Birth story

I've never been one to want to read peoples birth stories but so many people have asked what transpired early Wednesday morning I will compose a short summary. If you don't like reading stuff like this, stop reading now! I won't be offended.

Well I started bleeding again on Monday and just had a feeling something wasn't right. Tuesday morning they took me down to L&D and I had some contractions and my blood count was low but by the afternoon it was all better. I had contractions on and off but not too bad and they kept saying that they would send me back to antepatrum the next day if things still looked good. Tuesday night I rook an ambien to sleep and did for a few hours but by 4 am her heartbeat started looking worse than it has been. They came in and said they were just watching it and seeing if it would change. I knrw jn my heart something wasnt right because I had seen Maggie on the moniotor everyday for 6 weeks and knew what "normal" was for her. I kept telling the resident that I just wanted to get her out in time if I was going to deliver. He was very noncommittal and just said let's just watch and happen.
About 5 am they did a sonogram and during that time I started having major contractions about 2 minutes apart. They didn't know cause they had unhooked me from the monitor to do the sono. I was in tears and writhing in pain but he still said they were going to watch because they didn't see anything wrong as far as placenta coming off. They thought IV fluids might help stop it. They wouldn't give me an epidural in case the contractions stopped. But by 6 I was contracting about 1 minute apart and was in excruciating pain. I hadn't practiced my "breathing" cause I never thought for a second I would get that far before my c-section. I didn't know this until later but by 6:15 I had a fever and her HB was dropping really bad. They told me the dr was on her way and told Justin to get scrubs on. They never even said "Okay we are delivering" because it happened so fast. The next thing I knew the antestesiologist rushed in literally flipped me over so fast and did the epideral. I was in so much pain and was jumping off the bed practically. Everyone was rushing around like crazy and it was scary. By 6:25 they rushed me into OR and there were teams of drs and nurses rushing around. (By this time Justin got back to our room and my bed was gone and had to go searching to find the right OR room). In the OR, they got me set up so fast and it took them about a minute to get Maggie out. I found out later saw that my placenta was abrupting and so they got her out just in time and it also probably explains the terrible I was having an hour earlier- it was contractions plus my placenta tearing away.

I didn't hear her cry at first so I freaked out - I didn't even get to see her the NICU rushed her off so fast to an adjoining room. So i panicked a little but Justin told me later that she did offer a little cry that my husband heard. They quickly intubated her and took her upstairs. For the next few hours we learned later that the first machine she was on she didn't so well. So a few hours later she was switched to the high frequency ventilator which she has done so much better on. Her blood pressure was too high and she was on 100% oxygen. But by Thursday she was on 21% oxygen (which is human air) and her blood pressure was more normalized. So that is a blessing. She is jaundice so they have the light on her. Her second day was a better day but it is still scary and they keep saying she may be on a honeymoon period and could backtrack. But I am so grateful she is here and alive. I wish I could have made it longer but everyone says to have prom'd at 14 weeks and make it this far is great.

Anyways I just wanted peopleto know that the drs said they literally got her out just in time- that with the abruption it could have ended a lot differently. And the fever probably meant I got an infection in those last hours. And that was dangerous to both of us. We had an amazing team of doctors - including the head of the NICU-work on Maggie. My drs were amazing, too. With my issues they said giving me a hysterectomy in the end was a possibility with all my body had been through but they didn't have to do that. All things that we prayed about, God answered us and protected Maggie. We praise God for the outcome and writing all of this has reminded me again that I shouldn't worry so much about all that's going on with Maggie in the NICU but instead should pray. God has been good to us and has led us through the past 4 months and I know He will through this, too. But I just wanted all to know that not only is Maggie a true miracle from
God but that He was there with us every step of the way. I was definitely scared at times but I felt His presence and His comfort the whole time.