Isaac's Birth as told by Mommy Part One

Reading back over my blog post entitled "Expectations" gives me chills. It is just incredible to see how God was preparing me in all ways possible for what was to come over the next few days. I remember telling a friend Thursday night how physically uncomfortable I was and then waking up before my doctor’s appointment Friday morning with a feeling that something was about to happen. When I told the doctor that I had been having some contractions she told me that she thought Isaac may come at any time. Because of his condition we weren’t surprised that I was possibly going into labor early. For some reason this isn’t uncommon with Trisomy 13 babies. We also knew that we weren’t going to take any measures to stop labor and we were just going to let him come when he was ready. I called my friend, Heather shortly after leaving the doctor to let her know what they said and she said she could hear the excitement in my voice. I was so very excited to know that the time that I was going to hold my sweet Isaac was getting closer. Yes, I was nervous, scared, and sad knowing that meeting him probably also meant telling him goodbye. I knew nothing could fully prepare me for that, but I was ready. I was so ready to see the face that so many of you had been praying for for months. I was ready to not worry about him being in pain or suffering. I was physically and emotionally so tired and I was so ready for this day.

After running some last minute errands then going home and finishing Isaac and Kadynce’s outfits for the hospital I noticed my contractions getting closer and nothing was stopping them. We headed to the hospital where they decided that I was in labor and admitted me. Our little Isaac was on his way. We called family and friends and within minutes were not alone in our hospital room. We were already feeling more love than we could imagine. Things progressed slowly, which we were thankful for. We had family coming in from out of town that we wanted to meet Isaac and we just weren’t sure how long we would have with him. After getting a few hours of sleep morning came and so did many, many visitors. Our room was constantly buzzing with people and for that we will forever be thankful. They did a few things to help my labor progress and by noon we were ready to have our sweet baby. Right before I began pushing I remember trying to recall the last time I had felt him move wondering if he was going to be born alive. I so wanted him to live, if only for a few minutes. The Lord answered my prayers when Isaac Preston Hunt was born ALIVE and crying at 12:20 pm. I really think I heard him make noises before he was even all the way out. I didn’t even have to ask anyone if he was breathing because I knew before I even saw him that he was and I will always be so thankful for that. When they put him on my chest all I could do was tell him how pretty he was and how much I love him. He was perfect! His cleft lip didn’t matter. He was perfect! He was making little noises and moving his little mouth. It was just so sweet. The next few minutes Jonathan and I spent singing to him and just telling him how much we loved him. Oh we love him so much. We invited everyone back in as soon as we could because we wanted others to meet him before he went to heaven. Seeing everyone see him for the first time was beyond amazing. For hours family and friends held, rocked, and kissed our sweet Isaac. Sometime about 2 hours later (we’re not exactly sure when) he peacefully slipped from our arms into the arms of our Jesus. He was never in distress and didn’t seem to suffer one bit. What an answered prayer that was for this mommy. I had been so, so worried about that for months and I didn’t have to worry anymore. He was at peace. We were blessed to keep him in our room until about 9:00 that evening when the funeral home came and got his body. It was time. His body was getting cold and stiff and it was getting hard for me to see him that way. I knew that he wasn’t cold because he was in heaven, but it was still hard. Swaddling him for the last time and placing him in the basket to be taken away was the hardest moment of mine and Jonathan’s life, but oh how blessed we were to hold him and love on him, even if for only 9 hours. As I was kissing him for the last time all I could do was say “thank you” to God for our sweet Isaac. (to be continued)







Pictures taken by NILMDTS