Belly bumps with my sweet friend Cynthia!

On August 20, 2017 I went church knowing the day of my induction had arrived. My dear friends Amy, Cynthia, and Amy prayed over me and we went home to rest and wait for a bed at the hospital to open up. Around 7 that night after we got the call to come in, we left as my mother in law stopped us to pray over us one more time.  

We arrived at the hospital and I could feel a pit in my stomach. 

I was so nervous and felt defeated that my body did not go into labor naturally. A las, we filled out lots of paperwork, hooked up to an iv (I was strep B positive so antibiotics were needed), and settled for the night. 

But our night was anything but settled. I was given Benedryl to help me sleep, but for whatever reason it caused me to have restless leg syndrome. Every time I would drift off, my leg would jerk and I would wake back up. My sweet OB came in the next morning and felt horrible for waking me after such a long night.

Saying Hi to my family in the waiting area

After 2 rounds of cervedil, my OB decided it was time to break my water. 

Honestly, my memory is a little hazy, but I think at this point Pitocin was started and labor continued to progress but very slowly. I remember at one point looking at the nurse asking when it would end; the pain. That night was one of the longest nights of my life but there were still many blessings. My sweet friend Cynthia offered to pray for me anytime I was discouraged. We called her several times through out the night for encouragement and prayer. About 24 hours after pitocin, I was exhausted and just wanted to sleep so we decided to get an epidural. 

After 2 full days, I was finally able to get some good rest. Then early the next morning a new OB called to ask for me to be checked. If I had not progressed, we would need to go to c-section. 

I stopped progressing at 5 cm. I vividly remember looking at my husband with tears in his eyes. 

He wanted so badly for me to get what I wanted. A vaginal deliver. Thankfully all of the staff gave us about 20 minutes of privacy to accept the news that I would need surgery.

I remember feeling so incredibly defeated in that moment. I felt like I failed. I felt like my body failed my baby. It certainly doesn't help the medical field calls this "failure to progress". It was not suppose to go this way. But about a hour later my the new on call OB walked in with tears in her eyes, expressing how proud she was of me. I did everything in my power to bring my baby into the world, but it was now time to meet my little girl. Her grace and encouragement gave me the courage to face surgery and the unexpected trials in my delivery.

I went to the post op area in sooo much pain.

Maybe my body was just exhausted after almost 3 days of labor? Maybe it was hormones? Maybe my healing incision? But it wasn’t. It took several more hours before I was stable enough to go to the L&D floor.  The next couple of days, we had many well-wishers and family welcome our new baby and got newborn pictures done. Then 6 days after I arrived, I was released. 

Again, looking back I should not have been released. 

I remember not feeling well and expressing that to my nurse, but she dismissed me saying it was “normal” to be nausea and fatigued. I went home and rested as much as I could with a nursing newborn. Thankfully, my mom stayed with us and was willing to help with middle of the night feedings. Ironically, she was the best at getting my new baby to burp after feeding. But, little did any of us know I had an uterine infection brewing. 

Three days later I would be rushed back to the ER with a fever and unbearable pain. 

I remember the ER doctor coming into exam me. Obviously my abdomen was still tender after the c-section, but she expressed I was in more pain than normal. She order a CT scan. I vividly remember she saying I may have appendicitis and may need another surgery.  My poor mom had to excuse herself. When she walked back in, I asked if she was ok. With tears in her eyes, she told me I know you have a baby now but you are my baby. Thankfully, I was diagnosed with "only" a uterine infection. The ER doctor wanted to send me home on antibiotics but my OB wanted IV antibiotics. I would need to stay another three days. Thankfully hospital policy allowed my baby to stay with me since it was an obstetrics issue. 

After three uneventful days we were discharged again. 

I will never forget the feeling of coming home again. I was so grateful I was home, but scared I would need to go back again. Thankfully I would not. We would be able to enjoy our new family of three +1 canine. :)