| sunday, february 2, 2003 We arrived at the hospital at 7:30 am for our planned induction. They had a room ready for us so we went right in. 8:55am -- After filling out papers, putting in the I.V., and getting all checked out they finally started the Pitocin. I was dilated to just 2 cm. 10:30am -- By now I can feel the contractions -- not too painful, mostly just uncomfortable. And they are 2-3 minutes apart. 11:50am -- The doctor checks me out and I was dilated to 3 cm and 50% effaced. She also decides to break my bag of water. 1:15pm -- By now the contractions are more painful. After about 5 of those I decide that I don't really want to do this anymore -- I'm ready for my epidural. I've felt the pains of labor, the memories of my first labor are coming back to me, I don't need to struggle through this any longer. There's no need to be a hero. The nurse checked me out and I was still dilated to 3 cm. The anesthisiologist came in and administered the epidural. After a test dose I felt some strange pressure in my right hip. Thinking that she may have hit a nerve and not wanting to mess with that, she removed the catheter and tried again. The second time was successful. 3:35pm -- The nurse decides that she wants to check me again. Things had been progressing so slowly up to this point that we were sure that this was going to last well into the evening. Jokingly Scott says to the nurse "We're hoping that the magic number is 7." After he says this she gets an odd look on her face, kinda smiling. By now I am quite anxiously awaiting her response. It is . . . . 7-8cm. !!!! We were pretty shocked that in just 2 hours I could go from 3 to 7 or 8 cm. She also said that I had very little cervix left and the baby was at 0 station. 4:15pm -- I'm feeling a lot of pressure in my bottom. This was kind of an odd thing because I had heard all about it in my childbirth class and reading, but I never experienced it with Conner. 4:40pm -- The nurse does another check and says, "you're ready." Scott and I look at each other in shock. Another nurse comes in pushing a cart with instruments for delivery on top, they start breaking down the bed and putting my legs in the stirrups. Still, Scott and I are looking at each other very confused. We weren't quite ready for this to happen yet! At my request, they brought in a mirror so that I could watch the delivery. The nurse tells me that she wants me to do a couple practice pushes. So when the next contraction came I pushed and watched in the mirror to see my progress. I thought I saw something and at the end of the push the nurse told me to hold on -- that was the head coming out and the doctor was at her office across the street. They paged the doctor and told me to NOT PUSH! This baby was coming! 4:55pm -- My doctor comes running in, out of breath and quickly gets dressed for delivery. After one contraction & push I watch in the mirror as Payton's head comes out -- it was sooo amazing! One contraction later and he is out! |
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| 5:12pm -- He didn't cry at first so the doctor held him in her lap, jostling him until he gave out a cry. Then they placed him on my chest. It was such a special moment. Earlier I had requested for more time to hol him right after his birth. So after a few moments the nurse took him to the baby warmer to quickly clean him up just a little bit and then gave him back to me to hold. When it came time to choose a name, Scott & I first decided that he should be Parker. Then after 10-15 minutes we both looked at each other and said that that name just wasn't right for him. So we switched |
| February 2, 2003 Weight: 7 lbs. 13 oz. Length: 19 1/2 in. Head: 13 3/4 in. |
| to Payton. We think it's a much better fit. |
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| payton's birth story |