Birth Story from 6 months ago lol

bre86ann · February 2011

Madeline was born on what was supposed to be a very boring Sunday evening. We went to brunch that morning (in retrospect, BIG mistake...I will NEVER eat another omlet during my last 6 weeks of pregnancy again, just in case).

I was monitoring my kick counts very closely, twice a day (instead of the normal once a day) per doctor's orders. I was going for ultrasounds once a week and non-stress tests once a week to monitor the baby and make sure she was still happy inside of me. She was breech and only estimated to weigh about 3.5 lbs at 35 weeks so c-section was scheduled for September 20th as long as the baby stayed happy and healthy until then...otherwise we were on stand-by twice a week (during each appointment) waiting to be told to head over to the hospital.

Normally I noticed movement non-stop...I had fingers in me ribs, and kicks so hard you could actually physically see them sometimes. Well on this boring Sunday, after brunch I did my kick counts and in 2 alotted hours I got the full 7 kicks, but instead of the less than 20 minutes it normally took, this time I layed there waiting for the FULL 2 hours. Had circumstances been normal and I hadn't been told to monitor so closely I would have waited til after dinner and tried again. But after about 30 minutes of deliberation, DH and I decided maybe we should call the doctor; worst case we go to the hospital and get ANOTHER ultrasound and be sent home til our next appointment on Tuesday. Well my doctor said come in and come in ready to deliver. So we headed that way. Neither of us expected to have the baby that day; we both thought we were overreacting.

We got to the hospital and were taken up right away. They strapped me up to the monitors and weren't absolutely THRILLED with what they were hearing so they did an ultrasound. The baby had dropped and was moving but not much...my doctor decided that she was perfectly comfortably with doing an emergency c-section and not taking any chances. I thank God everyday that we went to the hospital when we did and that she decided taking the baby was the right thing to do. (more on that below)

We called my mom, my dad, my boss, my inlaws and a few of DH's friends to let them know Madeline was on her way. We were all expecting a perfectly healthy baby girl. I arrived at the hospital at 4:50 in the evening. Madelines time of birth was 5:24 pm....that's how fast everything happened. Anyway, I'm strapped to the table, they pull the baby out.... which I felt the pressure lift out. I wasn't able to see her. She wasn't breathing very well on her own so they pulled her into another room and intubated her. She and DH went somewhere, I don't even know where and I was left alone having my insides played with. I threw up my omlet while I was strapped to the table (never ever again). There was vomit everywhere, all over me, all over the floor all over the curtain in front of me.... it was disgusting.

When I was put back together I was wheeled into recovery where I was told that my baby most likely had Trisomy 18. She was having trouble breathing, she had an irregular heart beat. Had I not gone to the hospital when I did she would have been still born. Instead I got to spend the best 5 days of my life with my baby girl.

And a word to anyone having a c-section..... after it's done, get out of bed as soon as you can and walk. even if you leave the bed 5 minutes at a time only 20 times a day you will make recovery SO much easier on yourself. I didn't have an option. My baby was in the NICU so to see her I had to walk and by the end of the 2nd day I was walking like my normal fast-paced self. I wasn't miserable when I got home like EVERYONE I know who had c-sections told me I would be. I still took it easy, don't get me wrong. But I did not wallow in pain and self pitty. Yes it hurt, but everyday it hurt less except the day after the funeral when I laid around in self pitty all day....i felt horrible the next day.

april262011 · February 2011

Thank you for sharing your story. I am so sorry that sweet Madeline did not make it. Prayers for your family.

ccorso · February 2011

Thank you for sharing your story! My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family

katkat74 · February 2011

I too am so very sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing your story.

amanda_430 · February 2011

so sorry for your loss. words aren't really enough

mrsfaz2be · February 2011

Thank you for sharing your story. Thinking and praying for your family. It is nice that you were able to spend the 5 days with her that you did. I am sure she is an angel watching over you and protecting you.

KtotheYtotheM · February 2011

So Sorry for your Loss, Glad you got to spend at least a little while with your Angel.

forensicmama · February 2011

I'm so very sorry for the loss of your sweet angel. You are so blessed that you got to hold her and love on her for that short amount of time. My thoughts and prayers for your family...