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Hadley’s Birth Story

Hadley’s Birth Story

 

November 4, 2019 was the day I thought my life would change forever. It was the day I was being induced. Now if you’re new as to why I was induced it’s because I was on bed rest for one month for gestational hypertension. At 33 weeks my blood pressure went up and stayed elevated the more I was up doing things and working. I was never preeclamptic or had to be put on medication, but borderline high enough it was putting me at risk. As a business owner in retail approaching the busiest season of the year, this isn’t something I wanted to hear. I was frustrated and by week two thought I was going to lose it. I had to keep reminding myself of the greater outcome by taking care of myself first. I did what work I could from home and face-timed my mom and employees a whole lot to help them out in doing things they never had done and we made it work. So, at my 36 week appointment my blood pressure was still high. Doctors informed me that delivery is the only cure for hypertension in pregnant women and they would induce at 37 weeks because she would be term and the longer she stayed the worse it would get for me. Of course, I was beyond excited to finally be meeting my baby girl but it all got real, very quickly! I knew at 37 weeks she would be healthy and ready to meet us (so I thought). I went in that Monday (November 4) for them to do a cervical check and I was only 50% effaced and not dilated any — no where near ready, haha. Will and I left to go run some last minute errands and eat supper before heading to the hospital. At 6pm we checked in to the hospital (I was thinking I’d have a baby by the morning for sure.) I was hooked up to all the machines and they started me on Cervidil to go through the night. My back pain was UNREAL. The next morning I was at 1cm and 60% effaced. They began Pitocin at 10:30am. By Tuesday night I was frustrated. It had been 24 hours and I had barely made any progress. I was ready to throw in the towel and have a c-section. I was never really set on one way or the other, I just wanted her here the safest way possible. I am just really impatient, but wanted to prove to myself that I could have her vaginally. So, that’s the point they unhooked me from everything, let me get a shower and EAT ( I’ve never been more hungry. You would’ve thought I had been on one of those stranded episodes for 3 days I was so hungry). Will went and got me Tokyo Hibachi and all was good and recharged and ready to go with a clearer mindset. At 8pm they began me on Cytotec (lets go round 2!) By Wednesday morning when the doc made rounds she checked me again... still NO progress. I wanted to cry and give up SO bad. She told me to hang in there and be strong. She knew how frustrated and impatient I was getting so she told me she would attempt to break my water, but didn’t think she’d be able too. Well, she got it! (I won’t go in to detail here, but let’s just say we all died laughing). From there on I had a positive mindset. I knew either way I would start progressing and my baby would be here or it would end in a c-section within the day. They began Pitocin Round 2. I had some contractions by this point, but pretty tolerable. I had almost finished my Pitocin when I asked to go to the bathroom. I had been lying on my side for the monitor to get a good read on her heartbeat so I wasn’t aware, but my arm (the one with the IV) had swollen so big it looked like I could’ve got a needle and popped the fluid in it. Like, my mind went to worse case scenario: Grey’s Anatomy - having to slice my arm open with a scalpel to drain it. The IV had been put in wrong and was infiltrated 😡 so basically the last like 4 hours of Pitocin was a waste. They had to begin a new IV in the other hand and I was furious - also might I add this now makes the 4th IV I would have. (The first night the vein blew, leaving me massively bruised for 2 weeks, the second from the first 24 hours, the 3rd (that was infiltrated) was put in because of the other one not being good anymore and now this one.) I know, wonderful for a person who just LOVES needles — all kidding aside. Soon after getting the Pitocin to actually go in this time I began contracting (& bad!) I had a new nurse for the day that I had the day before as well (that I requested after the infiltration debacle). “Hatch” as she liked to be called was an angel. Such a fabulous nurse that gave the most sincere care for me. She told me her shift ended at 7 but if I were close to delivering she would stay. (Could’ve been my dad’s bribe of Krispy Kreme donuts he took her and the nurses haha) but hands down she was the best! Everyone in the healthcare system needs to be more like her and have care for her patients like she did! Anyways... contractions got worse and quick!! I was in major pain and begged for an epidural... at 2cm- such a wimp, I know. I have a pretty low pain tolerance