Our Little Isaiah Man - Birth Story (Written May 2013)

 I started this post almost a year ago, and finally got around to finishing it :) 

I have been meaning to write down Isaiah's birth story, and somehow almost 2 months have already flown by!  I know I've already forgotten some details, but hopefully I'll remember most of it for this post.  (Oh, and I am including way more details than anyone other than myself would probably care about, but I'm not writing this stuff down anywhere else so bear with me!) Here we go:

March 11:  I had a doctor's appointment and was a little bit hopeful because I'd been having contractions for a couple days.  The doctor told me I was a 2, almost a 3 and that something could happen any day or it may take 2 more weeks.  Having him check me seemed to make my contractions pick up for that day because things were definitely happening with my body.  Through that night I was miserable and at one point I felt SO much pressure that I thought for sure he was coming.  I took a bath and my body calmed down and I went to sleep.

March 12:  As the evening progressed my contractions picked up and I got nervous. I didn't want a repeat of the previous night, so I called the doctor and he suggested going to the hospital to at least have them check me.  So after we got the kids to bed we had Brady and Alyssa (our wonderful neighbors who were also expecting a baby any day...she was born a week after Isaiah and she is so beautiful!) come over and we headed to the hospital.  I knew I wasn't in hard labor, but I thought that maybe if I'd progressed they would break my water and speed things up.  Well, according to the nurse there I was barely a 2, more like a 1.  So after about an hour and a half there we headed back home.

Over the next week and a half I had regular contractions that would get stronger and pretty uncomfortable in the evenings, and every night I wondered if it would be the night.  Then, suddenly my contractions just kind of stopped and and I didn't feel much for several days.

March 19:  I had a doctor's appointment and was very hopeful that I would have progressed quite a bit after so many contractions.  When my doctor said I was dilated to a 1 I felt very deflated.  I managed to hold it together until I got out to the car but I really lost it and had a good cry on the way home.  Time to accept that I'd be pregnant for a while longer!

March 25:  Donna and Regular Grandma arrived to help us out.  This took away a lot of my worries because I knew Kaleb and Aliyah would have someone there to take care of them regardless of the time of day.

March 26: I had another doctor's appointment and had no idea what to expect, but was given ok news.  I had progressed to a 4 and the doctor stripped my membranes.  I found out that their policy is to wait until 41 weeks to induce labor, so I had an induction set up for the next Thursday, April 4th.  That was a very discouraging thought!  I realized that if this little guy were to wait that long, Grandma and Donna wouldn't even get to meet him.  I really, really didn't want it to work out that way.  I called to see if we could move up the induction date, but the nurse informed me that they don't change their policy just for convenience so I had no choice other than to wait it out.

March 27:  My due date came and no baby!  I never thought I would get to this day and still be pregnant!

March 28:  Throughout the day I felt like things were happening.  While at the lower Manito Park I really started feeling things.  I didn't want to be too hasty and get sent home from the hospital again, so I waited it out.  By that evening I felt my contractions and pain continue to increase.  I decided to lay down around 7 because I was really uncomfortable, and when I woke up everything really progressed.  We were watching American Idol while I watched the clock with each contraction.  Around 9:30 I decided to get ready to head to the hospital.  I finished packing the bag and Jonny and I got ready and by the time we were out the door those contractions hurt!  Really bad!

We arrived at the hospital around 10:30 and they got me right in.  I was dilated to a 7, so they were hastily trying to get everything set up and ready for me to get my epidural.  Finally the nurse anesthetist entered the room and I wanted to shout for joy!  But then another contraction came on and I just really wanted her to hurry :)  By about 11:40 I got the relief I was anticipating and the nurse allowed me to enjoy it for a few minutes before calling Dr. Stovall to have him break my water.  When he came it at 11:50 I was dilated to an 8.  He broke my water and the nurse dimmed the lights so that we could get a little power nap.  They had just left the room when I felt intense pressure and told Jonny I thought it might be time.  So the doctor and nurse came right back in, checked me, and I was at a 10!  They hustled to get the room ready and within a few minutes I was pushing.     

