Birthday Eve ~ Isla's birth story
WARNING (sort of) - I should say that this post may not appeal to everyone. I'm not being graphic or trying to scare anyone, it just may not interest some or you may be expecting a baby and don't want to read about it just yet. That's OK but you've been warned.
The reason I want to post it is for Isla and for me. It's a part of her life and mine and I want to remember it.
So if you don't want to read it, stop right here....
Just remember, there is a happy ending. We had Isla.
If you want to read it, continue reading....
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June 2007 - I discovered I was pregnant the day before Father's Day and as much as I wanted to tell Colin the next day, I can't keep a surprise so I went out and bought him a Father's Day from the cats - HA! - and Baby Black.... He didn't get it right away but he caught on pretty quick!
So, I would love to say I went into labour at 5 p.m. she was born at 8 p.m. and it was a day in the park but it wasn't anything like that. In fact you have to go back six weeks before she was born.
January 9, 2008 - I remember that day well because Lil M (a week late) was born two days earlier and Karen's due date was seven weeks before mine. I had a consultants appointment - that's what they call the OB in N. Ireland. The appointment started out the same as the rest but when they took my BP it was elevated. The nurse didn't seem to bothered by it so I casually mentioned it to Colin thinking that it wasn't a big deal. Well, I was wrong. It was 150/115 (no wonder I was swollen EVERYWHERE) and the OB was ready to admit me to the hospital for observation. That's when I had a hormonal breakdown because I couldn't have a baby the same week as Karen when she was seven weeks before me. As it went, the senior OB decided I would be more relaxed at home and the midwife would stop by daily to check me out. I should say that I am fairly certain that this would not have happened in Canada - I am sure she would've delivered THAT day.
I went to work that day and started my maternity leave early by finishing work two days later. (STUPID, I should've stopped that day but...) I put a indentation in the sofa for the next six weeks and the midwives became my new best friends. I saw more of them than I did Colin who was doing a fair of travelling around Ireland at the time. The midwives were awesome - two Anns and Sarah. It was Sarah who came to take my BP on Valentines Day. It was high again at about 105/90 so she called the hospital to see what the docs wanted to do with me and sure enough they wanted me to come in to be checked out.
Lucky us or should I say God planned for Colin to be working close to home and finish earlier than normal at about 3:30. I called him, told him what was up and packed an overnight bag because I wasn't due for another week. I had no intention of staying the night even though he said we would come home as a family of three.
I didn't stay the night. I stayed a week!
They admitted me on Valentines Day for observation with no real plans what to do. I had another hormonal breakdown and the midwife assigned to me didn't quite know what to do with me so she just patted my knee and said Colin could stay long a bit longer than regular visiting hours.
I wasn't allowed outside the hospital. I was bored silly to say the least and for all those who have spent at least one night in the maternity ward with six women and babies in one room, it was noisy where sleep did not come easy. By this time I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and I wasn't aware how serious the condition was until I asked the doctor if I could go with Colin to Starbucks 10 minutes away. She told me I could seize any minute and I'd be lucky to make a lap around the parking lot. It sunk in then.
That was Saturday, February 16. The docs FINALLY came by to tell me they would induce me on Sunday night since my BP was consistently sky high. However later that night the doc stopped by to take my BP again before she left for the day (it was about 9 p.m. and Colin was long gone home) and it was high which wasn't a big surprise. She asked the midwives to induce me that night if they had time.
WHAT?
I didn't have a hormonal breakdown but I got real scared! I called Colin to tell him what was going on but to stay home as it was early on and they didn't even know if it would work the first time.
It did. I noticed something about 15 minutes after they started the meds.
The midwives were "experienced", to be nice, and they told me I couldn't possibly feel anything that early on. Whatever, I know what I was feeling so they hooked me up to a monitor for a bit to keep an eye on her. She was OK. I pretty much tossed and turned all night but I wasn't in pain, just uncomfortable and was having hot flashes.
At 6 a.m. they monitored me again and saw that the contractions were coming frequently but Isla's heartrate was dropping with each one and not coming back up as it should afterwards. Since I was on the maternity ward they sent me over to Labour and Delivery. I called Colin to fill in him and to hurry up! He arrived just after 7 a.m., an hour after I called him but it seemed like forever.
Isla was still in distress. They broke my waters which just made labour speed up and became that more intense. They did some test to draw blood for her head - THREE TIMES - to figure out why she was still in distress but nothing worked. That was NOT nice.... The cord wasn't wrapped either...
By this time, I'm in pain. I'm not Wonderwoman and wanted an epidural since the contractions were so intense, she was coming fast and they were doing all sorts of funky things to both me and Isla. They told me they couldn't find the anesthesiologist.. WHAT? Apparently on Sunday mornings anesthesiologists are scarce.
I think that was about 8:30 a.m. FINALLY about 10 a.m. enough was enough. Isla wasn't doing well. My BP was hitting the ceiling and the only remedy is delivery. So that's what they did.
The anathesiologist was finally located and came sauntering into my room in jeans and sweater. He said "Hi Heather, I'm Dr. so-and-so, how are you?". WHAT? I'm not in the mood for chit-chat thanks. Get her out NOW!
There was no time for a spinal so I was given a general anaesthesia and I drifted away. Colin was just outside the door and although he couldn't see her birth, he heard her first cry and saw them carry her away from me. (I'm tearing up as I write this). I never heard her and although I don't regret one moment of her birth, the fact that I never heard her first cry was the worst part of her birth.
As soon as she was cleaned up and checked out they gave her to Colin. He held her, talked to her and looked at her for the next hour and a half until I came around. I swear that is why she is such a daddy's girl!
As soon as I came around I held her but she was so small! I had an u/s two days earlier and she was measuring 6lbs. 8 oz. but she came out 5lbs. 4 ozs. I guess technology isn't so accurate after all.
In the end, I stayed in the hospital another four days. We came on Thursday and Isla weighed 5 lbs. even. She was so small but so perfect! Colin had to go out and buy preemie diapers and sleepers! They thought she might have to stay longer to go under the lights to alleviate the jaundice but her counts were good. My poor girl was poked every day she was there and I could see the needle pricks on the tops of her hands for a few months afterwards. Since she was so small they needed to check her blood sugar and they did it in the room next to my bed so I could hear her scream everytime. That is not what a new mom wants to hear! She was OK, I knew it was for her benefit.
Although it was the birth story that I never could have imagined and certainly did not plan, I don't regret any of it. We have a beautiful, healthy little girl and it doesn't matter how she came into this world. I'd do it again in a heartbeat to see that sweet, sweet little face!
Psalm 127:3 ESV
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.