Welcome to our world!!

On the 3rd of March 2008 @ 12:29pm we welcomed Isabella Grace to the world, and boy was I glad that she was finally here!! At week 28 I found out I had developed gestational diabetes and had to go on a modified diet by week 32 my fasting blood sugar levels were deemed to be too high so I had to start injecting myself with insulin every night - not a very nice thing to have to do to oneself. By week 38 I had developed high blood pressure and while she was in the right position she was not moving down, so I had to start having CTG's every couple of days. I was then admitted to hospital because of all of the above and she still decided she wasn't ready to come. In hospital I was so bored and basically laid around and did nothing so my blood pressure went down and they released me but this only lasted until my due date when my blood pressure went back up and I was therefore instructed to go back to hospital - with the little miss still happily camped in my womb!! Hearing the screams and moans of agony coming from the labour ward across the hall was doing my imaginations no favours in what I was about to experience! The constant reminders to oneself that billions of women have done this and lived to tell the tale so you can get through this were not helping. Finally on the 2nd - God (my obstetrician's nickname - as deemed by one of the midwives.) decided that I could be induced, but after three applications of the hormone they use to induce labour and 12 hours I was still not progressing and the little miss started to crack a tanty so off for an emergency C-Section went I and the rest is as they say history. Weighing 8lbs 8oz she was a good size a not affected by the diabetes much to every one's relief. My next surprise came when it came time to start feeding - no one tells you how hard it can be or much it can hurt! Over the next few weeks we had many trials and tribulations - all of them coming back to one little misses determination not to have to do any work for her food. For any new mum who has sat up at 3am with a breast pump clonking away - I feel your pain! Needless to say the easiest path for all involved was to put her on formula which she happily accepted and guzzled down at every feed like there was going to be no tomorrow. I found out later that Gestational Diabetes, High Blood Pressure and C-Section all contribute to slowing down milk production so with all three occurring to me it's a wonder my boobs didn't just pack in the towel and say see ya later sucker! For our first child though I'd have to say things went pretty well and in a couple of years after a few too many drinks we may stumble blindly down this path again.......