Dillon Alexander October 12, 1998

I found out in Febuary 1998 that I was pregnant with our second child.  We had tried to get pregnant before Matt left for basic training, but didn't.  So needless to say we were really excited.  I was pretty concerned about having a baby with major defects though.  I figured we really lucked out with Matthew and feared the worst.    I was a little sick with this pregnancy, but lemon drops could cure the nausea.  I also wore the sea bands on my wrists when I got nauseated and that helped too.  Other than that everything was uneventful.   At 21 weeks we traveled to Portland for a level II ultra sound.  That is a much more detailed ultra sound to help detect any defects.  That is when we found out he was healthy, and a boy.  Two boys!!  Yippee!!

My dr said since Matthew was late that this baby would probably be too.  But that he would induce me a week early.  He wanted to be sure his lungs were totally mature.  I was due on October 5, my father in law's birthday, so that would have been neat!  But the odds of that happening were slim to none.

The week before I was due, my dr went out of town.  Figures.  He never went out of town except for the two time I was supposed to have a baby.  So I didn't get to be induced early.  So my due date came and went....again.  So I was scheduled to be induced on the 9th.    I woke up and called the hospital.  They were totally full and told me to call back.  So I called all day, and they never had any room for me.  This was a Friday.  So my dr called me that evening and said we would have to do it Monday, the 12th.  I was so bummed.  I had anticipated having my baby in my arms by then.    So on Monday morning I called again, and they said I could come in.  So I went in and got all ready.  They started my IV and then Dr Witt came to break my water.  At 8:30 AM he broke my water.  There was meconium in the water, but no one seemed to be concerned about it.  I was dilated to 4 centimeters.  The dr said I could have an epidural as soon as I

wanted.  At 9 oclock we got to switch rooms.  By the time we got there I was having contractions.  I told Matt I was determined to not have pain, so I was going to ask for the epidural.  At 9:30 I asked the nurse for the epidural.  She said she would call the anesthesiologist.    Well the contractions just kept coming, and were strong almost immediately.  I was really wanting the epidural..  The nurse came in and said that the only anesthesiologist around was in surgery, so I would

have to wait.  I was in active labor and there was no break in between contractions.  I just wanted to cry it hurt so bad.  I kept asking for the epi, and they kept telling me he would be there in 10 minutes.    Finally, they gave me some stadol, but it didn't even touch the contractions.  I wanted so bad to change position or try to get comfortable, but I couldn't even move I was in too much pain.    At 12:30 I FINALLY got my epidural.  But it still hurt on my right side, very badly.  After he gave me a ton of medication they decided I had a "window" on my right side.  As soon as I rolled onto my right side I felt much better.

As soon as I felt some relief they checked me and I was fully dilated.  Dr Witt came in and asked if I was ready to push.  I said no.  I was finally feeling good.  So he said he would give me 10 minutes and then he would be back.  He returned 15 minutes later.  He told me to try a practice push.  As soon as I did he yelled at me to stop.  He got up and ran to the door, yelled out that he needed a nurse, NOW, and came back.  A nurse ran in and they let me push again.  His head came out then, and then I pushed him out the rest of the way.    They suctioned him out very well because of the meconium.  Dillon was born at 1:05 PM.  I was looking at my little baby and Dr Witt was calling him Bruno because he was so big.  I argued and said he wasn't big.  Well I was wrong.  He weighed 9 lbs 10 oz and was 21 3/4 inches long.  He was as healthy as could be and we were instantly in love.     Dillon and I went home the next day.

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