My due date with baby number 2 was April 4th and we were attempting VBAC! I was extremely passionate about this and thought about my attempt every single day. On March 31st I went into spontaneous labor, just as I had wanted! I wasn't dilated when we got to the hospital but I was in active labor so they admitted me to L&D because I was considered too high risk to send home. I wasn't making any progress in L&D. My mom arrived with her video camera and said, "let's get walking." I probably walked 2 miles around L&D that night. We went back to the room and I still wasn't dilated. My mom insisted we keep walking and suggested walking up and down stairs. My contractions were so strong but I endured them and began walking up and down the stairs, determined to deliver this baby vaginally. We went back to the room after I had walked my heart out, I needed to rest. While laying in the bed I felt this weird rolling/pulling sensation inside my belly. It freaked me out! 5 min later I was shocked to see that my water broke! Yes, this was all going exactly how I had wanted! Emotions began to flood in and I started crying. Was I scared? Yes. Was I determined to not let that fear take over and break me down? Absolutely. The nurse came in to check me and I was dilated to a 3! Everything after that just flowed so smoothly. Contractions hit harder and more painful. I sat in the tub at the hospital breathing through them with the encouragement of my mother and Bill. At about 6 1/2 cm I gave in and got the epidural. It eased my pain until it became ineffective at 8 cm. I felt everything again and the back labor was excruciating. Before I knew it it was 10 cm and it was time to push. Push after push I never lost my momentum. I pushed hard everytime and if not harder the next. I was almost there. She was almost here. I was getting that one thing (besides the safe and healthy delivery of my daughter of course) I desired since my cesarean in 2011. This was happening and I cried with rapture. However, things changed rather quickly once my daughters heart rate went from 162 to 86 and back up to 180ish. The doctor stood beside me and said that my urine bag had a significant amount of blood in it and they were concerned. Also, of course my daughters skittish heart rate. I began to sob. I went through all this and did everything right...just to have this happen to me. I looked over at Bill, and he was crying too. My biggest supporter and fan. The love of my life who had been there for me since the beginning, felt my pain at that exact moment and I knew this had to be done. They wheeled me back to the OR and got to work. When my daughter was delivered to me I got to see/hold her right away. She was beautiful and HEALTHY and ALIVE. Two things I knew was more important than my own life.
During recovery the OB that performed my cesarean came in to explain to me everything that happened. My uterus was "pushes" away from rupturing. It was so thin that they didn't even have to cut it open to get my daughter, they simply peeled it back. I had to get a compete reconstruction of my uterus. My bladder was logged up in my rib cage and was near tearing. They had to take it out and replace it in the correct spot. Wow, after hearing all of this I can't help but feel relieved and LUCKY. I was minutes away from having a hysterectomy and peeing in a bag for the rest of my life. I'm only 22. I still don't have the words to describe my complete feelings towards this but I do know one thing. Lucy Eleanor is here alive and well and she'll get to be a big sister in the future.
Awe!(: I love this Natalie! Your great and I definitely look up to you!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Melody! 😘 means a lot to me that you look up to me! That's so awesome.
DeleteOh my gosh, you did awesome mama! glad you both came out of that okay and are healthy :)
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