Isabella's Story

My due date came and went. Ten days later my doctor decided my daughter simply did not want to come out and induced me. They tried first on Friday 18th all day, and I did not dilate past 1 cm., so we went back the following Monday morning.

I was at 2 cm. when I arrived so they broke my water and started the Pitocin. At first I dealt with the pain okay, I was in the tub which helped for a little while. I received a small dose of a shot which also helped, then the effect wore off and the pain just kept coming on and I had no break. I got out of the tub and they checked me. I was at 4 cm.

The doctor came in and said that my contractions were camelling, which means that I was getting no break (no kidding, I'd discovered that one out for myself!), so I decided to get the epidural. That took the pain away, yet I hated the way it made me not feel my legs. But my daughter was so far down and engaged that the back pressure had become intolerable.

One hour later I was at 10 cm. They turned the epidural off and I started to push, and push and push. After two hours I was very tired, the baby's heart rate kept dropping and they had me on oxygen. I begged the doctor to do something to help me, but she kept saying that I was doing it and a few more pushes and she would be here. We could see that her head was partially out, but it wasn't enough. So then I got mad, and every time I pushed she would move some more. Finally I kept pushing and pushing, well past the contraction and out came her head, then the rest of her body rushed right out. They put her on my chest and she just stared at me. I was so shocked!

My husband was very excited and just kept saying, "You did it!"

We cried and she did not, she just kept looking right at me. She knew I was her Mom and I think she was happy to be out. My husband cut her cord; they wrapped her up and gave her back to me. She was such a good baby. Everything was great. Her Apgar scores were eight and nine. She was perfect. We named her Isabella.

Isabella is the best thing that has ever happened to me. She is now four months old and every day she does something new to make me fall in love with her more and more. Her birth was the best feeling I have ever felt. I would go through it all again in an instant.