She's finally arrived!
August 16th, 6:53pm, 8 pounds 6 ounces, 21 and 1/2 inches long- a little girl entered this world and her name was Isabelle Alexa Holland!
I started out on Monday the 15th of August going to the doctor. Still no progress- only 1cm. But this appointment was different than the other, there was less fluid, she wasn't moving as much and so they decided to send me on to the hospital.
I went home, cleaned the house a little, finished packing my bag with last minute things, took a shower and had my mom and sister take me to the hospital as Jimmy was working to leave his store and make sure it was covered.
The options were pitocin, some other drug or a Cook's Catheter. The Catheter was the closest thing to natural so that's what I went with. The midwife made it seem like it would be 12 hours before anything would happen. Almost immediately I started having contractions, then I got sick and was throwing up and the catheter came out which meant I was 4cm. I thought- this is GREAT- I'm moving along faster than they thought and while it hurts I can totally do this! My water broke and everything seemed to be moving along. That's what I thought at least. The pain got worse but the more painful/stressful part was the throwing up with the contractions. I was having a contraction every 2-3 minutes and getting sick with almost every one. I was so tired and after 14 hours I threw in the towel and asked for the epidural.
The nice thing with the epidural was that I got to sleep. I needed to sleep and looking back I know that was good b/c I still had another 13 hours to go! I was 5cm around 2pm and they were suggesting a C-section because I wasn't progressing. I asked for one more hour. They left the room and I just closed my eyes imagining a hole opening and I kept repeating "Come on Isabelle we can do this" When they returned in an hour I was 8cm! The midwife was so impressed she said she'd give me another hour to move along and I repeated the same thing. When she returned I was 10cm! It was time to PUSH!
So this again I thought "OKAY HERE WE GO - SHE'LL BE HERE ANY MINUTE!"
Wrong Again Melanie!
I pushed and pushed - every 2-3 minutes as hard as I could and while she was moving she just wasn't coming out. Her head was tilted and she just wasn't budging. They were getting nervous and it looked like after all I'd done, all I'd been through I was going to have to have a C-Section. Lucky for me the doctor that arrived was old-school trained and was known for being an expert with forceps. The midwife was talking to me calmly, almost trying to talk me into the idea of using forceps- I didn't even let her finish- I just looked at her and said "Do it- just get her out of me!"
He arrived, he pulled- I pushed and in moments Isabelle was out! They took her over to the table to clean her lungs and do other things and I was stuck on the table.
My job wasn't done yet but I couldn't stop looking over at her. I started crying- she was here. The person I had wished for on stars, prayed for on bended knee, dreamed about- she was here but I couldn't even touch her. When they finally brought her over I couldn't believe she was mine. And here is when I discovered true love. Don't get me wrong - I love my husband, I love my family and friends but here I was meeting someone for the first time and I was head over heels in love with her. She's my lil munchkin and I can't get enough of her.
Jimmy is such a good dad too- she totally has him wrapped around her little finger. The man that used to blaze out of the house in the morning now takes a little longer to leave as he hold his little girl and kisses her over and over again goodbye. And when he gets home from work he goes right to her.
I'm trying to get her on a schedule but the poor guy just wants to spend time with her and so I've let him snuggle with her after her first evening feeding. They usually end up sleeping together.
I've had some complications but slowly I'm getting better. Can't wait to feel "normal" again!
She's regained her birth weight and some- weighing in today at 8lbs 12 ounces.
I'm tired, I'm in pain still and I'm emotional but I'm also in love. I know what true love is now- because I nothing takes away from how much I love this girl. Instead it seems that each day, each hour, each minute- I love her more than I did before.
I love you Isabelle, with all that I am. I can't wait for all of our adventures to come!
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