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I went to see the midwife on Wednesday, May 15, in the afternoon. She said to check into the hospital between 7 & 8 that night. When we got there, I was put on cervidil to soften my cervix. I had some contractions that night, but nothing major. I was able to get a good night's rest.

The next morning, I was put on pitocin at 6:50. By the time the midwife arrived at 8, I was beginning to feel some good contractions, but nothing unmanageable. The midwife tried to break my water, but wasn't able to do so. (I think I remember her saying I was 3 cm dilated & 50% effaced). She came back at 10 and was able to break my water. That's when things started getting intense! I was having contractions every two - four minutes apart, and they were pretty nasty! (I told Jeff if he wasn't there reminding me to breathe, I wouldn't have been able to get through this part.) At 12:30, I was still only 3 cm, but I was 90% effaced. I asked for something to take the edge off of the pain and was given Staydol. I felt really relaxed on the Staydol and was able to breathe through the contractions, but it wore off at 1:30 and the contractions became even more intense! I tried changing positions, and Jeff was wonderful about trying to help me through this, but it was more than I could handle. I was crying and holding my breath through contractions because the intensity was just more than I could handle! I asked for an epidural at 2:30. The anesthesiologist came in around 2:45 and by 3:00 I was starting to feel a little better. My midwife was called out of my room at this point to deliver another one of her patients in the next room!

At 4:15, I started feeling intense pain in the right half of my body, so I tried laying on that side to send the medicine that way. It didn't work. I called for a nurse to tell her the epidural wasn't working anymore. She felt my stomach and asked when the last time my bladder had been emptied -- Jeff told her around 12:30. She catheterized me and said that should help, but it didn't. By 4:45, the pain was getting worse, and the nurse asked when my dilation had last been checked. I told her at 3:00 right before Patti (my midwife) had to leave for another delivery. She checked me and said, "Here's the problem. Come look, Dad." Jeff said the baby's had was about 2 inches from crowning! She went to see if Patti was finished with the other delivery or if the resident had to be called. At this point, I started crying because I didn't want a resident to deliver Matthew -- I wanted Patti!

Well, as luck would have it, Patti had just finished delivering the other baby, so she came into me and the resident did the "repairs" on the other mom. I started pushing at 4:55 and Matthew was born at 5:17. Mirrors were set up so I got to watch my son enter this world!