Izzy Update

Good morning! Izzy is doing really well. She has started breastfeeding twice a day and is taking bottles of breastmilk when Jenni is not there to feed her. She has been under the big blue light for a few days now. This will help lower her biliruben levels, which cause jaundice. They have been decreasing everyday! Andy and Jenni are getting to be alot more hands on with her now. Everytime we visit we get to change her diaper, take her temperature, and hold her. Jenni also gets to breastfeed and have skin to skin time, which will really promote her development. They have still not given us any answers, but it looks like hopefully she won't have to go to Riley.

We have been taking ALOT of pictures and showing the boys and Lilly when we get home. Unfortunately, with it being flu season, children under 12 cannot enter the NICU. We would love to take Jonah to see her, but he is only 11&1/2 and we don't want to chance it for Isobel or any of the other babies.

Thankfully we have alot of great nurses that care for her when we can't. It's really hard to leave your child knowing you can't do anything for her.

We will continue with updates when we have them and post more pictures. Just wanted to send a short update to everyone!

Jenni and Andy

Welcome Isobel!

Isobel Kathleen Harrier was born on Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 7:32am. She weighed in at 6lbs and 13.1oz and was 18.5" long. She was born with a full head of beautiful dark brown hair. Labor and delivery went excellent. Jenni's water broke around 12:45am on Wednesday morning and we were checked into St. Francis Hospital by 2:00a.m. We were very surprised since Jenni was not due for another 4 weeks (originally February 15th). Jenni was dilated to around 3cm, so we knew we had some time before she'd arrive. Jenni's contractions started around 3:00am, but did not get really bad until 5:00am, when she went from 4cm to 8cm in one hour. By the time 7:00a.m. rolled around, it was time to push. Jenni only pushed 3 times before her OB asked her to place her legs in the stirrups and relax. Dr. Stall then delivered Isobel himself, as she was small enough to squeeze right out on her own. Jenni also did the entire birth natural with no pain medications, just like with Lilly's birth. Andy stood by her head the whole time coaching her thru. Jenni also used pictures of Lilly to help her through the contractions this time around. Having a 4 hour labor was great!

Isobel arrived and NICU immedicately came up to check her as protocol for premature babies. She was given 2 thumbs up and released back to the labor & delivery nurse. Her APGAR scores were great and she looked very healthy. As Jenni and Andy were transferred to the post partum floor, Isobel was taken for her first bath and her hearing test. She was released back to Jenni around noon. Andy arrived around 12:30pm with Lilly and Jonah in tow. Jonah skipped school that day, but we went ahead and sent Jack to school. Jonah and Lilly got to meet their new little sister. Lilly kept yelling, "BeBe, BeBe!", which is what she calls a baby. Jonah loved her immedicately and got to hold her. Uncle Nat then came to visit and hold Isobel. She opened her eyes for the first time as he was holding her - they are very blue and beautiful!

Afterwards, Andy was holding her and he realized then that she didn't look right. Her color was blue-ish and she was not breathing. Jenni immediately called her nurse and she whisked her away. Andy ran down to the nursery to get some answers. The nurses were able to get her breathing again, but they made the decision to send her to NICU.

Since she has been in NICU, Isobel has had many tests ran on her. She has had a CAT scan, ECG, and an overnight sleep study. Thankfully, all the tests came back negative, but on the down side it doesn't give us any answers. She had her first meal of breastmilk on Friday, January 21st and seemed to do great. Since then they have increased her feedings. Jenni has continued pumping breastmilk at home and taking a supply to the NICU everytime we go. Andy and Jenni are visiting Isobel twice a day. Currently, she cannot have any more than 2 people at her bedside. The NICU is restricting this to parents and grandparents only at this time. Right now Isobel just needs time to grow. She is stable, but still has breathing episodes a few times daily and at night. The NICU is considering transferring her to Riley Children's Hospital NICU for more extensive ENT and sleep testing.

Andy and Jenni are very thankful for all your well wishes, good thoughts, and prayers. Neither of us ever even thought we would have a baby in the NICU. We are both trying to think positively, but it can be hard at times. We apologize if we aren't quick to return phone calls and messages, but we know you all understand. Hopefully, this blog will help keep everyone updated and we will still return phone calls when we get the chance. Thank you to everyone who has offered to help and those who have already stepped in and helped. We appreciate each gesture, big or small. We can't wait for everyone to meet her. She is absolutely gorgeous.

Love, Andy and Jenni