Birth Story

Finally! Right?! I had better write this out while I still remember it!

Before Isla was born, I had been sent home from the hospital twice already. The first time we went, I thought that maybe I was in labor, and since I was so ready to have the baby out, I checked in. Weellll, I wasn't, and so home again I went. The second time, I thought that I might have been leaking amniotic fluid and wanted to check on Isla to make sure she was ok; earlier that week, at my appointment, the doctor had mentioned that I was measuring a little small and had ordered a ultrasound, so I had a right to be a tad concerned. Turned out that I wasn't leaking and the doctor on-call ordered an ultrasound since on the monitor, Isla's heartbeat wasn't going as high as she wanted during contractions. But, the ultrasound showed Isla doing well and moving just fine, so I was sent home again. Both times I was sent home, I was embarrassed and would get down just thinking that the baby wasn't coming, and was she ever coming? True, I had not reached my due date, but both of my other girls came early, so I guess I had thought that she would come early. And, she did, but just by one day. :)

The whole week before she was born, I had contractions. Never regular, and not too many painful ones, but just enough that would keep us on edge, wondering if that day were going to be the day. Thursday the 26th was full of contractions, and most of them were painful ones, but were just not regular, and since I had already shown my face at the hospital twice before with no luck, there was no way I was going to go back until I was 100% positive that I was going to be leaving with a baby in my arms. So, I waited. The contractions started getting regular in the early evening, but when we were about to get ready to go, they slowed down and became irregular. I decided that we should just head to bed, and if they became worse, surely they would wake me up and we could go. Around one o'clock, I woke up with painful contractions. I started timing them, and they were about 10 minutes apart. I timed them for about an hour, and they continued getting closer together. They were then about 8 minutes apart, so I decided I would get up and start getting ready, just in case they were the real deal. As soon as I got up, they became a lot closer together and much more comfortable. Like, lean over and breath through them, uncomfortable. But, since I was still thinking how embarrassed I would be if I were to be sent home again, I waited. And waited. I waited until about 3 am and the contractions were 3 minutes apart. I finally decided it was time to wake Ja up. I went in and told him that it was time to go. He rolled over and asked if he had time to eat a bowl of cereal. I was a bit stunned, but said sure, if he hurried. He continued to lie in bed for another 2 minutes before I said, "Seriously, GET UP!!" He usually is not like that, so chalk it up to exhaustion. He then sat and leisurely ate breakfast and read the news while I panted over the table during contractions, making sure we had everything. Seriously, not like him! I went in to get Sahara, and while I was picking her up, she woke up and asked, "are we going to the hospital?" (It's like we had done this before!) I told her, yes. And, all of a sudden, she gets wide-eyed, and yells, "Isla's really coming?!!" She was a tad excited. We got in the car, and off we went. (By the way, all of our children come in the night, which works out great since there is no traffic!) We reached the hospital around 4am. I was ushered into a triage room and waited. The nurse came in and filled out our paperwork and finally around 4:30, checked my cervix. I was a 7!! She was shocked, and I was ecstatic! That was the best news ever!! I wasn't going to be sent home again!! She told me that she would have checked me sooner had she known that I was going to be that far along. A couple more nurses rushed in to get my IV started in the triage so that I could get my epidural asap. The first nurse tried to get the IV in, but after two VERY painful attempts, she got another nurse to do it. My parents met us at the hospital to get Sahara. They hung out with us for a while and then took Sahara to their house. We got moved into a birthing room and I soon had the epidural in. I'm pretty sure that I could have done Isla's birth without it, just because the contractions weren't killing me and I was already far along, but I'm always happy that I have it when I see the contraction lines go through the roof on the monitor and can't feel anything.
