Very early in the morning on Sunday,July 18th, I wasn't sleeping well, bleeding some and just feeling awful. I was not contracting a ton (comparatively) and was not wanting to call the on call OB because I had just been discharged on Friday. Around 4am I decided I need to call the doctor and between the tears told her how I felt and that I didn't know why but something just felt wrong. As I had suspected I was to head to the hospital. I was only 27weeks and 3days and we weren't taking any chances.
I arrived at the hospital at about 5am. I was contracting a lot, every 2 or 3 minutes. They hooked my up to fluids and I was given terbudaline shots a few times but they only relieved the contractions for 8 to 10 minutes before they would start up again just as frequent and strong. Fortunately I was not having significant cervical change (hadn't changed from a 2-3cm that week) and I would not be put on magnesium to stop the contractions. The baby and I had already been exposed to magnesium 3 times at about 48hours each time. Because I was only 6months along, I was admitted to the hospital for the 5th time. I hated being that patient who kept coming back. But at least this was the first time I called the doctor because I felt something was wrong, the only time I initiated it.
Before I went to my room I got an ultrasound to check the fluid levels and the baby's measurements, the estimate was about 2lbs 3oz. The tech felt it necessary to check my cervical length and it was much shorter than the previous measurement in weeks prior. I was given meds occasionally through out the day in hopes of stopping the contractions. I was bored an watched TV and tried to rest all day and the contractions eventually started to ease up in the afternoon. Ryan and Haylie were at church, Ashtyn had stayed home with Ryan's parents. After church Ryan was going to bring Haylie to have dinner with me. Since church got out at 4:20pm and Ryan had to do tithing, I knew they would be to the hospital shortly after 5pm. The on call OB Dr. Rosario came to check on me and we discussed that I would have to stay until my contractions stopped and had been under control for a while but that everything looked fine I was just contracting without any change. I decided to use the restroom (empty bladder means less false contractions) and planned on looking in the mirror to make sure I looked ok before Ryan and Haylie came. I felt a lot of pressure and my bag of water bulged. I pulled the call button cord in the restroom and yelled that I needed help. At least 3 nurses came in and were a little freaked out. Before they could figure out what to do with me, my water broke. It was just after 5pm. The nurses went into emergency mode. I was trying to get a hold of Ryan before he got there, but couldn't. I was calling my in-laws to have someone come get Haylie when She and Ryan arrived. I felt like I was in a bubble and not really apart of all of it going on. I remember a nurse telling me everything would be ok but I was NOT ok with having my baby so early, everything just felt wrong and I was scared.
Thankfully when they checked me I was still only dilated to a 2-3cm and delivery wasn't immediate things calmed down some. I thought maybe I could stay pregnant longer since I had heard of many other cases where women had were able to be kept pregnant even after their water broke. I was hopeful. Ryan and Haylie arrived and being able to love on my little girl and have my husband there was so comforting.
I guess Dr Rosario had just left the hospital 10 mins before getting the call that my water broke and turned around right before getting home and my OB Dr. Mystie came in a couple hours earlier than when she was on call to be there as well. I would have to have a c-section when the time came because of the incision from Ashtyn's delivery. When Dr. Mystie checked me around 5:30 I was still only at a 3 but there was blood and placenta.
The situation again became emergent because the baby wasn't handling the contractions well and any blood being lost after the water breaks is blood that would have been going to the baby. With the baby being so little they couldn't risk any distress on her so we were headed to another emergency c-section. Dr. Mystie talked with me before the surgery telling me that there may not be time for a spinal because of the baby's heart rate. In the ER I remember her discussing it with the anesthesiologist and trying to get the baby's heart rate on the monitor (which was hard anyway because she was so small). I remember feeling relieved when Dr Mystie just told him to put me under general...
Our baby girl was born at 5:56pm on July 18th, 2010. When I woke up I was in horrible pain. They were trying to get the morphine pump set up and it was taking much longer that I needed. General was great because being awake in the OR with such a tiny baby drove my anxiety up the wall with Ashtyn and this time I was feeling much worse before they decided to put me under, but you can still feel everything when you wake up. All I could think about was my baby, getting a breast pump, and the pain.
I was told our baby girl was doing well. She cried when they were assessing her and getting her measurements. She was 2lbs 4oz (we were told 2lbs 8oz for some reason). She was on some oxygen and pressurized air from a VapoTherm. As soon as they got the Morphine pump set up I insisted on seeing our baby. My OB came and talked with me in these few minutes that I had been awake. I remember her telling me about my incision and that the baby look good but that the placenta came out looking old.
I think I was in an out of it after the pump was giving my feel good drugs. When I was more with it I was able to see our baby. She was so tiny. she looked perfect tho. I couldn't believe how well she was doing. What an amazing blessing to have her do so well after coming so early. I ached to hold her and put her close to me to help her to breathe and do well. I knew it would be about a week before I was able to hold her and I cried. I wasn't able to stay for long, I was still in the hospital bed and would be able to come back when I could handle being in a wheelchair or walking. I felt comfort in that fact that she was being cared for by Pam, the same nurse who took care of Ashtyn right after birth and she was even in the same bed space as her older sister. I knew this was a good place for her to be... if she couldn't be in me.
12weeks and 4days earlier than her due date our little girl, who did not have a name yet, was here.
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