The Goodness of God

I have been nervous about writing this. Maggie's birth was one of the most beautiful and magical moments of my entire life and writing her birth story was so easy to do. I wanted everyone to know what it was like because it was a DREAM (you can read it here). Isaac's story is a bit different.

I was induced with Maggie 10 days after her due date. I was really hopeful that this time around I would go into labor naturally. Maggie's labor was also REALLY FAST, so I was a little nervous about our next baby making his debut at home if we didn't make it to the hospital on time.

At about 9am, 1 day before his due date, I started feeling some contractions. I was home alone with Maggie and Jordan was working at the high school. I realized I was in labor and started texting the grandmothers and Jordan to let them know it was happening. Meanwhile, I cleaned the house and took a shower with my just under 2 year old because I didn't want to come home to a dirty house and I really wanted to take a shower before I went to the hospital.

We went to the hospital and things started slowing down. I had to lay down in a hospital bed to get antibiotics so that wasn't really helping much. Once I was able to move around I realized that I needed to speed it up a bit. So, I walked with my husband around the maternity ward for a bit. I asked one of the nurses how far around it was the maternity ward and she said, "I think it's a mile if you do the circle 9 times."

So what did I do? My competitive self told my husband, "We're doing it 9 times. I'm going to walk a mile." BOY DID IT WORK! The last couple of times around the circle were TOUGH. I had to stop during each contraction to breathe and I held onto my husband as my contractions got harder and harder. That was about 5:30PM. Reminder, my labors are FAST!

It went quickly from there. I got into the bed again, but there was no slowing down this baby. I was ready to push by 7pm. I kneeling on the bed and telling the nurses and midwife that my body wants to push and I can't stop it so we better get ready! Although I wasn't fully dilated, the midwife said that often when a mother has given birth before she can push and they can move the cervix out of the way for the baby to come out. I remembered from labor with Maggie a nurse telling me to listen to my body and if it was telling me to push then I should try. So I told the nurse, "My body needs to push. I can't stop it from pushing."

Push #1: I laid down on the bed as the midwife pushed my cervix out of the way (sorry if this is too graphic for some of you), and I PUSHED with every ounce of strength I possibly had. She said something like "Here he is! Here's his head." Then things took a turn. It didn't feel right. She said his head came out, but when that happened with Maggie her body came out quickly after and the pain went away. THE PAIN DID NOT GO AWAY THIS TIME. I could feel that he was stuck.

He came out with his hand against his face which caused his shoulder to get stuck on my pelvic bone. Within SECONDS a group of nurses was in there holding me down and the midwife was standing on the bed with both hands on Isaac's head.

Push #2: "Okay, Danielle. I need you to push as HARD AS YOU CAN!" I was having trouble staying still because the pain was so intense. She grabbed his head and shoulder as I pushed with the loudest yell I could. 7:18pm. It was over. He was out. The unbelievable pain quickly turned into concern as she laid him on top of me and he was purple. He wasn't crying. He wasn't really doing anything yet. The nurses kept saying, "Come on buddy." As they were hitting his back.

About 30 seconds later he cried. It was the most beautiful sound a mom could hear. He was in shock from such a quick labor and he was purple from the bruising of getting pushed out so quickly and getting stuck.

All I could see was him. There was a lot going on around me that I wasn't even aware of until hours later. About an hour after labor the midwife sat down with Jordan and I and talked about what happened. I didn't even realize it was that big of a deal. I just knew it hurt a lot.

Before we went to bed that night I asked Jordan how this experience was for him and he said, "I don't think you realize how scary it was." I really didn't. In the moment all I knew was that I had to push this baby out. That was my only focus and my only thought. A lot could have gone wrong, but it didn't. He could have had broken bones or could have had other issues if he had been stuck longer than he was. It was about 1 minute of terror for my husband, but all I knew was the pain.

It took about 2 weeks for the purple and bruising to completely go away. It took him about 24 hours to open his eyes for the first time because his face was so swollen. I felt so bad for what he went through, but I was just so glad he was here.

The pictures are different for this birth. We were a lot more concerned about him than we were about getting pictures, but the few that we have tell the story really well.

He was 8 lbs 12 oz, 21.75 inches. Isaac Scott Joseph Towle. Our beautiful boy.

So swollen and purple ^

Maggie was IN LOVE from the moment she saw him.

Isaac also had a song. It didn't play perfectly when he was born like Maggie, but the song is so perfect for his story and I pray it will be an anthem for him for the rest of his life.

I love you Lord

Oh, your mercy never fails me

All my days I've been held in your hand

From the moment that I wake up

Til when I lay my head

I will sing of the goodness of God

All my life you have been faithful

All my life you have been so, so good

With every breath that I am able

I will sing of the goodness of God