to say the least. After my epidural, all was fine & dandy, aside from the fact I shook like I was freezing in Antarctica. I went to 4cm pretty quickly after and that’s when the doc checked me again and said it could take a while what did I want to do. I knew I saw progression and that’s all that mattered to me, so I wanted to stick through it and have her vaginally. She told me she was going home that the nurses would call her when I was at an 8. (Didn’t know at the time she lived 45 min away 😑) Well, about 1.5 hours after that I needed to push. I told them I couldn’t wait. When you have the urge, you have the urge, okay? My new nurse had started her shift and “Hatch” had gone in to deliver her other patient. My new nurse was also another one of the best parts of my experience. She was so great at the pushing process and the way she cared and helped me just made it so much more comfortable. She talked me through everything and checked me and I was complete - 10cm. It’s go time!! They told me they had called the doc and she was on the way. I couldn’t wait to push so she informed me that we would begin the pushing process until the doc got there to help bring the baby on down. She also told me if something happened and the doc didn’t get there the on call hospital OB doc was down the hall and would step in to deliver. I honestly was in so much pain, I didn’t care who was there at this point to catch the baby. After like 30 min, the doc still wasn’t there - beyond frustrated at this point. Remember when I said she lived 45 min away, I didn’t know this at the time, she also didn’t leave when they called... so after about an hour (maybe a little longer) of pushing she shows up, cracks a few jokes I wasn’t in the mood for and we get the show on the road. Well my epidural had worn off quite a bit by this point. I felt way more than I thought I would and had read about with people who had epidurals. I mean a good thing and bad thing - being I could feel enough to push and know what was going on down there. The nurse asked if I wanted a mirror to watch, that it may help and I said no. Several pushes later and when she started to crown they asked again if I wanted a mirror and I said yes and they were right it does help motivate you to push, also something that everyone should see if they are able, the miracle of birth- wow, God's amazing. I was so close again to giving up. Seeing your baby’s head stay at the same place for minutes on minutes of pushing will exhaust you physically and mentally. I told myself multiple times, along with my wonderful husband helping me breathe that I could do it, to be strong. It’s such a mental game I feel like, but he was so good and by my side keeping me calm the entire time. I don't know what I would've done without him. And then another set of contractions came and on the push that I definitely didn’t think would do anything, baby girl made her debut! 💖 Such a rewarding and emotional moment to hear your baby’s first cries. She was put skin-to-skin and Will cut the cord and all was right in our world! She arrived at 8:37pm on November 6, 2019 weighing 6lbs 12oz, 20.5in long. She was beautiful and perfect and all ours! Delivering the placenta felt just as painful as the birth it seems like, as well as some stitching that had to take place - note my face in the photos and me trying to breathe and stay calm while she's on my chest (crying from happiness and pain at the same time, ha). It’s crazy what our bodies can do as women. God is amazing and I just am in awe. How can any person not believe in God and the miracle he allows us to be a part of. Our baby was with us for 24 hours before being taken to NICU, but I’ll hit on that subject another time. But for now I am going to enjoy this time with my beautiful, one month old baby girl. I definitely have a new respect for L&D, Postpartum and Neonatal Nurses. Bless you and thank you for all you do! ❤️ I will definitely be back to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. Overall such a pleasant experience (minus the one mishap), and such a great place to be in case of being admitted to NICU, so I’m very glad to say the least we were where we were. Hope you enjoyed this long story if you held out this long and cared enough to read! Click the link to watch her delivery and photos of her 1st month! 💖

Click to watch Hadley's Birth + 1 month of happy life 

 

 

Hadley’s Birth Story

Hadley’s Birth Story

Comment (1)

Kim & Will congratulations on your precious little one, she’s amazing. Our granddaughter Ashton had our little miracle on 11/21/19. She had miscarried 3 times so this little fella is quite special to us. She’s experienced almost the same thing you did with her induction. But God is so incredible and has blessed you and Will with this beautiful little girl that will forever steal your heart. So proud for you both. Merry Christmas!!

Glenda Kennedy

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