Just last week I posted a peek of my little princess’s room. She had a scheduled c-section for October 10, but of course my babies always have their own plans on when they want to arrive (remember, Aidan was a 26 week baby).
So I had been having contractions on and off for a few weeks. I’d been on and off bed rest, but they were what the doctors considered normal, Braxton Hicks contractions…nothing to be alarmed about. Well all day Saturday and Sunday, I didn’t feel Ella move much. Monday came and she finally started moving again, so I decided to wait until my Wednesday appointment to talk to the doctor about her moving less and about the small contractions I’d been having. Tuesday, my contractions began to hurt, just a little, and mostly in my lower back.
I went to the doctor Wednesday and they hooked me up to the NST machine to measure my contractions. She said they were 7 minutes apart, but they were not strong contractions. I was concerned because in the beginning of my pregnancy, I was told they were going to give me steroids at 34 weeks, then take the baby around 35 after an amniocentesis showed her lungs were ready. They didn’t want her to weigh over 5 lbs or so because of the scar tissue from Aidan. But my pregnancy was going so smoothly, that they kept pushing it back and back and finally decided I could go to term–although I still didn’t believe I’d make it.
Anyway, Wednesday after my appointment, they told me to call them if the contractions got closer together, or became painful. I could barely eat my lunch because they were painful. So I went to work for a little while anyway (because I’m stubborn). But around 3, they were unbearable, so I went into the hospital to be monitored. My doctor called them to tell them I was coming, and just to watch my contractions and give me some fluid because I was probably just dehydrated. They ran 3 bags of fluid and my contractions didn’t stop, but they weren’t strong. I was only dilated 1 cm. But just to be on the safe side, they decided to keep me overnight and just keep monitoring me.
While I was being moved into the Labor & Delivery rooms for monitoring, my placenta abrupted. I got up to get off my bed and onto the other bed, and I was sitting in a pool of blood. My contractions became very painful, and were every 2 minutes. Every contractions, I was bleeding more. My doctor ordered an emergency c-section, and it only took about 20 minutes to prep the OR and get me in there. My husband hardly made it to see her birth, he walked in just as they were beginning the surgery.
The worst part, my epidural was not effective. I could still feel my legs, and every pinch, cut, clamp, you name it. I think they kept giving me different medicines to try to control my pain level, but they couldn’t stop the c-section. My blood pressure was rising, I believe the last I remember it was around 270/150. The placenta was pulling away and there was fear that Ella would go without oxygen. So instead of a numbing epidural I was given something that made my face numb, then something that made me black out for a minute (either that or I died, I’m not sure) but I did come back to. I remember screaming–and it was the most horrible experience of my life. I know that I asked to see her, but I remember my doctor telling me I could but I wouldn’t remember seeing her (and I didn’t).
But Ella is here now, and I’m so thankful. I’m thankful to God that I was at the hospital when my placenta abrupted. My doctor told me that had I been at home, Ella would not have lived–and the chances that I survived would have been small. I was bleeding too much. And on top of my placenta abrupting, my uterus also tore open. I’m lucky to have a perfectly healthy baby girl, and also get to live to see my babies grow up. It was the scariest day of my life, but also one of the happiest.
Margaret Elizabeth Small was born just as her namesake (my granny) was admitted back into our local hospital for her pneumonia. My granny hasn’t met her yet, but she has seen pictures. Ella weighs 4 pounds 11 ounces and is 17 inches long. She’s a good size for a 33 week preemie. She’s a lucky, loved little girl.
I never thought I could love a baby like I love Aidan, but this little girl has me wrapped around her finger just like her big brother. She’s the most beautiful baby I’ve ever seen and I can’t wait to see the beautiful young lady she becomes.
I got to peek at her without her c-pap…
Holding her for the first time
Aidan got to meet his baby sister, just for a second. His little heart was broken that he couldn’t see her right after she was born. He said “She’s so beautiful and soft!”
She got off her c-pap last night. They wanted to see if she could breathe on her own, and she made it all night long without it. I’m so proud of her!
She’s so beautiful, and I’m so in love with her.
by Carrie Small
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