Marlea’s birth story pt 2
My birth story part 2. I decided to make my birth story into 2 parts. It was harder to get in the mindset to write the second part. Things drastically changed.
Monday May 24th, 2021 around 5:30am probably, we all finally fell asleep.
8:00 am the lights came on. A new midwife came in and woke us up and said “I’m gonna check you”. I still have not dilated any from a 7. She recommended a cesarean. She says I should have a baby by now. She tells me she is worried about postpartum hemorrhage and infection. I tell her I am not concerned and do not want a c section. She pounds her fist on her hand like it’s her game plan, says alright we will break your water and give you Pitocin. I told her I do not want that either and asked why she thought I needed it. She says it will help speed things up. I was hesitant but agreed. So she does the procedure.
Whenever she leaves, I tell my doula that is Christine. The midwife that rolled her eyes at my birth plan that I did not want. I found out almost a year later when I received my records that she gave me max Pitocin. My nurse tells me to remember that I do not have to consent. And that she is “Happy to cut” we ask about the doctor so we can switch. And she says she is happy to cut also. We ask what would happen if I do not consent to a cesarean. She says she doesn't know that has never seen that happen.
Around 11 she comes into the room. She Does not check me. She tells me if things do not progress I will need a cesarean. We asked her if we could try to labor down or use a peanut ball to move around. She says that will not work. But my doula and nurse help me move anyways.
Around 12:30 My hips started hurting and I asked the nurse and my doula if that was normal and they said no and I started to feel my contractions again. The anesthesiologist comes in and says something is wrong with the line and another anesthesiologist comes in to help him. At the same time Rhett’s heart rate starts to dip and Christine comes in the room and tells me she is giving me an amnioinfusion. She does not tell me what it is, I have done some research and I believe she broke my water too soon. Well she didn’t have to break it at all. Anyways she tells me that if Rhett’s heart kept dipping I would be getting a cesarean. I asked her if it was due to my blood pressure dipping since that was the cause last night and she told me no and acted mad that I would even ask that. She tells me I have an hour or less depending on Rhett’s heart.
She comes back in the room at 1 pushing a cesarean again telling us she is worried about postpartum hemorrhage, infection. She tells us she had a C-section when she had her twins and that she is fine. She has Dr Huffman come into the room to tell us the same thing. We tell her we want more time.
1:30 she comes running back into the room with a consent paper in her hand. She says she is not going to sit and watch his heart rate keep dropping. I tell her no and she says I have to consent and I just stare at her for what seems like 10 minutes, probably only 10 seconds. My husband asks her to please leave and give us a minute. My doula tells us the baby is okay. My husband tells me it is starting to scare him and starts to cry. She comes running back in the room. Literally (not kidding) shoving the paper in my face. I agree with it mainly because of my husband And sign. They are packing up our room for the or so quickly and prepping my body, before I even sign the form.
I ask my Doula to give Christine my birth plan. There was a c section portion on it. She does and tells her that she signed off on it. Christine takes the papers and that is the last time we see her.
We are wheeled down the hall to the OR. They were looking everywhere for my mask and eventually just gave me one of the nurses because they couldn’t find it and were in such a hurry. We get to the OR and the anesthesiologist stays with me the whole time. My husband has to wait in the hall while they prepare me for surgery.
They make a cut then call my husband in the room. He was not happy because they told him he would be in there for the whole thing. They do the whole procedure. Rhett is born at 2:21. Rhett was in an OP position and had a nuchal cord. He had a sort of cone head and an indentation at his forehead. I imagine them pulling him out of my pelvis.
They did not show me the baby immediately after he was born. I heard him crying and asked if he was cute. They did not let my doula in the room to take photos. I was unable to hold him right away because I was so out of it from all the medication. They clapped the cord and let My husband cut it also.. they immediately rubbed all the vernix off of his skin.
They put him on my chest and took me to the recovery room where There were curtains separating us from other families. It was kinda like a big closet. My nurses were great and helped me get a latch during golden hour.
Before going to the OR
First time seeing eachother
“Cutting” the cord (it was already cut)
Wiping him completely dry
First time holding him
Nurse helping him latch
