Isaac's Birth Story

Time to get this one out there, before I forget.  :)  So my OB thinks I am one of those women who doesn't go into labor on her own.  Luke showed no signs of coming, neither did Emma, so I was induced with both of them.  Also,  my mom carried my sister 3 weeks over and me almost 4 weeks passed her due date.  So, due to the many complications that can occur if baby comes too far passed the due date, I was induced again.

At my 39 week appointment there were NO signs Isaac was ready to come.  No dilation, no thinning out... nothing.  This was a stubborn Johns' boy already.   So I was scheduled for an induction the following Tuesday morning, the day before my due date.  Dr. Steele said she would let me go up to a week passed my due date, but she felt like the baby was already a pretty good size and I was ready. 



That is a picture of me with the kiddos before we left for the hospital.

We arrived at the hospital at around 12:15AM.  After checking in and the like... they tried some natural methods to get labor started, but that was not doing much.  Then I was given some prostogladins around 2AM.  I felt like this was really working and I was hoping I would NOT need pitocin this time.  When the nurse came and checked me around 6AM... I was just sure she was going to tell me I was at least 4-5cms.  I had been feeling some pretty good contractions... nothing terribly painful.  My body had done this before, so I was just sure this baby would come quickly.

The nurse told me I had thinned out and was at about a 1 or 2... and Dr. Steele would be here to check on me and then we would start the pitocin.  sigh.  really?!?!  At this moment I KNEW for sure this baby was a boy.

So we started the pitocin around 8AM.  Emma was born very quickly after the pitocin started, so figured we'd have a baby soon.  Dr. Steele came back and checked me again around 10AM... still just 2-3 cms.  So... she broke my water... so painful.  I had my water broken with the other two... but I also had the epidural with them.   She felt very confident this baby would be here fast now.  12 PM... 4-5 cms... still moving slowly.  DEFINITELY a BOY!  Somewhere about 3-4PM... I starting feeling LOTS of pressure like I needed to push... I told the nurse and she checked me and I was only at a 6.  She looked a bit concerned.  She told me to lay on my side. So I did.  She came back in and checked again.  still 6.  double sigh.  WHAT IS GOING ON?!?   I flipped to the other side.  checked again... still 6.  At this point she said the baby was trying to come, but was face up.   which makes it very hard for the mom.  The back of the head should come first, not the face. She suggested I get up on all fours and rock back and forth.  I did this for 30 minutes y'all.  30 minutes.  I remember rocking back and forth and praying... praying hard this baby would flip.

During my rocking back and forth on all fours,  there was a knock on the door, it was a high school friend who is a nurse and she was coming to check on me.  I'm in a hospital gown on all fours rocking back  and forth... kind of not my finest moment... but she was nice.

When the nurse came back and checked on me I could tell she was worried.  She told me that the baby had turned and I was 10cm.  She was going to call Dr. Steele. The rocking on all fours had done the trick.

At this point the pressure was SO intense.  I kept telling the nurse I was feeling LOTS of pressure.  I swear I think Isaac was about to fall out. 

It seemed like it took Dr. Steele an eternity to get there... though it probably was only about 20 minutes... I really have no idea how long it took.  She got everything ready and I started to push...

3 Pushes... the baby is here!!  "It's a BOY!"  Andy yelled.  :)   5:58 PM.  June 12th.  8 pounds 11 oz. 21 inches. Almost 18 hours after our arrival at the hospital.  He was absolutely perfect.

At SJE, they do what is called "kangaroo care" after the baby is first born.  The baby is put on the mother's chest for the first hour after birth.  That was an amazing hour of time with him.  He hardly even cried.  Such great bonding time.  While laying on my chest the nurses cleaned him up, then everyone left.  It was just me, Andy, and sweet Isaac.  He nursed just moments after he was born... like a little champ.


 Donna, my mom and the kids were out in the waiting room.  Andy went and told them, "It's a boy!"  He loved being able to say that to them. Then they all came back to see him.  The kids absolutely loved their little brother.   So many special moments I will never forget.

You really could not wipe the smiles off those little faces.  They loved their little brother.  Emma kept wanting to touch him and she showed him an outfit that she and Granny had picked out for him.  so many special memories. We are now a family of 5 and couldn't be more happy!