The Story of Your Birth

The story of the Day Isabella Johanna was born

May 8th, 2009

My pregnancy with you was so different than it was with Jessica. Starting with morning sickness, to not being as tired, to getting WAY bigger but gaining less weight, to being SO over it so much sooner- it was a total different ride. I knew that you would be a different person for sure. Labor was also so incredibly different. This is the story of the day you were born- May 8 2009. Your due date (I’ve heard only 4 – 8 % actually come on their due dates- look at you being on time!). I had been measuring almost two weeks big almost the entire pregnancy, so I thought for sure you were going to come early. I was starting to dilate at 37 weeks! At 39 weeks I was 4 centimeters dilated, 80% effaced, and your head was at –1 station. My midwife stripped my membranes at my appointment and I thought for sure that you would be born soon after! I actually started to have contractions, regular contractions, that night. I got everything ready, but they never got stronger. I was very disappointed when I went to bed and woke up the next morning with no more contractions. That last week was one of the worst of my life! I had contractions on and off all week, I was achy, uncomfortable, hot and HUGE- not to mention still running Shuckleberries and chasing after your two year old sister Jessica! Thank God Nana and Papa were there to help out. When I went to my 40 week appointment, I was hoping I was at least at 5 centimeters or something! I was very disappointed to hear that I was only a bit more effaced. I ended up bursting into tears at my appointment when my midwife brought up inducing me in a week. She swept my membranes again, but I left the appointment feeling deflated and thinking you were never going to come. I took the rest of the day off and hid in my room- and that night Daddy and I decided that I would close the preschool the next week so I could rest these last few days. I went to sleep finally letting go of “when were you going to come??” to knowing that you were going to come when you were good and ready………
I woke up at 5:45 am (for the 3rd time that night, I’m sure) to go to the bathroom, and then as I was walking back to bed I realized my shorts were soaked. I was scared that I had started to bleed- so I went back and turned on the lights. Realized- my WATER BROKE!!!!!!!
I woke up your daddy, and called doula Becky. She had thought my water was going to break since it was a full moon that night. She was right! I called the doctor and he said “Sounds like you’ll be having a baby today!” I hadn’t started contractions yet, so he told me to come when they got stronger. I was relieved, I was worried that they would want me to come in and they would give me pitocin to speed it up.
I watched my tivo-ed Greys’ Anatomy and ate some breakfast while I waited for labor to begin. Jessica woke up and I told her that I was going to be going to the hospital to have the baby! I was surprised at how well she accepted it. She gave me a hug and said “I love you mommy” and skipped downstairs with Nana to have breakfast. Turns out she had her best day at Shuckleberries ever according to my assistants- guess Mommy should go and have babies more often ;)
Contractions finally started around 7:30- Doula Becky arrived a little later, and Daddy, her and I sat around and got some last minute things together and just chatted. By 12:30 my contractions were coming every 3 minutes for over an hour- the thing was, they weren’t’ very intense. I could still have a totally normal conversation in between them. Becky and Daddy thought it was about time to go the hospital, but I was feeling so normal I was scared it was too early. Becky said that I should get to where I was going to birth because when hard labor kicked in it was going to be fast- and they wanted to get some antibiotics in me because of Strep B. So off we went to the hospital! The ride was so much easier than with Jessica. I walked up to the 4th floor at the hospital and had conversations with all the nurses as I checked in. Occasionally I had to breath through my contractions, but was still feeling pretty normal. I was still at 4 centimeters, 90% effaced and –1 station. Once we were done with the nurses, they had gotten my antibiotic IV in (which HURT!!!!!!), and we were left alone to labor- Becky gave us a few exercises to speed up labor. We did “lifts” then tried squats. After my second squat I stood up, felt a POP and a gush of more water and the most intense contraction I almost fell over because I wasn’t expecting it! That was at 3, and hard labor had begun. I asked to get into the shower shortly after. As I was getting ready I could feel the pressure of your head- I had the nurse check me out and I was still on 6 centimeters so I was told not to push. Even though I didn’t have the urge yet, I knew that I would be pushing soon! I got into the shower, sat on the birthing ball and went through transition in the shower. I was in about 15 – 20 minutes and apparently was done being in the shower- it was time to push! And I was right, I was fully dilated! (Went from 6 – 10 centimeters in less than 20 minutes!) I got back on the bed on my hands and knees (the same position I started pushing in with Jessica). This time the pushing contractions were much easier and I knew how to push. I actually looked forward to pushing and could tell I was doing it correctly. I pushed for about 45 minutes- and at one point I did think “Um, Don’t know that I want to do this again” but I never complained once. I knew that you were close! During the pushing phase a midwife offered her services instead of the doctor on call, and she did an amazing job! I never felt pressure to push a certain way or to count to 10 or anything. She encouraged me to turn onto my side (which I also did with Jessica). Turning over was incredibly uncomfortable, but once I was on my side I only pushed two more times, and you came out perfectly!!!! Daddy called it out “It’s a GIRL!!!!!” and I laughed that everyone was wrong- and pulled you up into my arms. I actually had to push out my placenta- turns out it was huge!!!! Probably 5 pounds- everyone was commenting on how big it was. I tore a little bit, a first degree on my scar. Impressive since you were so big! Your birth was just perfect- 9 pounds 13 ounces, 20 inches long (14 cm head!)- Isabella Johanna. So happy to finally have you here!



You can read Jessica's Birthday story here