After a couple hours, maybe around 7:30 or 8am, our family members came in to hang out with us. Ja's sister and brother-in-law, and my folks and brother and sister. At around 9:25am, I started feeling pressure and was pretty sure that I was going to have to push. I told Ja, and he called the nurse in. Everyone else ushered out, and the nurse checked me. Sure enough, I was fully dilated. She went to get the doctor that was on-call. (My doctor wasn't in, but I really liked the doctor that delivered Isla.) The nurse told us that the doctor might be in with someone else, and so use the call button if she was taking too long, but that she would try to hurry. I waited for a few minutes, but really had the urge to push, so I told Ja to push the button! The nurse and doctor came running in after another minute or two. By the time everything was ready and the doctor was ready, it was about 9:40. I pushed three times, and after 6 minutes, Isla came right out. The cord was wrapped around her neck, but the doctor got it off quickly, and within a couple second Isla started crying. Best.Sound.Ever. They checked her over and suctioned her mouth out. They wanted to make sure she was ok since there was meconium in the womb. But, she checked out healthy and was able to stay right on me for quite a while. Actually, I kept wondering when they were going to bathe, wash, measure and weigh her! I finally asked the nurse if we could do all that stuff asap. Ja and I guessed her weight, both of us were one ounce off. I guess 6 pounds 6 ounces. Ja guessed 6 pounds 4 ounces. She was right in the middle! 
After a little while, our family came in and was able to meet her. Sahara was so excited and was all over her. While they were still out in the waiting room, Ja texted them a photo of Isla. When they showed Sahara her picture, she started jumping up and down asking if Isla was really here and then took off for the door to come see her. She couldn't wait to hold her and was the first one to hold her. Whenever someone else held her, Sahara would be right there in their face, asking to hold her baby sister. They are going to be best friends!
While we were in the hospital, we were able to see both of the nurses that we had had during our prior deliveries. It was so special. The first nurse,(I'll just use their first initial) B, was our nurse with Sahara and then had come in right before Arrayah was born and prayed for us. She came in before Isla was born and prayed for us. We had given her a picture of our family after Arrayah had been born and she said that it was still on her fridge and she continues to pray for us. So so sweet. It was really special to have her come in and then come in after Isla was born to meet her. The other nurse, J, was our nurse the entire time we were in the hospital with Arrayah. She had lost her own sweet baby years ago, and knew exactly what we were going through. She helped me so much during that time and answered a lot of my questions, gave me advice, and had a great listening ear. As soon as she came in our room with Isla, we both started crying. It was wonderful to see her again, and this time was a much more happy time. She also came in later to meet Isla. Both of those nurses mean so much to me and I was so incredibly happy that they were both there to see Isla! 
It's amazing how different this hospital stay was than the last time. There were times when I would have flashbacks, and they would come so suddenly and without warning, that my breath would literally leave me. The first time I kissed Isla's cheek, I was swept back to when I kissed Arrayah's cheek. It felt like the exact same cheek. Her head felt like Arrayah's in my hand. As soon as I spoke, Isla stopped and stared at my eyes. Arrayah did the same thing. So many similarities. I was so afraid that I would go to kiss Isla's cheek and that it would be cold like Arrayah's was at the end. I was terrified of Isla dying in my arms. I didn't sleep the entire day, even though I was exhausted. I was just so afraid. So, I just held her and watched her continue to take breaths. I wasn't at all prepared for those feelings. And, even today, I am still taken off guard when I look at her and she sometimes looks just like Arrayah. In a way, I think it's so special that both girls look so much like her. Because of that, I know what she would have looked like at all these stages.
We ended up staying until the evening of the 28th. The nurse asked if we wanted to put Isla in the nursery for the night so that we could sleep. I told her no, thinking that we would be fine. She hadn't made much of a fuss the entire day. When I was getting her ready for bed, changed and fed, Ja asked me if we should take turns holding her while the other slept. I said that we could both sleep while she slept. The hospital rule is that the baby must sleep in the bassinet next to the bed, and can't be in the bed with you if you're asleep. So I fed her and laid her down. I laid down and as soon as I closed my eyes, Isla started screaming. Every time I picked her up, she was quiet. Every time I laid her down, she screamed. So, Ja and I did end up taking turns holding her while the other one slept. :) This little lady knows exactly what she wants!!

 Just waiting to meet our baby!

 Meeting face to face for the first time! Right after Isla was born

 She hated being weighed, measured, cleaned, etc...

 Proud Daddy!

 Sisters

The girls' Poppy, my dad, holding Sahara and Isla. This is how it was anytime anyone was holding Isla, Sahara was right there!

 Lovin' on her little Sissy!

I love my girls! I am so happy to be their mama. I just can't get enough of these sweet little ladies!