Sunday, March 18, 2012

Surprises at Birth

My pregnancy was completely calm with no worries at all. Got an ultrasound on the 9th and 18th week and everything seemed normal. I used to feel Isabelli stretching a lot inside my belly and used to say she was a gentle girl, that did not kick her mom harshly. The first surprise was on my 39th week checkup. My doctor said my blood pressure was a little high and told me to go to the hospital to have it monitored for a couple of hours. There, the doctors said my blood pressure was going up and down, and after an ultrasound, they gave me my second surprise of the day: the baby was breeched! 
Oh well, there comes the third surprise... Because of both factors, the doctor decided I would deliver my baby six hours from that time, which would be around 8pm. Nice! I was not prepared at all.. I did not imagine when I was getting out of the house that by the time I would come back, it will be 4 days afterwards with my daughter in my arms.

So, I went through all the steps to go into surgery. Once I am strapped down on the surgery table after the epidural... here comes the forth surprise: when the doctors opened my belly, my husband and I heard them saying that they've never seen a baby so tangled (she had her umbilical cord wrapped three times around her neck and also three times around her body) in their lives. I'm glad I heard her cry afterwards, it took a while, but she did. Now I knew.. That's why she wouldn't kick me harshly... it was because she couldn't! She was sooo tangled.
They called my husband for him to go see her and then I asked the doctor that was in charge of the surgery if the baby was ok. And here comes the fifth surprise: He said: "She is fine! Oh, but there is something with her hand, but the doctor will explain you better later". Yes, I could not believe he just told me that like that , with me laying there strapped and cut open... But anyways... The nurse came by and showed me Isabelli, all wrapped in a blanket, making cute faces. I was so happy to see her!



As soon as I get out of the surgery, a ton of specialists started making their way into the room. Then there I learn about her right hand being malformed and that she had clubfeet. We met with a geneticist that guaranteed us that there was nothing to do with genetics. We also saw a orthopedic doctor that assured us her feet would be fixed to be in the normal position. I asked him if she was going to walk, and he said that for sure she would.. then I was relaxed. I knew she would be alright!
Once she was in my arms I saw how perfect she was. Perfectly beautiful! And health too, besides her outside birth defects, she was completely healthy inside. We were completely in love with her. So we came to the conclusion that if God had blessed us with her it was because He thought we were going to be the best parents for her.
Then, our process of understanding our daughter's conditions had just started. And we were ready to learn!

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