Not every mom-to-be wants to rest while waiting for her child to burst into the world. Least of all 33-year-old Samantha Bailey, a New York native who rock climbed at Brooklyn Boulders every day of her pregnancy until her baby simply dropped out of her uterus in mid-climb! And wow, what a mess that made!
Samantha’s son, who she has appropriately named Carabiner, is happy and healthy, just like his mom. Unlike his mom, however, Carabiner’s body is rarely mistaken for that of Kate Bosworth’s in 2002’s Blue Crush. “But soon!” says Samantha.
From the moment she took the pregnancy test, Samantha was determined not to be one of those “dumb lazy pregnant ladies” whose “entire body aches.” “Bed rest is a myth,” she explains. “But rock climbing is a real.”
As a lifelong climber, Samantha vowed to maintain her primarily vertical lifestyle while carrying. Samantha’s husband, Will, said his wife actually hoped to give birth at the rock climbing gym.
“Her first question for our OB-GYN was whether the climbing instructors at Brooklyn Boulders were qualified to deliver our baby. I believe the words Dr. Pandit used were ‘Are you kidding? Absolutely not, and I might have to call child services.’ That was a disappointment to Sam, but she’s a fighter.”
In fact, by the third trimester, Samantha was more or less consistently rock climbing—she worked out a special membership with Brooklyn Boulders that allowed her to sleep suspended midair.
“She would just sorta be floating above everyone else….made me kind of nervous,” remembers Greg Pollard, evening manager at Brooklyn Boulders. “Seemed like she was going camping. But we’re just an indoor rock climbing gym. Guess I’m just stoked little Carabiner is doing alright.”
And so are we! According to the folks who were waiting below, Samantha’s last words before her delivery climb were, “Just stand directly below me at all times to spot me, okay?” fully knowing that little Carabiner was on his way.
Samantha’s amazing birthing story shows you don’t have to just lay around all day waiting for your little critter to come. Do what you love—especially if you love something that makes other women look lazy! Happy climbing!
