I am grateful to have had a relatively easy pregnancy. I didn't realize I was pregnant until I was around 8 weeks along, and I had very little nausea and was just a little tired. The biggest issue we came up against was finding out at 35 weeks that our baby girl was transverse! This was our first time having a baby who didn't naturally go head down, so we thankfully got some good advice about different exercises and positions to try at home to get her to move. At my 37 week appointment, we got the good news that she had turned head down, and at 38 weeks, she was still head down. We thought we were in the clear, but on Thursday morning (a day before 39 weeks), my midwife found that she had flipped again and was head up--I was shocked! All I could think was that she couldn't be that big if she was still moving around like that this close to her due date! In order to get her to turn while we still had time, we scheduled a version (a external manual turning of the baby) for 8:30am on Friday morning. The wonderful news was that my very favorite midwife, Meg, who delivered Leah, would be on staff at the hospital all day Friday, and she really liked the doctor on staff that day as well. That made me feel a little better about a procedure I've heard can be really uncomfortable and isn't always successful. We were told that there were a few different outcomes that we might expect: if we couldn't get her to turn, we'd likely be looking at another C-section (this was my biggest fear); if we were successful in getting her to turn, we might bind my belly to try and keep her in place or we might need to induce while she was in a good position. Needless to say, I didn't sleep too well on Thursday night (not that I sleep very well in the last few months of pregnancy anyways!)
My wonderful parents drove up after work on Thursday so that they could take care of Joshua and Leah on Friday. David and I drove to UNC Friday morning and got all set up for the version. Along with our midwife and the doctor on staff, we also had a wonderful resident, Dr. McCall, who did the actual procedure with guidance from the doctor. The whole thing lasted less than 2 minutes and wasn't uncomfortable at all--which just shows why it was so easy for this little stinker to move around as much as she had! We found out later that this was Dr. McCall's first successful version (the others she had done were much more difficult) so it was nice to be her first success story! They immediately bound my belly to keep her in place and checked to see if I was already progressing toward labor--I was dilated to 3cm, was about 60% effaced, and Meg could feel the top of the baby's head when she pressed far enough. All of this led her to suggest that we go ahead and induce since the baby was positioned well and my body was already working towards labor, but she left the decision to us. As David and I talked, I told him that my biggest concern was that if we went home and waited until I went into labor on my own, the baby would have turned again and then our only choice would be a C-section--this was the very last thing I wanted, after our previous C-section experience and because after having a second one, I'd never be able to attempt a VBAC again. I was also a little nervous about being induced because I know that Pitocin can make laboring naturally (without an epidural) more difficult. As we spoke, though, David and I both felt the most peace about doing the induction, and we were highly encouraged to have Meg tell us that she had numerous women who labored naturally on Pitocin and had successful deliveries. She also told us that after being there at Leah's birth, she fully believed I could do it again this time. After praying together, David and I felt good about moving forward. We called family to update them, and my mom headed our way. We also called Ellen, our volunteer doula through UNC, so that she could come to the hospital.
I got started on Pitocin around noon and also had my first round of antibiotics due to being Group B strep positive with this pregnancy. For the first 3-4 hours, the contractions were extremely manageable and I just sat and talked with David, my mom, and Ellen. I eventually stood up and rocked quietly during the contractions, but I was still chatting in between. As the contractions got stronger, I knelt on a few pillows and leaned over a birthing ball--Ellen was great about encouraging me to breathe slowly and deeply, in and out, while she rubbed my back in time with my breathing, and David knelt next to me and encouraged me while I held his hand. Thankfully I hadn't eaten all day (I wasn't allowed to eat anything after midnight because of the version) because just like with Leah's labor, I got nauseous and got sick--all I had to lose was water, so it was much more manageable (though certainly not enjoyable!). My water broke around 5:30pm--Meg checked and I was at 6 cm. I remember saying, "No way! I'm only at 6?! How is that possible?!" And she said, "6 means nothing--6 for some women could mean hours more labor, but you could have this baby in the next hour." I decided to labor standing up, while hanging onto David's neck/shoulder during contractions and things moved FAST. After about half a dozen contractions like that, I started feeling a ton of pressure, like the baby was moving and trying to push out. I remember saying, "Oh gosh! She's coming! She's coming! Somebody get her!" After 2 contractions like that, everyone helped me move to the bed, where I laid on my left side and Meg said, "Yep! She's definitely coming...and you're ready! You're at 10--let's push her out!" I pushed for less than 10 minutes and while I felt like her head was out earlier, everyone told me that her head was out only one push before her body. With Leah, I pushed for about 90 minutes, so this time, everything was much faster and MUCH more intense. Just when I didn't think that I had any more to give--4 hours of sleep and no food in 24 hours doesn't give you a ton of energy--she was here! They immediately put her on my chest and she was just beautiful. My mom and I were both crying, and everyone was so happy and thrilled that everything went so well. After I got to hold her for a while, Meg asked David if he wanted to cut the cord and so for the first time, he chose to do that.
David's parents brought us dinner (hooray for food!) and Aunt Erin, Aunt Lauren, Uncle Mike, and cousin Sydney all came to visit little Hannah that night. She was very alert all evening and showed everyone her pretty dark eyes. She's our littlest newborn by far: 6 lbs 9 oz, 18.25 inches long, 13.25 inches for her head circumference (in comparison, Joshua was 7.5 lbs and Leah was 8 lbs). Of course, we think she is perfect and just as beautiful as can be.
Her full name is Hannah Victoria Isgett. Like with Joshua and Leah, we chose a biblical name that we loved for her first name, and also like with Joshua and Leah, we chose a middle name with special significance to us. Victoria is my mom's name, and David thought it was a perfect choice for Hannah's middle name--and I certainly agreed! Plus I love the meaning of the 2 names together: Grace is victorious :)
While we're still wrapping our brains around the idea that we are the parents of THREE little ones 4 and under, David and I are so extremely grateful for another healthy baby and a successful delivery--we are so blessed!
**Before anyone complains that there are no pictures of me with the baby...someone took a few as I was getting Hannah latched pretty soon after birth, and even though you can't see anything you shouldn't, I'm still pretty much in a state of undress, so I'll spare you all ;)
Proud daddy with baby Hannah
Our awesome volunteer doula Ellen
Baby Hannah passed out after eating :)
Snuggles with Daddy
So serious! I could just nuzzle her soft
little face and head all day :)
