Patience for Payton

I am starting with the last picture because once you start reading this, you may not believe that the baby was ever born! I've just got to do this in a timeline so the readers truly appreciate how long this mom was in labor.

Thursday around 8:00 pm: Mom starts to notice contractions, but goes to bed that night.

Friday around 1:00 am: Mom wakes up with contractions that are keeping her from sleeping.

5:00 am: mom and dad go to the hospital and find that she is 3 cm dilated (big progress since her last OB appt.) Only problem is, once they arrive at the hospital, her contractions stop.

7:30 am: Since mom is scheduled for an induction in a few days, they decide to induce her since she is at the hospital, and her baby's heart-rate had a few decelerations. Pitocin is started. Mom spends the next several hours walking the halls and rocking in the rocking chair.

Noon: While walking the halls, many notice that mom is starting to get "the look". Meaning she gets the facial expression of many women in labor. For her it also became the look of a mom about to throw up. As if being in labor isn't enough, this mom had about 6 vomiting episodes.

1:30 pm: Mom is checked and has only progressed from 3 to 3 1/2. So the doctor breaks her water to hopefully get things moving quicker. Mom gets in the jacuzzi and labors amazingly! She was so relaxed and in control, she practically slept through her labor!

3:45 pm: Checked again and is a "stretchy 4".

4:45 pm: Still a 4! Things are starting to feel very discouraging. Mom is tired, starving, and has pretty much tried everything by this point. I also want to point out that pitocin contractions are longer, more painful, and less productive than contractions that aren't induced. And this mom had labor for 9 long hours that way. But by this time it was just too much, and an epidural was ordered to give mom some relief. By 5:00 she was feeling good, and her happy personality returned.

8:00 pm: Checked again and is now 5 cm. Progress, but still discouraging.

9:20 pm: Checked again and is still a 5. More throwing up.

9:45 pm: Doctor arrives to check and mom is a 6. Doctor is not pleased with the lack of progress and says "if you want to hold up a white flag I'll give you a cesarean". Hmm... Mom is feeling good with the epidural and baby is handling everything very well. Sure, it's been a long day, but is that really a reason to do a major abdominal surgery? NOOOOOO!!!! Thankfully, these parents were too smart to take that bait!

10:30 pm: Mom is checked again and is 9 cm! One more contraction and she is complete. Baby's heart-rate was starting to feel the effects of the long day, and it was decided that she should be delivered as quickly as possible. The doctor assisted with forceps.

10:49 pm: Payton Lily is finally born! PHEW!

Since there was meconium (baby's first poop) in the water, Payton had to be suctioned out as soon as she was born.

Weighing in at 6 pounds 8 ounces and 18 1/2 inches long.

Payton was such a champ! She went through a lot to get here, and proved that she is one tough little cookie. And upon further inspection we saw that she is gorgeous too. Big eyes and cute defined features already. She was grounded many times during the labor, but I'm guessing she'll bat her eyelashes and get out of it!

Several times during the labor mom would say, "I am not doing this again". Funny how quickly our moods can change once we are holding our little ones. From the smiles on their faces, you'd never guess what they had just been through!


Dad didn't feel like a natural, but he sure looked like one! Here he is holding his little girl for the first time. Totally worth the wait. Thanks for hanging in there so long, and for sharing!