Isabelle Alexis, 3/1/06 at 11:36pm Options

[Cassie]

It's unreal that this whole ordeal is finally over! So many weeks of trying to hold her in, and then she just wouldn't come! As I'm sure everyone remembers, I've been suffering from contractions since about 20 weeks, though they didn't start to change my cervix until 30 weeks. Then I pPROM'd at 32 weeks which landed me in the hospital for a few days until I resealed and was sent home. Everyone thought she'd come by 34 weeks, and they insisted I'd never make full term. But 37 weeks came and went, and even though my contractions were regular, frequent, and intense, I was still that same 1cm I was two months earlier. Then came the jokes about me going overdue and I surely didn't want that!

Okay, so that's the quick version of the weeks leading to my labor, for anyone who wasn't already aware. Now we get to the real thing!

Monday, February 27th: This is the day my dh predicted she'd be born, and due to family history and the new moon coming, it seemed a good guess. I didn't feel very laborish that morning, but at noon I felt a gush (and dh saw the gush), and we thought for sure my water had broken. So I went on in, as I had a NST to do anyways. Contractions began on the ride over, and I was soaking everything the whole way! Long story short, it wasn't amniotic fluid...but her heartrate was in the 180's and I was having contractions so they wanted to monitor me for a while. Eventually her heartrate went back to normal which was good news, but the other good news was that my contractions became 2 minutes apart and painful. In an hour's time I went from 1cm to 3cm, so I called my dh in. Unfortunately I jinxed myself, because even though the contractions continued that way for much of the evening, I stopped dilating and was sent home where things eventually died off. I was devastated.

Tuesday, February 28th: I went in for my 37 week appointment, hoping the doctor would strip my membranes. She did, after discovering that in the night I had made my way to 4cm. She was very sure that I would go in the next 48 hours, but considering how painless the procedure was, I didn't have my hopes up. I felt crampy most of the day, and had contractions here and there, but nothing really amounted to anything. I was getting upset that it had failed, but held it together, knowing it could take a day or two to happen. My parents decided to keep the kids that night, just in case. I went to bed feeling absolutely miserable. My mind going a mile a minute, and my body aching considerably. I just knew that nothing was going to happen, but was trying to find a reason, any reason, to go into L&D the following day to see if I had dilated further. For some reason, I just really had to know if the membrane sweep had done anything to effect me!

Wednesday, March 1st: Absolutely nothing was happening, except some cramping and soreness. Decided to call my OB's office to get further instructions. They told me that since I was in pain I should go into L&D to be checked. I certainly wasn't going to argue with that! I arrived and a bunch of nurses who've come to know me so well came up to me saying they thought it was time, especially since they'd heard about what my doctor had done the day before. And of all of them, the evil one is the one I got stuck with in triage! She didn't seem amused with me coming in for no real reason. Worse yet, I got the worst house doctor of them all. He checked me and said I was still 4cm. My heart ached at that moment, because I was really hoping for some sort of progress. He was about to tell me to go home, but for some reason I asked to speak to my doctor, who was on call and present at the hospital that day. I don't know what posessed me to ask for her, but something told me I had to talk to her. She was apparently in a rather difficult surgery at the time, so I was in for a wait. I was somewhat fearful because she wouldn't be in a good mood when she came to speak with me, and I still wasn't sure what it was I wanted to discuss! During my hour and a half wait for her my contractions started again, very irregular but close together. I burst into tears. I have had this fear for a while now, that my body didn't know how to go into labor -- and this is what was going through my mind at that moment. So many times my contractions start and get regular and hurt me so much, and every time it stops. I was so exhausted at that moment, so I cried. At long last my doctor arrived, in rather good spirits to my surprise. She wanted to check me, and I was 5cm. She shook her head and said the only reason I wasn't going into labor was because the baby wouldn't come down. What happened next, I did not expect. She turned around to the evil nurse and said that she'd like to break my water but the baby was still too high, so she wanted me to be admitted and have Pitocin started. Then she looked at me with a big smile and winked. I knew she was offering me an unnecessary induction out of sympathy, and I know I could've refused it...but my fears that labor would never start without it consumed me, so I went with it. (Go ahead and call me the Queen of Hypocracy!) So I was admitted at 5pm.

Lucky me, the nurse assigned to me was the same one that took care of me with my son! I was so happy about that, even though she was leaving two hours later. I got all situated on the bed with the monitors and she put in an IV. A bunch of other nurses came in and were getting the room all set up for delivery. I was overwhelmed with everyone running around -- it was like they thought I'd be pushing in a matter of minutes! Things settled down and my dh got there. I finally was able to look at the monitor and see I was having contractions 3 minutes apart. Around 6 my doctor came in to check me and I was 6cm. She positioned me in such a way that it was safe for her to break my water, broke it, then headed out, hoping we could avoid the Pitocin. They started asking if I wanted any pain meds, and I told them I was hoping to avoid the epidural but was open to getting Nubain. They all started pushing the epidural on me -- I was physically and emotionally exhausted and they insisted the pain would be far too much for me. But the fear of still being allergic to it like I was with my son was far too great, so around 7 they gave me Nubain. My contractions were picking up very nicely, and pretty soon the Nubain wasn't doing much and my exhaustion was getting to me. And then at 8 they checked me and I was still 6cm so they were starting Pitocin, and that's when I knew I was going to need the epidural, so I requested it. I got it around 8:30 and thankfully I wasn't allergic this time...and even better yet, it worked almost as well as it did with my daughter! I was immediately relaxed, and dozed for a while.

