6 AM: Check in at Miz-Mam Clinic (raining and cool this morning). Blood pressure check, fetal monitoring for 30 minutes.
6:50: The nurse declares that my "uterus is closed" and inserts the Propess gel. I have to lie down for at least 30 minutes. Another 30 minutes of fetal monitoring. The gel starts things moving pretty soon but I've got a long way to go and I am disappointed that I'm starting out at 0cm.
8:00: Walk the halls (the clinic is pretty small so this gets boring fast but we get to peek at the nursery twice each lap).
9:15: Dr. Lee wants me to come down to check Baby weight, etc. on the ultrasound. Baby Boy is measuring big still (4.4kg) and Dr. Lee says they recommend c-section over 9lbs in Korea. This is when I said, "I"m American, I can get him out."
10:00: Dr. Lee calls for Craig, sends him back up with a textbook marked at the shoulder dysplacia to try to convince me to go for the c-section. I am a little annoyed with Dr. Lee even though I can see where he's coming from. I am too stubborn to get too discouraged.
12:00 PM: 3 cm, oxytocin started. I got really nauseous at first and thought I would pass out but as quickly as that all came on it was over. Harder contractions start.
1:00 PM: oxytocin level increased. Baby is in a funny position with his bum way off to the right and is causing quite a bit of back pain with the contractions. I switch my position and change his. Contractions stop altogether giving me a nice break.
2:15: 4 cm, break water (without warning, I might add!) The contractions are coming like crazy and are really hard to get through.
3:00: 7 cm, I want oxytocin OFF, nurses aren't listening, finally get Dr. Lee to come up. It is going too fast for me to handle. Dr. Lee reluctantly turns off the oxytocin, predicts another hour or more before I'm ready to push. I start thinking about epidurals and c-sections and I realize I must be in transition to be having thoughts like this! Shortly after Dr. Lee leaves I let them know I am ready to push and I think the nurses are surprised since Dr. Lee had just left! I push a few times in the labor room and then walk across the hall to the delivery table. This was something I was dreading but actually wasn't a big deal at all. Maybe just knowing it was all almost over made the walk totally do-able.
Henry Lawrence arrived at 3:24 PM on Friday, July 24, 2009. He weighed 4.2kg and was 50cm long (but it should be noted that the measuring tape only went to 50cm so this is probably not correct). He has blonde hair and super chubby cheeks! To be more specific: he is ADORABLE!
I want to note that I was really nervous about having Henry in Korea based on a few stories I had heard. I think I had a really positive experience at this clinic because I knew what I wanted and didn't want and then had someone (Craig's fantastic secretary!) translate my list of preferences into Korean for the nurses. The nurses basically left us alone (other than the fetal monitoring, etc.) and respected our wishes. In this way I had a much better experience than in Qatar even though Al Ahli Hospital felt more "modern" or "advanced." I think my stubbornness also paid off in not getting a c-section. I could tell that I was frustrating Dr. Lee from the time I was reluctant to schedule the induction. To be honest, Dr. Lee was frustrating me with all of his c-section talk! In the end I'm glad I was induced at 38 weeks because it was hard enough getting Henry out at this size!
