Peyton's Birth Story

There were several days when I just KNEW Peyton would be born...but wasn't. Those stories are for another day. This is the story of Peyton's birthday. I was scheduled to be induced on quite possibly the coolest birthday ever: 10-11-12. No one thought I'd make it to that date. Not me, my doctors, friends, coworkers, family, no one. But I did. We got to the hospital at 5:30 am and got checked in. My doctor predicted that if I got there at 5:30, they'd break my water by 8:00, and I'd have him by lunch. I was a bit skeptical. First of all, why would it take 2 1/2 hours for them to break my water? Then, only be in labor and delivery for 4 hours? Really? Well, sort of. We got into the room and I changed into the lovely gown. I had to answer the typical questions about whether I was a smoker, was I taking prenatal vitamins, etc. Eric and I just kind of sat around and waited for awhile before the nurse came in to check me. I was 4 cm dialated, which is what I was a week ago during one of Peyton's non-birthdays. The next time she came in I expected her to start the pitocin and break my water. Ooooohhhh not yet. First I had to experience something I never thought I would - an enema. I won't go into the details, but I'll just say it wasn't as terrifyingly awful as I was imagining. ANYWAY, after that she finally started me on pitocin and things got going.
The doctor came in about an hour later (9:30 at this point) to check the progress, but still didn't break my water. I was really getting discouraged because it seemed like this would be a long labor and delivery like with Kaleb's. I wasn't really feeling the contractions all that much so 30 minutes later the nurse came in and upped the pitocin again. I started feeling things, but it wasn't anything like what I'd heard contractions were like. The nurse said I had a "uterus of steel" and upped me again. Now it was 10:30 and I was feeling them pretty good. Still not awful, just like cramps. At 11:10 my water broke on it's own. Yay! I probably waited 10 minutes and then I was asking for the epidural. Now, before you start calling me a sissy, you need to understand something. These contractions weren't very spaced out. I'd have one and then 20 seconds after it let up I'd have another one. I kept thinking that things were moving along a bit quicker than I was expecting.
By the time the doctor came to give me the epidural, I might as well have sent her away. The contractions were blindingly painful and I thought I was going to be paralyzed by the epidural because I couldn't be still long enough for her to get the needle in. At one point, while I was sitting on the edge of the bed, I had this urge to push. The nurses kept telling me to breathe and not to push, but I knew then that I wouldn't be "laboring" very much longer. Sure enough, after I was laid back down, before the epidural even kicked in, the doctor checked me and I was fully dialted. I went from 5 1/2 cm to 10 cm in about 10 minutes. No wonder it hurt so much. I didn't even get to feel the benefits of my epidural before it was time to start pushing.
As Eric said, the atmosphere changed instantly when the doctor declared I was fully dialated. It went from a calm, almost hotel-like atmosphere, to a delivery room atmosphere real quick. I heard them asking for a "baby catcher" (what?) and they were getting their gowns on toot sweet. I was scooted to the edge of the bed and the leg thingys were put up. Keep in mind, I could feel all of this because the epidural wouldn't kick in for another 5 minutes or so. The way things were progressing I (and I think everyone else) was expecting 2 pushes and a baby. Not so. Granted, I didn't have to push as long as with Kaleb (2 1/2 hours) but it wasn't as fast as the labor part. I probably pushed for 45 minutes to an hour before they decided to use forceps. I was super relieved because there was no way that kid was coming out on his own. Once the doctor got the forceps, I pushed twice, maybe three times, and out came his head. A few seconds later the rest of him was born and I could see just how amazing he was!

He started crying and relief washed over me. They took him to the warmer right by my bed and, after he warmed up a bit, was just as content as could be. So far he's proven to be just as chill as a baby. He weighed 7 lbs, 12 oz and was 21 inches long. Exactly the same measurements as Kaleb! He got cleaned up a bit and then I got to hold him. He looked like a little bitty old man. He was so wrinkled and scrunchy, but he was also so perfect. He is great at nursing and is just as content as he could be. Peyton's birth experience was so different than Kaleb's and I'm excited to see how he and Kaleb will be alike and different as they grow up.