A little before 10 the nurse came in to check me, and I was 7cm, and the baby was still high. Then she started doing something around the room for a while, and kept turning around to ask if I was feeling any pressure. I kept saying no, no, no. I couldn't figure out why she kept asking me that...after all, she just checked me and I was 7. She kept on asking, and I kept saying no. A little after 10 she checked me again and I was fully dilated! I completely forgot how fast that last stage of labor can be! So she started having me push, and it was a lot harder than I remember it being. Both Jas and Nick were pushed out in less than 10 minutes, so I started thinking I was doing something wrong this time because she just wouldn't come down. After about an hour and having made no progress, she had me turn to my side to try pushing that way. That was the ticket! About 15 minutes of that and she was crowning. By now the epidural wasn't doing much and the pressure was consuming me. They kept telling me not to push, they had to get the doctor in there. It seemed to take forever for them to get set up, but finally I was given the go-ahead to push. One push and out came her head -- and they realized why she wasn't coming down -- she was looking up! My little trouble maker!! One more push and out came the rest of her, screaming away! They put her up on me and I couldn't do anything but cry tears of joy, looking at that full head of hair that caused me oh-so-much heartburn all these months!

They took her over to the warmer to do all their duties on her while I lay there for another 25 minutes trying to deliver a placenta that was just as difficult as she was! I was so worn out by the time I was done pushing. And I had the worst case of the shakes through all of it which made it so much worse. But I was so happy. My dh told me he'd never seen me like that before -- he'd never seen me so genuinely happy. And I can't say I've ever felt like that before. Instant love!

Isabelle Alexis arrived at 11:36pm on March 1, 2006. I was 37 weeks and 5 days. She weighed 7 pounds 2.4 ounces and measured 20 inches. Apgars were 8/9. She's absolutely perfect!

(IMG:http://www.themackerfamily.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal_3-3-06%20003.jpg)

[beckswith2]

Congrats Cassie!! Glad that after all the pain and waiting that you have a beautiful little girl to adore.

[♥MichelleG♥]

That's an awesome birth story. Everything worked out well. Good job! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I'm glad it's all over for you. Lucky (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) You made it just in time for March, that's my Grandma's birthday and everyone was telling me that was my day, yeah right lol (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Congrats on your beautiful baby girl (IMG:style_emoticons/default/inlove.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) I'm happy for you.

[happy_mama2b]

what a story! lucky you its all over (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

congrats on your healthy baby girl.. she's so cute (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

[im.seeking.balan...]

Great story! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) Congrats again!

[3girls1boy]

YAY!! I am so glad your misery has enede and you had a perfect baby girl!!!

[azchela]

Oh Cassie your story totally made me cry!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cry.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cry.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cry.gif)

After all you went through during the pregnancy and the first stage of labor I am so glad everything turned out so well! You did such a great job hanging through those days of irregular and painful contractions!! I can only hope I am as brave as you!

Isabelle is gorgeous and I hope you two are getting plenty of much deserved rest!!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)

[Dani]

Congratulations, Cassie. I am so happy for you and DH. Isabelle is such a cutie pie. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) And I was happy to read you didn't get stuck with the mean nurse. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[NewMami]

I love Isabelle's hair. It's gorgeous! I'm so glad you had a happy ending to the saga of your pregnancy. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)

[cshep1020]

She is so adorable!!
Congratulations Cassie!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)

[Misvenus000]

She is absolutely adorable! Im glad your l&d wasnt so bad. It almost sounded like mine!

[chelentony]

Oh Cassie she is just precious! I am completely sobbing right now, but happy tears of course. You have gone thru so much. That little drama queen kept up her act right til the very end! I am so happy for you and for the family! How are Jas and Nick adjusting?

Congrats again and AMAZING work!!

[jellybeaninhk]

Congratulations Cassie. That is an amazing birth story. I'm so happy it's over for you after all the weeks of discomfort and now you have your little Isabelle.

[KAY MOM]

Congrats. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) After all those weeks of contractions...finally you have your baby girl. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)

[isold2003]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) Congratulations (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) I'm glad you have such a nice and understanding doctor!

[✩ Nina ✩]

WOW!! That was a great story!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) I know you waited so long for her and now she's finally here! Congratulations!

xxx

[coughburp]

I'm so glad everything came out good!! She is so precious (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) . I'm soo happy for you!!

[Guest_CBMS_*]

Popping in from Feb playgroup to lurk.

Your baby is GORGEOUS!!! Congrats!

[Ambesi]

Cassie, that is such a beautiful birth story! Your little angel is absolutely gorgeous! Congratulations!