Payton's Birth Story

My doctor decided that she wanted to induce me if I didn't have my baby by November 5th. My mom was going to be in town from October 29th through November 7th so I asked if we could do the induction a few days earlier, which my doctor agreed to. So it was scheduled for the evening of November 1st.
I tried everything I could think of to have this baby on my own (besides castor oil). I walked a ton, ate lots of pineapple and spicy food, got a foot massage and pedicure, was taking Evening Primrose, and etc, etc...Nothing worked.
So the big day arrived, and I got a phone call from the hospital saying they were too full and could not induce me that evening and to call back at 5am in the morning to check on things. So I tossed and turned all night barely getting a wink of sleep until 0445 when I got out of bed and called the hospital, and it was a go!! I was scheduled to be there by 0730.
I was so excited and nervous! I took a long shower, did my hair, packed a few last minute things and off we drove to the hospital. When we arrived we filled out a bunch of paper work and then saw the doctor. When he checked me I was dilated to a whopping 1&1/2 cm and only 50% effaced. I wanted to cry. That was exactly the same as at my last appointment, so all the walking and other things didn't help me change at all :(
Since I didnt get there the evening before we were going to start with the Pitocin instead of the Prostin gell suppository, since you have to lay down for at least an hour after getting it. Our nurses name was Trisha and she was awesome. She tried starting an I.V and missed, twice, so she called another nurse in named Christie, who was able to catch my vein on her first try. Once the I.V was in the Pitocin was started. Levi and I then ordered food and ate breakfast together while waiting on the Pitocin to kick in.

Ive heard so many horror stories about Pitocin that once it kicked in I was surprised at how non-horrific it was. My contractions started and they weren't painful or unbearable. Once my mom showed up at the hospital we did laps around the birthing unit. I switched from doing laps to sitting on the ball then sitting in bed and then did it all over again. My contractions were between 2-3 mins apart and about 30-50 seconds long. I was hopeful that my body was doing something.

At 6:00pm the doctor came by and checked me again and what do you know!? I hadn't changed at all! This time I did cry. So we decided to stop the Pitocin and go with the Prostin gell at 7:30pm and if I still hadn't changed by 11:00pm I would get a second dose of the Prostin gell. (Caution to all ladies being induced who are going to receive the Prostin gell suppository: For me it was more painful then the Pitocin because when they insert it they have to squish it around your cervix! So imagine how uncomfortable being checked is and multiply that by ten, and if your cervix is tilted back like mine, multiply it by 50!)
After receiving the Prostin gell supp. I started having cramps which I supposed was from being brutally violated when the supp. was administered. The cramps kept getting worse and worse and I kept getting up and walking around trying not to wake Levi who was sleeping in his fold out chair next to my bed. By 11:00pm when they checked my cervix I had dilated from the whimpy 1&1/2 cm to 3cm and was now 75% effaced, whoopee! That meant that I didn't need the second dose of the Prostin gell! :)
After being checked I asked for a heat pack to help ease my cramps, which always helped with my cramps before I was pregnant. My cramps had turned into contraction like pains coming and going and during each "contraction" I would try to relax my body and think of floating in red misty foam while breathing slowly and deeply, which actually helped. And between each "contraction" I was trying desperately to sleep.
By 0100am and failing to get any sleep (for almost the second night in a row now) I asked the nurse for a sleep aide which she had offered to me earlier in the evening. I felt the effects almost immediately and fell asleep!
By 0200am I was awake again and frustrated that I only slept an hour! I kept using the heat packs, and deep breathing, walking and sitting on the ball, I think I even got in the Jacuzzi tub for a while, which was super nice.
At 0500am I was lying in bed and Levi was sleeping in his chair again, when I felt a small gush of fluid down there. I thought I peed my pants a little bit, (which happens more than I'd like to admit while you're pregnant) but then I felt another little gush. I woke Levi up and told him that I thought my water had broke and then I called the nurse to my room and also let her know. I got up and went to the bathroom but there was no more fluid. I know that when a women's water breaks there is usually a lot of fluid, so I was a little bit confused but still convinced that it was in fact my water that had gushed and not pee.
From then on my contractions got stronger and longer. It wasn't the contractions that were painful but the pressure that came with each one. The pressure was so strong on my bottom (my colon) that I felt like I was bruised down there and with each contraction if felt like someone was pushing with all their weight on my bruise. I tried everything again, from sitting on the ball, walking, laying in bed, guided imagery, deep breathing, lying in the jacuzzi tub, massage, etc, etc...nothing got rid of the painful pressure.
I was so exhausted from having no sleep for the past two nights that when I was in the jacuzzi tub Levi had to hold me up because between each contraction I was passed out and couldn't even hold my own head up or open my eyes.
At 0730am I looked at Levi and started crying. I was so annoyed at how tired I was. I wanted so badly to be able to hold my daughter when she arrived and be with it, but at the rate I was going I wouldn't even have the strength and energy to push her out. So I told him I wanted an epidural. I think he was a little bit scared because I had told him so often that there was no way I wanted an epidural and if I asked for one to disregard my labor talk. Anyhow he got the nurse and I told her I wanted one. They had to help me out of the jacuzzi tub and into bed. Before I got the epidural the nurse checked me again and I was 8cm!! and 100% effaced!! yay!!!
0800am: I dont even remember getting the epidural. I know that I was on the edge of the bed curling my back out and that Levi was in front of me holding me up. Other than that I draw a blank. Levi says that I had two contractions while it was being inserted but otherwise I slept through it. Levi says that as soon as I got the epidural he could see an immediate change in me. He says that my face which was white got color to it again and that I was more alert. All I know is that the epidural worked great. I could still feel and move both my legs, I could still feel the pressure/pain with each contraction but it was more bearable, and I was able to relax enough to sleep peacefully between and through some contractions. During the contractions that I couldn't sleep through, I had to deep breath and use guided imagery to help ease the pain.

