Well, that didn't go as planned (long)

pennyblossom42

My due date was Monday 2-4. I had planned a home birth with the hopes of a water birth. 

My water broke (only a high leak) at 5:15AM on 2-5, I was still in very early labor. The midwives had me take black cohosh, do nipple stimulation, and get a massage. I was in active labor by 9 or 10 PM. Everyone managed to get a little bit of sleep. I got into the birthing tub around 7AM. I started pushing at 10AM. I had to stop pushing at 12:30 since I wasn't making progress. They had me lay in bed on my left side for about an hour to labor but not push- which was very difficult. By this time I don't really know what time things happened but they had me push more and in all sorts of positions. Then the baby's heart rate was going down to 80 during contractions. At 2:30, my mom had pretty much had enough and said that maybe it was time to go to the hospital. And that's exactly what I wanted to do. So I got into the car with DH, my mom and one of the midwives and we went to the hospital, where they were now expecting us. Once we got in the room, the doctor came in and had me push while on my left side and checked me out. (My mom told me that the Dr had turned to her and said that I had a pretty high pain tolerance). She recommended a c-section. At this point I was in so much pain and trying to hard not to push, I just wanted my baby out and out safe. So I had a c-section and under general anesthesia (because of a previous medical condition and the fact that someone couldn't find the letter from my surgeon stating that it was okay for me to get an epidural). I'm actually glad that I was under general, because it took the dr 4 minutes to get LO out (and that would have been even more traumatizing for DH). Apparently she was really wedged in there. Dr told me that I will unlikely to be able to fit a baby out the natural way in the future.

So, after all that - Thursday night or Friday, I got a fever. Friday I needed a blood transfusion (low blood count) and antibiotics. We planned to go home Saturday, but since my fever wouldn't go away- we ended up leaving on Wednesday. We were in the hospital for an entire week (Wednesday afternoon to wednesday afternoon). On the bright side, by the time I got home I was feeling really good and able to take care of DD, my milk had already come in and I had lots of help every day to make breastfeeding a success, and every nurse and LNA that I had was wonderful. So even though we were there for so long, it was still a good experience.

So- I had a c-section. And I'm okay with that. I told myself going into the home birth process that things go wrong sometimes and there is a time and a place for c-sections. Mine was necessary and I'm not going to beat myself up over not being able to get the birth experience I had hoped for. Yes, I'm bummed a little but I have a beautiful, healthy baby girl, so I'm totally at peace with what happened. Plus, successful breastfeeding was more important to me and we are doing so good at it, I have nothing to complain about.

Thanks for reading my story! 

JKB1986

Congratulations! I'm glad that breastfeeding is going well for you too!

kaleb87

Congrats on your daughter! There is no shame at all in a csection. You had already labored and gave it your best. All that matters is you are healthy and your daughter is healthy! So sorry though that you had to stay in the hospital so long and have a transfusion and a high temp.

sschwege

I'm sorry things didn't go the way you hoped.  It sounds like you were a real trooper!  I pushed for an hour with DD and that was hard work!  I can't imagine pushing for as long as you did, and then trying not to push!  You are one strong mama!

Glad to hear BFing is going so well!  Enjoy that little bundle of joy! 

Tiefling

Well dang girl that sounds like one hell of an ordeal. Yeesh. Im glad it all worked out and kudos to you for stayin strong through all of it :

Celyn

Congrats and welcome to Julia!

tantdylf

I'm so glad you and your baby are safe!! Congratulations Mama!

hollandmama

Congrats on your baby and bf! I imagined it was terrible to go through all of that and of course you should not beat yourself up for not being able to follow your plan, on the contrary, you were strong enough to stick to it for as long as the baby could manage. I am so happy you went to the hospital on time and that the Dr could help.

Eveanyn

Congratulations on healthy baby and good breastfeeding!!

LaurelBee

Congrats on your sweet girl! 

KrisM86

Congratulations on a healthy baby girl! I'm sorry you didn't get the birth you wanted, but your case is a perfect example of an appropriate, necessary c section! It was what was needed in your situation and you should not feel badly at all. I'm glad breastfeeding is going so well for you too. Enjoy your baby girl, mama!