25-10-2008 - Isabella\'s birth story

My mood while writing this blog: ECSTATIC, IN LOVE, ALL THINGS GOOD

First of all...thank you sooooooo much for all your well wishes and support ladies!! It was so nice to read all your comments and welcome wishes for Isabella!!

So my induction was no where near as bad as I thought it would be! And really, I was in labour for all of 4 1/2 hours - so I consider myself very lucky! Here is Isabella's story:

OCTOBER 14TH

8:30am - checked into the hospital to prepare for the induction

9:30am - pill inserted to begin the opening of my cervix

11:30am - started feeling contractions like I was having a bad period but I was able to breathe through them without any problems

12:30pm - a midwife came to check my status - I was only 1 cm (same as when I checked into the hospital) dilated however, she broke my water as she was checking me - luckily my doctor was in the parking lot parking her car!

1:30pm - my doctor checked me again - still only 1 cm dilated so they inserted another pill to move the show along

2:30pm - I am 2 cm now

3:30pm - my doctor is concerned as I am still only 2 cm - then the panic started and I've never been more scared in my life - Isabella's heart rate dropped from 150 to 60 and we couldn't get it back up - she was not reacting well to the contractions which were quite often and quite intense however I was still ok with the pain - my doctor had me on oxygen to get some into me and Isabella - I will never forget the sound of the heart monitor for Isabella - I was trying so hard to stay calm - my doctor ordered an epidural for me hoping it would help - if it doesn't - we are going for a c-section immediately as Isabella is in danger

4:00pm - Isabella has been steady since the epidural went in - thankfully - but I am still only 3 cm dilated

4:15pm - we called my doctor in as my contractions were one on top of the other and I could feel them through the epidural - Isabella's heart rate dropped again below 60 this time - I am still only 3 cm - my doctor is off to see if there is a room available to do a c-section as Isabella is in distress

4:30pm - intense contractions - cannot catch a breath - epidural not working - Isabella's heart very low - amazingly - in 15 minutes I went from 3 cm to 9 cm!! I am ready to deliver my baby!! I am crying at this point knowing I will finally meet her but I am still so scared for her. My doctor could not believe it but is encouraged that we are doing this naturally. Nurses are running around prepping the room, getting me in stirrups, telling me to listen to them when they say push and the intensity I should be pushing - my husband has been with me through the whole thing and he is excited, scared and concerned - I looked at him and said "this is it honey - we are meeting Isabella finally" - he is crying!

5:00 pm - I am ready to push - one nurse is on the right of me pushing down on my tummy as Isabella hasn't dropped into the birthing canal but we are ready to go! Six big pushes later and....

5:05pm - Isabella Katerina Kateris arrives - 3.4 kg - 50 cm - screaming! And as you saw - with a full head of black hair!! Mom and dad are both crying - holding hands - holding Isabella - deliriously happy that she is here with 10 fingers, 10 toes, and a great set of lungs!!!

She is so precious to us. We are so in love with her and I don't care that I am nursing pretty much 24 hours a day or that I don't sleep much - I love her more than life itself!