Again, another apology for not posting regularly. Since my last post, so much has happened.
In early January, I had my baby shower. I was so touched by the things people gave my baby girl...she is very loved. My hubby decided on a name for her. My daughter's name is Isla Juliette.
My last day of work was December 31/10 and by the first week of January, I was very comfortable being at home and getting last minute things for Isla. The end of my pregnancy was near and I was really looking forward to meeting my little girl.
On January 14th, I started having contractions at around 7:30 pm. By 11:00 pm, my hubby and I were at the hospital because my contractions were 5 minutes apart for about 2 1/2 hours. I was dilated 1 cm and 40% effaced. By 1:00 am on Saturday morning, my contractions were coming every minute to two minutes and they were excruciatingly painful; it seemed I couldn't even catch my breath between contractions...I'm not kidding, I thought I would faint from the pain. At 3:00 am, I was given a shot of morphine and gravol, which totally took the edge off; so, while I could still feel contractions, I didn't feel the pain and I was able to get some rest. By 9:30 am, I was 4 cm dilated and 90% effaced. My contractions were not as painful and I was able to slowly walk around. By 4:00 pm, I was admitted to the birthing suite; I was so grateful to leave the assessment suite because it was so uncomfortable (bright lights and little privacy). The birthing suite was wonderful because my hubby and I had a room all to ourselves, complete with a private bathroom.
A few hours later, my contractions started getting really painful again. I think I was given the epidural around 8:00 pm. Shortly after getting the epidural, I began to tremble uncontrollably. I was getting scared when my nurse told me this was normal with an epidural. My nurse strapped the baby monitor around my belly, covered me in lots of warm blankets, dimmed the lights and I was able to rest. All this time, my water still had not broken. The doctor checked me and said Isla was not in the right position and if my water broke now, part of the umbilical cord might come out as well; they gave me a drug form of oxytocin to help Isla move her way down.
When I was ready to push, my water still had not broken. It was still in it's sac and made it's way right at the opening of my lady parts. The doctor removed it, whole and intact...my nurse said that is something you don't see every day! When I did my first push, baby Isla had done a lot of the work herself and she was already crowning. In the middle of pushing, I felt really nauseous and projectile vomited all over my nurse...poor woman! She was so great about it and said to stop apologizing and it's the epidural that made me sick. I think I pushed for just under an hour and at some point, the doctor did an episiotomy. And at 1:52 am on January 16th, my little girl made her grand entrance into the world :) I was so emotional when they put her on my chest; I couldn't even speak and I thought I was going to burst out in tears. Weighing in at 6 pounds and 11 ounces, baby Isla is simply perfect.
And since then, life as I knew it has not been the same :) It is total chaos over here but it's so wonderful. My journey to motherhood was a long and heart-wrenching road; in the last 4 1/2 years, I can't even tell you how many tears I shed, how I raged against IF, how devastated I was each time I miscarried...and how terrified I was during my pregnancy with Isla that I was lose her. And finally, my baby is here, in all her perfection...I think my heart might just burst with love for my daughter.
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