Isabel's Birth Story

Around 4:30 Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 9th) I started noticing that I was having some regular contractions. They were about 10 - 15 minutes apart and getting a little stronger than the ones I'd had up until that point. I did not work Tuesday because I was tired from being in Rolla at our doctors appointment and doing some shopping. I was dilated to 3 and 50% effaced on Tuesday. On Wednesday I was going to try to make myself go to work, but the humidity was really high and I was still tired and just couldn't force myself to go. I'm really glad now that I didn't, it was nice to be at home for the beginning stages of labor.

Now, back to the story, I had told Ross I would cook his supper and bring it to him at 7:30. Around 6 o'clock I called him and told him that I didn't want to come to his work, but I would fix him something and he could come home to eat. I told him I was starting to have more regular contractions as well. I also called Mom and Dad and Bill and Carol and Jaimee to let them all know that I thought the baby was going to be here sooner than later. I wasn't ready to go to the hospital or anything like that, but I was feeling that I was in the beginning stages of labor.

Around 6:20 I called Ross back and told him that he just needed to stay home when he came for supper. He called me back about 10 minutes later and asked if he just needed to come home now? He wanted to take a shower before we left for the hospital so I told him to come on home. The contractions were about 6 minutes apart at this point. I had already showered for the day, so I was just picking up the house and doing the dishes and feeding Alexis her supper. The contractions were getting stronger, but I just worked through them. They weren't at the point that they made me catch my breath or anything.

Ross got home and cleaned up and I did my makeup and hair and we got the rest of our stuff packed and the house all picked up and put clean sheets on the bed. I was so determined that everything would be ready for this baby, and it was! I wanted to make sure we got to the hospital before 9 when they close the main entrance. I didn't want to go in through the ER. Before we actually decided that we would be going to the hospital soon, Mom called and said they were going to go ahead and come on down. I told Bill he should call Carol and tell her to come on home from St. Louis as well. So, around 8 we left the house and took Alexis down to Bill's and said our good nights and good byes to her. We stopped in Cuba on the way up to Rolla and Ross got some food at Jack in the Box because he still hadn't had anything to eat yet. We got to the hospital just before 9.

This is me at the registration desk getting checked in. Mom was making fun of me for doing my hair and makeup like I was going to a party. I told her I was going to a party, a birthday party! Ross and I waiting for the hospital to decide if I was in true labor or not. I knew I was and they were not going to send me home without a baby!

Mom and I, she was an awesome birthing coach. When they checked me the first time I was dilated to 4 and 80% effaced at 9:30. The nurse said she would be back to check me at 11:30.

Dad and Mom. Dad said that the baby would be born at 11:54pm on the 9th, I had some progress to make if that was going to happen. Ross said he thought it would be more like 2 or 3 am. Scott said 1:30 am. He ended up being right!

I was checked again at 11:30 and I was dilated to 5 and 95% effaced. I was disappointed that I wasn't dilated anymore than that, but at least they decided to admit me and get me moved to a different room at this point. So, far my pains hadn't been to horrible yet. I did have back labor again, but it didn't seem as bad this time as it was with Alexis. I was feeling the contractions in the front as well. With Alexis I can only remember feeling everything in my back. Because most of the pain was in my back, the straps they had on me for the monitor for the baby and for contractions was bothering my back a lot. Once we got moved to our different room I spent the next little while on the birthing ball and when I would have a contraction I would stand up and bend over the side of the bed and swing my pelvis back and forth to try to get the baby to drop off my spine. During all these contractions Ross, Mom and Jaimee did all they could to keep me comfortable. They were an awesome team!!!

I've kind of forgotten the timeline at this point, but I know the next time she checked me I was a 7. My contractions were getting more intense and I kind of felt like I was losing control a little bit, but they all told me I was great. The nurses said that they wished I could be on video for all the other moms to see what a labor patient in control looked like. That made me feel pretty good about myself. I was starting to get pretty tired so I got into the bed for a little while to try to lay down and rest between contractions. They kind of needed to monitor the baby a little bit more and me being up and down on the birthing ball was making that hard. So, I stayed in the bed on my side for a little bit and had several contractions like that.

The next time she checked me I was a 9 or 9 1/2 she said, so they paged the doctor. I didn't get lucky enough to deliver when Dr. Cunningham was on call, but Dr. Debbie McCaul was and she did just fine delivering Isabel. When she arrived I wasn't quite to 10 yet, so we had to wait a bit. They asked me if I wanted my water broken a little bit earlier and I said I didn't really care, but they decided to wait since it makes your contractions stronger. I was starting to feel the urge to push, but it wasn't quite time yet. I was getting very uncomfortable and could feel my control slipping away with each pain. Mom's prayers and Ross and Jaimee hands comforted me and got me through those last few minutes of pain.

They broke my water and then after a few more pains it was time to push. I will say I was in more control this time around than the first. I started pushing and it helped to be able to, but the pain was also pretty intense. I didn't give my strongest pushes the first time or two, but I knew the end was near and got a little bit more focused then. I'm not sure how long time wise I pushed, but it couldn't have been more that 10 - 15 minutes. After about 3-4 pushes the head was out and then one more big one and the shoulders were out and then my I felt my little girl just come sliding out the rest of the way at 1:23 am (Scott was right!) on September 10th. Ross was the one to look and announce the sex to the room and he got to cut the cord this time too! We were both so proud and happy to have another beautiful, healthy baby girl!

Here is proud Daddy:

Isabel Ann weighed in at 8 lbs. 1.3 ounces and she is 20 1/2 inches long.

Aunt Jaimee got to assist with Isabel's first bath.

Our pretty little dark haired baby girl after her bath.

Grandma Cindy with Isabel

Aunt Jaimee with Isabel.

Daddy and Alexis that morning right before Alexis came back to meet her new baby sister!

Our first family of four photo.

Alexis meeting Isabel for the first time. When Alexis first came into the room, Isabel was in the bassinet. Mom and Dad and Bill and Carol all got there together with Alexis and shortly after they arrived, Grandpa Charlie and Grandma Louise also came in. So there were a lot of people fussing about Isabel and Alexis too, but at one point Alexis kept pointing at the bassinet saying, "Baby back in there". But other than that, she didn't seem to be jealous at all. She was very loving and tender with Isabel and still is at home too.

First kisses.

Papa Alan, Alexis and Isabel. Dad was there for the whole delivery and everything but he kind of stayed back in the shadows. Somehow with all the commotion we didn't get a picture of just him and Isabel after she was first born.

Our sweet Isabel