Isla is 7 months already!

My Pretty Girl!

I took these videos last week when Isla was 5 weeks. They make me smile everytime I watch them :)

Isla's Birth Story

The day before I gave birth to Isla I blogged about my progress. I really didn't think I'd be having a baby the following day! I was excited to be 3cm dilated, but I didn't want to get my hopes up. I had assumed I'd be induced on Thursday July 30th and that was all there was to it.

Monday evening I started feeling a little crampy and bloated. It was nothing major; it reminded me of the feeling I have before I get my period. I decided to call it an early night, early being 11pm :) I woke up around 1:30am needing to pee and on my way back to bed I felt a huge gush of water. I immediately woke Andy up and called the hospital. They told us to come in right away, so we got everything together and headed to Regions.

I started having very mild contractions on the way to the hospital. They were 4-5 minutes apart and they felt like period cramps. Nothing painful, just uncomfortable. When I got to the hospital the contractions started increasing in frequency. I was contracting every 1-2 minutes! The pain never really got worse though, which I thought was rather odd.

After a very brief stay in triage, we were moved to our labor and delivery room and I attempted to stay active. I walked a bit and used the birth ball to help move labor along. I did not want an epidural until I was at least 5cm, but because my contractions were coming so quickly, the nurse suggested I request one sooner than later, because she thought Isla was going to come quickly. So I took the nurse's advice and got the epidural, and then found out I was still 3cm after all of my contractions! They decided to use a uterine monitor to watch my contractions. They discovered very quickly that my contractions were weak. I was given pitocin to hopefully make them stronger, but I had to be watched very carefully because they didn't want my contractions getting any closer together!

The pitocin wasn't helping much, and eventually they stopped giving it to me. I apparently have a "hyperactive uterus" which made dilating was a very slow process. My contractions never got much stronger. After 16 hours I was 8cms, 90% effaced, but still at a -2 station. Isla's head wasn't coming down at all. It was at this point I had 2 doctors both tell me that they didn't think Isla would be able to descend through my pelvis. They told me a c-section was most likely the only way to get her out. I was told I could have 1 more hour to see if I could progress further, but at this point I was so delirious I went ahead with the c-section.

Upon hearing I needed to have a c-section I felt an overwhelming sense of panic and sadness. I was crying uncontrollably for a while because I was scared for both Isla and myself. I didn't want to get cut open, but I wanted to do what was best for my baby. I was wheeled out of the room in tears, trying to focus only on the fact that I got to see my baby girl soon.

The operating room was a very scary place, although I had lots of people reassuring me that I would be okay. Being told I would be numb from the chest down was frightening, especially when the nurse told me I may not be able to feel myself breathing. Andy sat by me the whole time. I made he talk to me to keep my mind off of the fact that I was being completely cut open. Within 15 minutes Isla was born. She immediately started crying and I knew then that everything would be okay. I got to see Isla for a minute, and then she and Andy left while I was being stitched up.

I was told I'd have to stay in an observation room for 1 hour after surgery to be monitored before going upstairs, but it ended up being 2 hours. I remember very little during this time aside from violently shaking. I was given medicine to stop this, and then I drifted in and out of sleep.

Isla was born at 6:50pm and I finally got to see her and hold her around 9pm. Holding her for the first time was almost surreal. I couldn't' believe that she was finally here, and that she was actually mine!

I'm sad I wasn't able to deliver her vaginally and hold her immediately after she was born, but I'm thankfully that she was healthy and there were no complications for either of us.

Isla was born July 28th, 2009. She weighed 8lbs 10oz and was 20 inches long. She is truly the love of my life :)

Blessed!

I intend to write Isla's birth story here, but as you can imagine, I'm lacking the time and energy to do much of anything. Isla is actually napping today, but yesterday she was up the majority of the day and night! It's hard to keep up with a hungry, fussy baby on little sleep. Despite my sleepiness, the endless poopy diapers, and the constant feedings, I love ths little one more than I could have ever imagined.

It's almost over...

Well, Isla totally missed out on that awesome deal. Her loss. Thankfully there has been progress since last week so I'm feeling slightly more optimistic. I am dilated 3cm and 50% effaced. Pretty sweet to be dilated without having any pain. That is the one bright spot in all of this waiting :) I was hooked up to an external monitoring machine to monitor Isla's heart rate and my contractions. My contractions were pretty steady (not painful), per usual, and Isla's heart rate was fine. Tomorrow we will have another ultrasound to check the amniotic fluid levels. As of now, my doctor does not have any concerns. If fluid levels are low, I may be induced earlier than Thursday.

Currently the plan is to wait and see if Isla decides to make an appearance, if not, I am supposed to head to Regions around 7:30am on Thursday. I really don't enjoy the thought of induction, especially because a c-section is more likely with pitocin and an epidural, but whatevs. It is what it is.

I will post a picture of my nearly 41 week belly tomorrow! I'll also post any ultrasound pictures if I get some. I'm excited to see Isla tomorrow, although I'd rather it be in person. Oh well...soon enough!

Dear Isla,

Your daddy and I are getting very anxious to meet you! You need to come out soon! Mommy's (once tiny) body has become massive, and is taking a beating with all of this extra weight. All I can do all day, every day, is think about you.

You don't know what you are missing out on. The outside world is much better than a gross, musty uterus. Trust me. As soon as you are born we can go for walks, and play with Torii, and read books...it is WAY better than being stuck naked, upside down, in a fluid filled sac.

I know you will come out when you are ready. But please be ready soon! I need to go back to work soon and I want to spend as much time with you as possible before that happens. Plus, I have never been a very patient person, so this is killing me. I really want to hold you, and kiss you, and see what you look like!

If you come out tonight, I will buy you one of those awesome cars that kids can drive themselves. I was never allowed one of these sweet toys, so this is a big deal. What do you think?! Can we make this work?

Love,
Mommy

5 Days!

I'm still pregnant.

Blah.

Get this baby out of me! The sooner she is out, the more time I'll be able to spend with her before I go back to work. I think I am being punished. This is what happens when you are convinced you will go early. I bet she'll come right on time, or a few days past her due date. The only good thing about her coming later is that she will be a Leo. Leo is by far the best sign. (I might be biased.)

The end. I'm going back to bed. Maybe when I wake up Isla will decide she wants to come out. Fingers crossed!