On Wednesday morning I went to my weekly doctor's appointment and felt totally normal. However, once they checked my blood pressure it was significantly high, around 150. (and hadn't been in any weeks prior). My doctor debated on what to do and eventually decided to send me to triage at the hospital to get monitored and get some blood work done to check for preeclampsia. On my way out she said she expected my blood pressure to go down and that if that happened she would see me again on Friday and likely schedule an induction on Sunday.
I sat in triage for over an hour waiting on my blood work to return. While my blood work came back normal my blood pressure had continued to be high (174/109 at it's highest). My doctor came over, checked to see if I was dialed at all, which I wasn't. Again, she debated on what to do but decided that she wanted to admit me because she didn't feel comfortable sending me home with that high of blood pressure. She especially didn't want to do this as she was off the next day and suspected the baby would come and I would have to use another doctor. That being set aside she decided to give me some medication to help with dilation and once this was done planned on starting induction the next day.
I was wheeled to my room and shortly after started the dilation medication. That evening I started contracting regularly; however, not terribly strong. Sometime in the middle of the night I started labor on my own. By the next morning I was in ALOT of pain. The doctor on call did not want to give me my epidural yet because I was only slightly dialed. Once my water broke I insisted on an epidural and suffered through that getting done in between crazy and painful contractions (I am not at all sure how someone goes through this naturally - that epidural was my saving grace!). It was not long after this that my nurse was in by my side asking me to switch positions every few minutes. This went from side to side with pillows placed in different places and at one time even on all fours (while totally numb...interesting). She finally disclosed that they were concerned about the baby and were attempting to get the baby to move. Every time I had a contraction the baby's heart was going down and they suspected that there was a cord issue. She said that it could be the baby was holding the cord or lying on the cord (never mentioned the cord being wrapped around the baby's neck...but I'm sure this was the major suspicion) and every time I contracted the cord was being squeezed. We continued with this for about an hour; one position would work for a contraction and then the next contraction the baby's heart rate would again decline. Several nurses came in and out as well as the doctor. My nurse told me that they were planning on having the NICU present at the birth to ensure that if anything should be wrong there would be people there to assist right away.
There was debate over stopping my contractions and even adding fluid back into me to attempt to give the baby more room to move around. However, after checking my dilation and determining that I was fully dilated and effaced they made the quick decision to get the baby out ASAP. People started flowing into the room preparing for the delivery...however, within seconds it seemed they changed their minds and started preparing for an emergency c-section. I later found out that this was decided after the baby's heart rate dropped to 60 during a contraction. It all happened so fast I had little time to prepare and next I knew was in the OR getting prepped. Coy joined shortly after and was luckily feeling less scared than he was in moments before when I was leaving my room.
The staff was AMAZING and talked me/us through each moment and everything they were doing preparing for the baby. Although I had started feeling completely out of it due to the drugs I was doing my best to stay alert for the baby's delivery.
The first thing I heard was the nurse's comment about the baby's hair. I asked for the gender and only had a wait a few more seconds for Coy to announce that it was a GIRL! I got to glimpse her quickly before she was taken to the side of the room for the NICU nurses to evaluate her. They determined that she was healthy and she was shortly brought to Coy to hold. I got to look at her in-between being in and out of consciousness but otherwise was not able to touch her...one of my least favorite aspects of having a c-section.
She was determined to be absolutely perfect...something i already knew : ) and I got to hold her/lay her on me as we were wheeled back to our room. It took several more hours before I was conscious enough to hold her on my own. I felt like it was even longer before I was alert enough to actually comprehend this beautiful, amazing being that was my daughter.
I was later informed that the baby had in fact had the cord wrapped tightly around her neck. The next day one of the nurses came in to see me and admitted that she and the rest of the nursing staff were a little scared by the whole situation...something I had wondered but would have never known due to their composure during chaos. The staff was absolutely AMAZING and I cannot speak highly enough about them. I had never even allowed the thought of a c-section to enter my mind during my pregnancy. In fact...each week Coy and I read a pregnancy book and had skipped over every section related to a c-section. However, in the moment I never questioned it for a second and just wanted this baby to come quick and safety.
This little baby was already a miracle and now we view her as a miracle times two. She is the most beautiful thing I have ever laid my eyes on and am so thankful for all of the love and prayers that were sent in the years waiting for her arrival and in the days since her arrival.
We are so blessed.
Please welcome our new little love Evelyn Jean...born at 5 pounds, 14 ounces.