me at 9cm

Around 1030am my nurse Trisha checked me again and I was fully dilated! 10cm!! Finally. She wanted me to start pushing with my contractions but I wanted my body to be able to do it on its own time, and let me know when it was right to push; so I asked her to come back in ten minutes, which she reluctantly agreed to. About 2-3 contractions later I was begging Levi to go get the nurse because I couldn't hold back the urge to push. I was so shocked/startled at how strong the urge to push was. One contraction I didn't have the urge at all and I was breathing through it, and a minute later with my next contraction it was all I could do to not push.
Trisha came into the room and did perineal massage while I pushed. Levi held my right leg and a nursing student held my left. Trisha said, "I can see your baby's head! She has dark hair!" After about three pushes she left to call the doctor into the room. When the doctor came into the room she said, "Are you sure she's ready cause the girl next door is at 9cms?" Then another contraction came and I pushed through it and when the doctor saw how close I was to having our baby, she said, "Oh my gosh I don't have time to put all my gear on!" and Trisha rushed at getting the doctor ready while I continued to push through my contractions.

About three pushes later the baby's head was out and as soon as it came out the rest of my water gushed everywhere and squirted all over the front of Levi's shirt and jeans.
10:48am With one more push our baby girl was born and she was immediately placed on my chest. I was able to help clean her off while Levi cut her umbilical cord, and then she was placed under my gown, on my chest, for skin to skin time. I was so amazed at how alert she was! Her eyes were wide open taking in the world and she didn't cry a single little peep. While on my chest she just stared into my eyes, getting to know me, I guess. The nurses said I pushed for a grand total of ten minutes.

Soon after she was born the nurses asked, "So what is her name?" Levi looked at me and said, "Brittney?" meaning, "Whats it gonna be? you decide." We had talked over names for hours and hours throughout the past ten months but we still weren't sure on the right name. We had narrowed it down to either Athena or Payton. So when Levi looked at me and asked what it was going to be, I just said, "Payton Willow Beck."
After the placenta was out a nurse came in and told the doctor that the lady next door was ready for her and could not wait. So the doctor asked if I minded if she finished fixing me up after helping my neighbor across the hall, and off she went. I don't know how long the doctor took, I was too busy loving on my baby, but it didn't seem very long before she was back. She explained that I needed two little stitches and then sewed me up, and congratulated Levi and I, before leaving.
After a while the nurses asked if they could take Payton to the warming table to weigh and measure her, which I obliged since it was right next to my bed. She was 7 pounds and 21 inches long.

Once they were finished they gave Payton back to me and showed me a few different ways to hold her while breastfeeding and then encouraged me to begin asap, which I did. After a little while she had her first meconium poop, and Levi got to change his and her first diaper!

During my pregnancy I had my labor planned out. I was going to have this baby a week early, I wasn't going to have an I.V since I was group B negative, I was not going to get an epidural, I was going to use the birthing tub and other measures for pain relief, I wanted perineal massage to help decrease my chances of tearing, etc, etc...Nothing I planned worked out. At first I was really discouraged that I got an epidural and almost a little bit embarrassed that "I couldn't do it" but no matter if I had an at home birth, or a hospital birth, no epidural, an epidural, or a c-section, the out come would have been the same. I would still have this beautiful baby girl. Even though nothing went according to my plan I wouldn't change the way it happened. It taught me a lot and humbled me as well. For one its silly to plan something you ultimately have very little control over, and two God has given us the gift of modern medication and its ok to use it! Its not something to be ashamed of. Everything should be used in moderation and that includes the "all natural" things and ways as well.
I was very happy with my stay at the hospital. The nurses were amazing, the facility was nice, the food was great, and the doctor was charming. They never pushed anything on me I didn't want and always asked permission before doing anything with Payton and I.  I was really impressed. They even gave Levi and I a celebration dinner of steak and shrimp with sparkling apple juice to celebrate the birth of our child.