Tramatic Birth Story

I Showed Up at the ER 4.5.2024 at 25w 5d

I found out that I had preeclampsia at a routine prenatal visit. I went in thinking that I was fine. My doctor sent me to the ER.

You can check that blog out at https://thismomthingblog.com/?p=5291. 

The Week I was Stuck in Hell in the Hospital

I was admitted with the doctor saying that I may have to deliver soon, but I will be remaining in the hospital until I deliver, whether that is the next day or 3 months later. They gave me a shot to help develop Aryi’s lungs and put me on a magnesium drip for 24 hours to prevent seizures. The magnesium drip was torture. I felt extremely nauseous and had to go pee every 30 minutes, unhooking and hooking up the monitors each time. 

This was actually the scariest week of my life. All of the what ifs were actually way more terrifying. Somehow, knowing what we were dealing with made it a lot less scary after he was born. But, now I am getting ahead of myself. Every morning my labs were drawn. Every day I waited to see if my liver enzymes increased. I waited for the doctors to come in and tell me today is the day. My husband spent the night with me at the hospital every night. He went home to work and feed our cats during the day since he only had a few days of pto and I wanted him to take them after Aryi’s birth. I was alone a lot the week leading up to Aryi’s birth. I am already a person that suffers from anxiety, but it was at an all time high over this week. With all of the emotions going on, all of the anxiety and unknowing, I needed to stay calm so I didn’t elevate my blood pressure. That is an impossible task when you don’t know if your baby will make it. I had never seen a premature baby, especially one born at 26 weeks. I did not know how developed he would be or how it would turn out. Eventually, the day came. My liver enzymes increased too much that night. The doctors came in and said today is the day. We will induce you tonight at 6pm. I was alone when they told me. I cried for hours. 

Being Induced 4.12.2024  @ 6pm at 26w 5d

I was induced with pitocin and a foley bulb at 6pm. The contractions were horrific. I have never felt pain like that. It was like period cramps turned up to 1 million. I kept crying and telling everyone this was not the plan. With my Anxiety, I had a birth plan done at like 3 months. This was definitely not the plan. I kept turning down the epidural, I shouldn’t have put it off for so long. At 4am, they checked me and I was only 2 centimeters dilated. At that point I decided to get the epidural. Unfortunately, I had to wait because the anesthesiologists were all busy with other mamas. When I got the epidural, I layed back down in the bed, I started to drift out of it. It was like I was swimming in my head. I was reacting to the epidural. Another Anesthesiologist was pulled into my room and he started pushing meds and staring at my vitals. 

My blood pressure dropped to 80/40. Aryi’s heart rate dropped to 100. I was staring at the Anesthesiologist just trying to stay awake. I was terrified if I fell asleep I wouldn’t wake up. The Doctor came and bent down next to the bed. She said “your baby’s heartbeat is decreasing, we have to bring you to an emergency C-section”. I think I nodded at her. All I was thinking was not my baby, save my baby. I don’t think I actually said any of that. It was super hard to focus or talk. I was screaming in my head, but nothing was coming out. I was exhausted. I had been awake for over 24 hours, labored for 12, and now was being rushed to the ER with a blood pressure of 80/40. Everything was blurry, but somehow I can still see it like it was yesterday. 

Emergency C Section 4.13.2024 at 26w 6 d

Like I said, I was rushed to the C-section. They started before my husband even got into the room. It took him like 5 minutes to get his scrubs on and get in the room. It felt like an eternity. He was crying when I saw him. Later he told me he thought he was going to lose both of us. In like 5 more minutes, they had Aryi out. It only takes a few minutes to get him out, but then like an hour to put me back together. I was shaking and told the Anesthesiologist that I was freezing. He got a nurse to put warm blankets on my arms. That doesn’t really do much when you are naked from the chest down with your stomach cut open. I continued to shake. When Aryi came out, they put him on a ventilator to breathe for him and told us that he was doing good. I couldn’t cry or smile. I was still just scared. Saroj got to go and cut the cord and hold Aryi’s hand. About 10 minutes later, they wheeled him past us. I barely got to see him as he was being wheeled from the room. At some point during the procedure, one of my IVs infiltrated. Noone listened to me for like 5 minutes until they could see my arm start to swell up. Noone listens to women in healthcare (but that is an entirely different blog). After the procedure I had to be on magnesium not allowed to leave the bed for 24 hours. I wouldn’t get to see my baby and hold his hand for more than 24 hours. This was the hardest day of my life. All I wanted was to hold my baby.