUB MY BACK! I NEED YOU, I NEED YOU!!" He's running back and forth trying to get me clothes that I keep turning away because they look too hot to wear at this point. He's also trying to call a car service, make sure Poppy is covered with a sitter, and rub my now never ending contraction. I really didn't care if I left in my bra and underwear I just wanted to be at the hospital. I thought if we waited any longer I was going to push the baby out at home. Reyn was preparing himself for an accidental home birth!

Finally I put on some black leggings and a shirt that didn't fit over my huge belly so I'm wearing a "crop top." Awesome white trash prego couple. I really don't know how long the car took to get to our apartment but it felt like 2 minutes. We jump in the cab, leaving Poppy at home to fend for herself. Just kidding, our friends were right around the corner heading over but Reyn did have to tell them how to break into our apartment. She slept through this entire thing by the way. It took a little bit to actually get into the cab because I kept having contractions and the only thing that helped me get through each one was standing hugging Reyn. I felt safe holding onto him and he was coaching me through each one. I kept saying, "I don't think I can do this!" And he would say, "BREATH, RELAX." I would take big wiffs of his neck smell ( I know I'm crazy) but somehow that made me feel like I could do it. His smell calms me. I know it's weird.

The cab driver didn't know what he was getting himself into because when I finally got in, I was mooing like a crazy person and yelling at him saying, "GO, GO, GO!" I rolled down the window because I was drenched in sweat and stuck one hand out to get some fresh air while my head was down trying to concentrate on getting through these contractions. I kept yelling, "PLEASE HURRY!" I was still trying to hold back the urge to push but pushing releaved so much pressure. During one of my "pushing" moments, It honestly felt like his head was about to come out. AAHHHH! I totally understand if you stop reading at his point. Thanks goodness it was now 5AM because there was no traffic and he was speeding through red lights like nobodies business. We got the the hospital in 5 minutes. I think he was just scared I was going to have a cab baby and wanted none of that.

Finally we pull into the hospital and as I'm getting out of the cab I realize that the entire back seat of the cab is drenched in fluid. Sorry cabbie. He then proceeds to get out some rags in his trunk to wipe it down. EWWW. I yell out to him while in the middle of a contraction, "SOOORRY!" Finally we had made it and I new I wasn't going to have a accidental home birth or a cab baby but maybe a hospital waiting room baby? I wasn't sure when this baby was going to make its debut. We get up to the check in area and the front dest lady is taking her sweet time thinking, "Oh, I've seen this before. This lady has a while before this baby comes." I'm pacing, holding onto Reyn, Yelling like a cow, pushing but trying not to. It was crazy. Right before the Midwife came over I thought, "If this baby doesn't come out soon I'm for sure getting an epidural!" I wanted it to be over. I was in transition and had been since my water broke. You think some crazy thoughts when your about to have a baby. Something takes over your body and mind.

In Hypno Birthing they teach you to stay as calm and relaxed as possible so your body isn't tense during a contraction. They also teach you to have a super quiet birth. Yeah right. I know it happens because I've watched them on You Tube but mooing and breathing really loud was the only thing that got me through it. Reyn would tell me to relax my body and that helped out a ton. Don't think I could've done it without him. He was awesome.

My midwife finally meets us to head into the triage room. Taking her time, looking for a clean room. What!? Then she realizes I'm pushing and speeds things up a bit. Phew. We walk into the room, I rip off all my clothes (think I scared everyone a bit), and lean over a little onto Reyn standing up so she can check to see how far along I am. "Oh, I see the head!" She askes me to bend over a little more so Reyn gets on his Knees so I can lean onto him even more and almost break his back (He loves telling this part of the story). I honestly don't remember even leaning on him.

About 3 pushes later, Win graced us with his presence. I gave birth standing up which is just what I wanted with my back issues. I stepped over the cord and laid him on my chest. I think everyone in the room was in shock. It was crazy.

We left our apartment around 5AM and I had him at 5:19AM. Crazy ride.

He is the sweetest little thing.

Reyn took photos with his polaroid camera so I'll add some photos once he scans them.