Isaac's Birth Story

It's taken a few days to get these pictures posted! The first week at home was really busy with a new baby and family in town, and now that Jacob is off work this second week at home, we're just enjoying each other and our new baby! Isaac is doing great! The breastfeeding is getting easier by the day, so we are very thankful for that. He's a very content and happy baby, which is an answered prayer since we prayed for a healthy & happy baby!

July 12, 2008

I woke up at 2:30 a.m. to what I thought was my water breaking, but I was very uncertain because it wasn't the "gush" you see in the movies! We pulled out the laptop in bed and tried to read about what it could be. We tried to go back to sleep but were anxious and still unsure, so we called the doctor at 4 a.m. He said it sounded "suspiscious" and could be my water breaking, so we might as well "mosey on to the hospital." We finished packing our bags and took showers, then I went upstairs to tell my mom that we were leaving. When I got to the room, she sat up in bed as I said, "Mom, we're going to the hospital." She said, "Why?!" ...not quite the response I expected since we'd been sitting around for 4 days since her arrival just waiting on this baby to come!!

We got to the hospital at 5am, and they started pitosin at 7am since my water was in fact broken, but I still wasn't having any contractions. It was very relaxed the first few hours we were there; we even went back to sleep for a while. I was so excited that this day had finally arrived, I couldn't stop smiling, which led my two nurses to feel the need to up the pitosin each time they entered the room. I heard from each of them that they had to "wipe that smile off my face."

Jacob wore his France t-shirt to motivate me during labor!

Sara was the first to arrive at the hospital, and she got to come in the Labor & Delivery room to visit for a while. I think I was at a 3 about this time. It started getting more and more painful just a few minutes after she left.

The next time the nurse came in, I asked her to check me (I made a point NOT to smile!), and she said I was at a 4 and she'd call the anesthesiologist for the epidural. She told me that I had to have another bag and a half of fluids before I could get the epidural, so she started that. This was a little after 11 am. When the anesthesiologist arrived, Jacob had to leave the room, so he asked the nurse how long we could expect before the birth. She told us it usually takes about an hour per cm after the epidural, so we figured we had several hours to go. Jacob called my mom and told her that she and Christian could come up to the hospital sometime after lunch.

The pain continued to intensify as the anesthesiologist instructed me to sit on the edge of the bed, arch my back, and be very, very still. It was about 11:30 am. All I kept thinking was, "If this is a 4, I could NEVER have a natural childbirth!" Little did I know, I was in transition and was probably already at about an 8. When the epidural was in and I was still in terrible pain, the nurse said, "We better check her again," and when she did, she said, "Yep, you're 10 +1, so it's time to push." (10 is fully dilated, and +1 is the position of the baby's head in the birth canal. +2 is immediately before the head comes out.)

The nurse said, "We need to call your husband in the waiting room and get him in here." I could not believe it because Jacob hadn't even been out of the room 15 minutes! Jacob had to call Mom to tell her to rush to the hospital because it was already time for the delivery!

Jacob told me later that he asked one of the nurses in the hallway if the epidural was going to have time to work, and she said, "Probably not." Thankfully though, it did start working before the delivery. When my doctor arrived and asked if I was ready to have the baby, I started crying and said, "My mom isn't here yet - she's on her way!" She said, "I can wait if you can!" so she left. When mom arrived, the doctor came back in, and Isaac arrived 10 minutes and 3 contractions later!

Isaac was born at 12:19 pm --

this picture was taken immediately after he was born.

Here's the nurse putting Isaac's footprints on our CD of Brahm's Lullaby. Each time a baby is born, Brahm's Lullaby plays through the whole hospital. I remember the nurse telling me, "Ok, we're going to play your lullaby now." Our family in the waiting room heard it playing and knew that Isaac had arrived!

more footprints

We had our baby book with us to get Isaac's footprints in it.

Daddy puts the first diaper on Isaac

Isaac weighed 7 lbs 6.5 oz, which was rounded up to 7lbs 7 oz.
Daddy holds Isaac for the first time.

Mommy holds Isaac

Holding Isaac just minutes after his birth.

After Isaac nursed, Jacob went to get Christian to be the first to come in from the waiting room to meet the baby.

The family in the waiting room

going back to the Labor & Delivery room to meet Isaac

Here we are with Mom and the flowers from my mom & dad. My mom received flowers in this container when I was born, and she had the florist make an arrangement of daisies with blue accents in it for me!

Isaac & Mimi -- doesn't she look so proud & happy?!

Isaac meets Zanna.

Isaac Jack & Papa Jack

Uncle Josh, Aunt Kristie, and cousin Phoenix

Aunt Sara

Isaac & Mary

What an amazing day!

We have lots more pictures to post...

can't make any promises on when they'll be up, but keep checking!