Hello friends!
I am sharing my birth story today, mostly to have a place to look back on it when our little boy is all grown up.
I am starting this story at our 34 week appointment, but I am going to prefice this by saying that my whole pregnancy I have been very healthy, with normal blood pressure and minimal “pregnancy symptoms.” I was very lucky!
Anyways, my BP was a little high as my 34 week appointment, but we chalked it up to stress (hello, owning your own business.) They told me to go home, rest, and make sure to drink plenty of water & I did.
Then, at my 36 week appointment the first BP reading was quite a bit higher than my midwife liked, so we waited 15 minutes & checked it again. It was still high, but everything else looked great so she sent me home and said to watch for headaches. I said “oh I NEVER get headaches, so I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
I JINXED MYSELF. Friday at noon, I started getting the worst headache I think I have ever had. Saturday night, still have it. Sunday night, still have it. Medicine was doing nothing, so Monday morning I call my midwife. She has me come in, and sure enough my BP is off the charts, again.
Side note, I was also having spots in my vision and an odd shoulder pain. But I didn’t think anything of these symptoms, until the headache didn’t go away.
Well, after my OB appointment she sent me to labor & delivery to be monitored. They ran my blood work & a few other test to come to the conclusion that I had preeclampsia. Then they said I was going to be induced. WHAT. INDUCED. WHAT DO YOU MEAN? Today? I’m going to have my baby today?
Well, funny thing about inductions are they don’t work in a matter or hours, over night, or even sometimes DAYS. Especially since this is my first baby.
Monday night I had Cervidil. Tuesday all day I had Pitocin. Tuesday night I was given Cytotec. Wednesday & Thursday I had more Pitocin and it kinda stopped working. Some time in there I also got a Foley Bulb (not fun).
When I came in on Monday I was having contractions that I couldn’t even feel. But by Wednesday there were no longer any contractions showing on the monitor but we decided to give Pitocin another try on Thursday. Friday morning came and my migraine was SO BAD & I was SO OVER the induction process. Eric and I talked to the midwife & OB about a possible c-section and I am so glad we made the call to go ahead with it.
This may be TMI, but there was no way my body could push during labor with the migraine I had. I also did not want to continue pumping myself with medicine, to reduce the pain of the headache for only a hour.
Anyways, our baby boy was born via c-section at 5:32PM on Friday, November 22nd, 2019.
I was so alert and excited during the section that the anesthesiologists and I were chatting about heart rates & BP levels. Eric got to cut the umbilical cord, like we had hoped. We both cried happy tears when we first heard him cry. Honestly it all felt like a dream.
THEN, my OB explained that because of the preeclampsia I was going to be treated with a Magnesium drip post surgery. It was the last thing I expected. Honestly the 24 hours after his birth (while I was on the magnesium) are a complete blur.
If you want more details on that part of this experience just message me. I don’t want to scare the internet about Magnesium drips. Lol
To recap: I was admitted on Monday & did not have our baby until Friday. It was all a million times worth it in the end, but definitely the last thing I expected. I was quite traumatized our first week home about the experience, but have since come to terms with what happened.
The nurses & doctors were beyond amazing and I am so very grateful for my wonderful OB’s office.
We are so incredibly blessed with our baby boy. 
xoxo, Sarah
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