March 29:  The pressure that I was feeling was really uncomfortable so I asked if I could bump up the epidural and my request was denied.  I was really bummed about that!  Ok, so...when Aliyah was born I only had to push through 3 contractions before I heard those wonderful words, "Ok, stop pushing. She's here!"  So, after 3 contractions I figured I had to be almost done and asked if that was the case.  I was really surprised to hear we still had a ways to go.  I ended up pushing for 45 long minutes.  For some reason I felt absolutely exhausted and after each contraction and just wanted to go to sleep, but I knew I needed to pay attention so I'd be ready to push when the next contraction came.  When Isaiah was finally born they placed him on me, but quickly took him when it was apparent that he wasn't breathing well.  They worked on him for quite a while, saying that he must have taken in a bunch of fluid right before he was born.  The nurses were saying that he may need to be taken to the NICU if he didn't improve, but luckily they were able to get him breathing better.  I would have been so, so sad if they'd taken him because I was so anxious to hold him and kiss him and tell him how thrilled I was to finally meet him.  It was about this time that I found out why it had taken 45 minutes of pushing.  He was 9 pounds 9 ounces!  I couldn't believe it.  A few minutes later I got to snuggle my little man.  Since that moment Isaiah has been the cuddliest little baby and I am so glad.  His preferred position is snuggled up on my chest and he has spent many, many hours like that.  In fact, I would say at least 80% of the time we spent in the hospital was with him cuddled up like that in my arms.

By about 2:00 they had us moved into our hospital room and around 2:30 I sent a very tired Jonny home to get some good sleep.  I held Isaiah through the night and felt so relieved and blessed to finally have him here.

Still March 29:  Jonny, Donna, Regular Grandma, and the kids came to visit sometime around 10 or 11 and we had fun introducing Kaleb and Aliyah to their new brother :)  They didn't stay long because the little hospital room wasn't the best place for all of their energy.  They left for a fun afternoon with Nonna and Great Grandma while Jonny stayed with me.  It was a really pleasant afternoon for the 3 of us, and I was so grateful that the timing had worked out the way it did.  Jonny just happened to have a 4 day weekend because of Good Friday and Easter Monday or something like that.  I didn't have to stress about Jonny missing any classes, which was really a great relief to me.  That evening Donna blessed us with some amazing Five Guys burgers and the kids got another sweet visit.  My dear friend Sara also came that evening with a bag full of incredible goodies that made the rest of my time in the hospital much more bearable.  I might sound like a snob, but I hate hospital food so I am always grateful for other things to munch on.  Oh...if you ever come across Dove coconut creme chocolates be sure to buy them, because they are heavenly.  I think they are only available around Easter, so next year keep your eye out.  They might just change your life!  Isaiah was super sleepy that night so I zonked out and got some much needed rest.

March 30:  I woke up around 4:30 and fed Isaiah.  Sometime after that a nurse came in and took him so that they could do something, I can't remember what.  I took that as an opportunity to shower (for the first time since arriving at the hospital...it was much needed).  One thing that I haven't mentioned yet is that because Isaiah was such a big baby they had to come in regularly and check his blood sugar.  The poor little guy had so many little scabs on his heel by the time we left the hospital, but luckily his levels stayed where they needed to be.  We spent the next few hours getting everything ready to head home and getting the ok from everyone who needed to give us the ok.  Jonny came to help out, and we had a little photo shoot done with the 3 of us.  We were finally able to head home early that afternoon, and it was so good to be home!  Grandma and Nonna were being their usual amazing selves and taking such great care of Kaleb and Aliyah.  It was such a blessing for all 5 of us to have their help.

 
I don't remember exactly what day it was, but a couple of days after Zay was born, my dear friend Hannah Ungricht came over and did a little newborn photo shoot. I was so grateful to her for capturing those sweet memories!  Here are some of my favorites: