November 02, 2012
When I found out I was pregnant I was fairly certain that my plans on ever having a natural birth were out the door but nothing prepared me for the roller coaster ride my son birth turned out to be. I was born with a uterus what was split in two that required reconstructive surgery and even after the surgery I was told I would probably never have children because my FSH levels were too high. Six months after my surgery I was PREGNANT!!! I could not believe it. I was automatically considered high risk and I was fairly disappointed that I wouldn't be able to have a natural birth, and that I wouldn't get to feel labour. To add insult to injury my placenta was covering my cervix. At 20 weeks we scheduled a c section for June 20, my due date was June 30th and even the doctors were skeptical I would make it that far so I was put on bed rest. I was jealous of all of my friends having babies and home births but I was happy I was having my little miracle baby so I did what ever it took to keep him inside until then.
4a.m. June 15th... I woke up and my bed was wet. I was in denial because it was not June 20th!! My husband and I decided to be safe then sorry so we went to the hospital. I was having back pain and I thought I was maybe going into labor. The hospital told me that it was a false alarm and that my water didn't break. We went home and something just didn't feel right, the main in my back was getting worse and I was fairly certain I was having contractions. I took a bath and within half an hour I was having contractions every 3 minutes. We got back into the car and went to the hospital. I knew that my contractions were getting closer together on the drive and as soon as we got to the hospital we were rushed into a room and they but the monitors on my belly. My sons heart rate was 212bpm and I was starting to bleed. There was no time to even think and comprehend what was about to happen, all we knew was baby had to come out now. I was rushed into the operating room while my husband got changed and he was brought in as the doctors started surgery. I was nervous I just wanted my baby to be ok, NICU was waiting in the wings and then my eyes got heavy. I couldn't keep them open. I felt like I was fighting for my life along with my babies. I held on long enough to hear him cry and then I was unconscious. My Husband said from that point the room went crazy, NICU came in to take the baby and he was dragged out of the room. He was told that he should notify my family because I lost a lot of blood and at this point they couldn't guarantee I would make it off the table.
Six hours later I made it out of surgery. I woke up and all I could do was ask for my baby. The nurses explained that he was in the NICU and they would get him for me but I had to relax because I lost a lot of blood and I needed to be very still. She obviously knew I wouldn't settle until I had my baby I had to se him. Finally he was brought to me and they laid him on my chest. I couldn't believe I had my not so little baby. My son Grayson Douglas Michael was born on June 15th 2011 weighing in a 9.5 lbs and 24 inches. My husband waited a couple of days to tell me the trauma of what happened after I went unconscious. It is a true testament that not everything goes as planned and its ok. I have now come to accept that this was the way my son was supposed to be born and that his birth was perfect even if it was a little scary and unplanned for.
This post was submitted by reader Jenna Marie Wendland, as part of our Every Mother Counts Birth Story Series. Jenna is a 28 year old proud mother of one. She comes from a large family right down to the fact that her Grandmother had 19 children! She and her husband of four years follow a more natural style of parenting, which includes babywearing.