Isabel is Here!

Isabel Naomi Granados was born on Oct. 14 at 10:12 pm. She was 7 lbs 9 oz and 18 and a half inches long! So here is the birth story...

So the night before I went to bed really believing that I would go into labor that night. When I woke up the next morning and was not in labor I was disappointed. But as soon as I got out of bed and started moving around I started having mild contractions. I wasn't sure if I was in labor or not, so I started timing them. They were every 10 minutes and bearable. So I kept going about my morning and after about an hour they started getting a little more intense and a little closer together. So I called Isaac and told him to come home. We called my in-laws and they came and picked up Benjamin and Abby. Isaac and I stayed home and continued to labor at home. At around 2 pm my mother and Step-dad arrived and my contractions were still not close enough together to go to the hospital. Around 3:30 my step-dad suggested we get going so we would not get stuck in traffic, and considering all the construction going on on I-15, we thought we should go because if things started getting more intense, I did not want to be stuck in traffic and chance having the baby on the freeway.

So we packed up and arrived at the hospital at around 5:30. The nurse checked me and I was at a 5 in dilation. So she wanted to make sure I was progressing well and told us to walk around the hospital for an hour. So we did. And hour later I was at a 6 1/2 and 90% effaced. I thought, woooo hooo! So they got me all checked in and called my nurse midwife. My nurse midwife (who was amazing!) got there and asked if I wanted my water broke. I wasn't sure if I was ready for that, but by 7:30 we decided to go for it. She was sure that I would have the baby within an hour after breaking my water. But an hour later and I was progressing but not as fast as we were hoping and the baby was still pretty high up. The contractions were definitely getting more intense and it was getting harder and harder to get through them. But the hardest thing is that I had been laboring for over 12 hours and I was exhausted! Because I was so tired I was unable to keep it together during contractions and I felt that I couldn't go on anymore, I started to question whether or not I could have this baby naturally, because I was starting to get desperate. All I wanted was to rest and I just felt like I could not do it anymore. Also my nurse midwife (who normally does not encourage a mom who wants to go natural to get an epidural) felt that perhaps the reason the baby was not descending down was because I was no longer able to stay relaxed through my contractions. She believed that the epidural might help me to relax so that the baby could descend down. Isaac and I talked it over for a minute and decided that I should get the epidural. So we called for the anesthesiologist and the nurse hooked me up to an I.V. and started getting fluids in me. After a few minutes the anesthesiologist arrived and gave me some kind of drug through my I.V. (in preparation for the epidural). Little did I know at the time, that it was just what I needed to get the edge off enough for the baby to drop and get me to a 10. So going back, while the anesthesiologist was getting prepped, the contracts were so intense that I thought to myself, "I don't want to get an epidural, how in the world am I supposed to stay still long enough for him to get that needle in me?" The contractions were so intense and close together, that I was terrified of getting the epidural at this point. So I flipped my legs around to the side of the bed, while holding onto Isaac, to get into position and I begged the anesthesiologist to wait because I immediately got hit with the worst 2 contractions yet (turns out I was in the ring of fire). Then it happened, the baby dropped and I felt the urge to push! I immediately said, "She's there, she's there!" My midwife said, "How do you know?" I yelled, "She's in my butt!!!!!" So she said, "Let me check" I laid down, she checked and said, "You're there!, do you still want the epidural or do you want to start pushing?" I thought, "epidural, are you kidding me?" I said, "Lets push!" After a 10 minutes and a few pushes she was out! I was so happy and in shock that I did it again! Especially after I was so close to getting an epidural that I did not want. It was a miracle! She dropped at the exact moment I needed her to in order to save me. The anesthesiologist was literally standing behind me with the needle in hand ready to stick me. Now that I look back on the labor, I realize that whatever drug I got in my I.V. was just enough to get me through that last part of labor and next time, that is exactly what I am going to do and I hopefully will not need to even call the anesthesiologist. :) So anyway, that is my labor story and here are some pictures of newborn Isabel....

Isaac cutting the cord

7 lbs 9 oz

My beautiful, alert little girl!

Of course my mom was there, she feels like she doesn't do much, but her support and encouragement help me soooo much! Thank you Grandma!

Proud Papa! My nurse midwife was so impressed with Isaac and said he could seriously become a dula! He was a rock star! I could never do this without him.

And he is in love with his baby girl.

Grandpa, after waiting in the Lobby all day, finally got to come in after we were all cleaned up.

My Angel of a Nurse Midwife! Seriously this woman is amazing and stayed with me the whole time! It was like having a dula and midwife in one! My mom said that she acted exactly how my Grandma used to deliver babies and My mom and I both felt the presence of my Abuelita in the room after having my baby. I think she was there the whole time, but things were to crazy intense to stop and feel her. But afterward when we started talking about her, we felt that she was there. And I think this wonderful amazing midwife had something to do with that.

The next morning my in-laws brought the kids to meet her. Abby was so excited!

And couldn't get enough of her

Benjamin was also super in love with her

And here she is with Nena

And Tia Rosi

Tia Ivonne & Tio Ruben with their kids also came to visit

And as you can see, she is just perfect!

And here are the beautiful flowers Isaac brought me while I was still in the Hospital