XP- Birth Story- My "natural" c-section!

kewltif · May 2011

So I didn't think I would post a birth story, figuring no one would care to read it anyway, but I think my story is a wee bit interesting.

I was induced at 40 weeks 6 Days because my baby was measuring 9 lbs and my blood pressure was through the roof. I checked in Wednesday night and was supposed to start cervadil, but they realized I was already in labor (I thought I had a stomach ache!) so they started me on a low level of pitocin instead. The next morning they kicked the pitocin up to high gear to really get things moving.

Around 2:30 pm I finally asked for an epidural. The anesthesiologist gave it to me and it surprisingly didn't hurt at all. The nurse was like, "Wow that was fast!"

So a little later I tell the anesthesiologist that I don't think the epidural is working and he ups my amount. A little after that I'm like, "It's still not working. I am feeling my contractions." He was a little snide with me and told me for my height/weight that I already had a lot of medication and he was like threatening me with, "Well I can try giving you a little bit more OR we can start the epidural all over again." I was like, "Just try one more time to give me a little more."

This time it worked... for like an hour or so and then started to wear off. I went through 2 more rounds of asking for more meds because it was wearing off.

By 9:30 that night I had not progressed at all and my baby wasn't dropping. The OB believed she was stuck in my hips. My water had naturally broken a long time before and I developed a fever. We decided that I would need a c-section.

At this point a new anesthesiologist was on duty and it was his job to give me a spinal block. I explained to him that I thought I might need a higher dose of the meds since my epidural had been wearing off all afternoon. He was a little snippy with me and said I would only feel pressure.

They wheel me into the operating room and begin. Again, they said I would feel pressure. Well, I didn't feel pressure, I felt pain! I could feel them cutting and pulling. I felt like my entire stomach was on fire! I started screaming and the anesthesiologist asked me if I wanted to be put to sleep and I was adamantly against it. DH was trying to calm me down. I finally hear the baby scream and then they start fishing for the placenta and I lost control. DH said I was screaming for them to stop and flailing my arms around. The doctors had to pin my arms down and threw a nitrous oxide mask over my face to put me to sleep.

They kicked DH out of the room and he left with the baby for the nursery. I woke up an hour later in recovery all alone and FLIPPED OUT. I was like delusional and couldn't understand in my state why I was by myself. I thought something was wrong with the baby and I began hysterically crying for them to bring her to me. In my state I thought the nurses were lying to me about her being OK just because they wanted to keep me calm. They finally got DH in there with me and I was hysterically crying to him until he finally showed me pictures of the baby.

That's right. I saw pictures of my baby before ever seeing her in person.

Turns out that because I had a fever when I delivered her that they wanted to keep her under the lights until the doctor could check her. Well my doctor was now busy delivering another baby!

I didn't get to see Hannah until she was 2 hours old!

It was certainly not the birth experience that I was going for, but she is a healthy little girl and have fallen completely in love with her

h2ojock13 · May 2011

OMG this made me cry. I am so so so sorry this happened to you . How horrible. I am glad everyone came out healthy in the end, but this is horrible. Your little girl is adorable.

Callidryas · May 2011

What a horrific experience!! Sorry you had to go through that! Glad your little girl is perfect and hope that you are recovering quickly.

I cannot believe they proceeded with the surgery even with you complaining of pain, do you think you have a case for malpractice?

EJChapman123 · May 2011

Oh my goodness - what a horrible nightmare. I just really cannot even imagine.

So happy you are okay and your little girl is okay (and she is adorable).

With or without a case of malpractice, I feel as though this should at the very least be reported to whoever handles stuff like that (I have no idea - some medical board I am sure). That is not acceptable. Mistakes happen, but that is NOT okay.

alliejoe · May 2011

Well- first, let me say your little girl is adorable!

I am so sorry you had such an awful experience. I agree with the above poster- I would make sure than someone knows about this, malpractice or not. I would make sure it was brought to the attention of whoever deals with that kinda of stuff at the hospital.

kerrbear72 · May 2011

Absolutely awful but I'm glad you and your beautiful little girl are ok now!

AmyO. · May 2011

Oh my gosh, that was hard to read! I can't imagine anything like that ever happening! I'm glad you and your beautiful girl are ok. Good luck with your recovery!

OhHappyFeat · May 2011

Goodness!! I'm glad everything eventually turned out okay.

theaustins05 · May 2011

Please tell my you have plans to press charges against the hospital. No one should ever suffer like that. I want to hug you! Most important your okay and so is LO and she is adorable.