//My birth story

Liam was born on May 29,2014 and came into the world weighing 6 pounds 15 ounces and 21 inches long. He came out looking like a clone of my husband Andrew. I couldn't believe my eyes when they placed him in my chest after a very long and scary 38 hour labor.

It was May 28 at 3:45 in the morning when my water broke. This was his due date so I was ecstatic he was coming right on time! My husband and I did all the fun wives tales of trying to get this little guy out. My doctor told me the previous day that I was not dilated at all and was completely closed. If something didn't happen by the next week they would induce me and possibly have to do a c-section if that didn't work. My biggest fears were coming true or so I thought.

I wasn't one hundred percent my water broke so we waited 30 minutes and sure enough I was still walking around dripping like a faucet. We called our families to let them know the good news! My contractions started coming on so we grabbed our bags and off to the hospital we went.

It was about 5 in the morning when we got to the hospital. They checked us in and I was checked by a nurse to confirm my water did break. They also took my vitals and blood pressure. My blood pressure was really high. I thought well maybe I'm nervous I'm sure it will be fine. 

They took us to our room where we would stay and deliver. I started having stronger and more frequent contractions. They asked me about a million times if I wanted drugs. I refused and wanted to really try to have a natural birth. 

They keep taking your vitals and blood pressure and mine wasn't going down only up. However my pulse was good. My doctor came in and told me I had preeclampsia. ( Preeclampsia causes the blood vessels to constrict, resulting in high blood pressure and a reduced blood flow that can affect organs in your body, such as your liver, kidneys, and brain.) 

This could mean I could have a seizure during delivery and also put Liam's life at risk if I didn't get my blood pressure under control soon. 

Most women who get this it will show up later in pregnancy. Mine didn't until I was in labor. 

They put you on this awesome ( insert big sarcasm here) drug called Magnesium which makes all your muscles relax (great for contractions right?) and you feel hotter than the Sahara Desert. That stuff was awful. Then they put me on Pitocin to keep me contracting. I felt so awful at this point. I still didn't want an epidural so they gave me a drug similar to morphine. Bad idea. I felt even worse! Before that drug I contracted without pain meds for 14 hours. 

I eventually got the epidural because I just couldn't stand knowing this labor could last into the next day. Which it did, so I am happy I decided to get it. I was able to sleep that night which was much needed. 

I labored a total of 38 hours before Liam entered the world. My husband and his parents went to grab dinner at the cafeteria in the hospital. I was 7 cm dilated so they thought they had plenty of time. Within minutes after they left I told Andrew's grandma,who stayed with me, that I really felt like I needed to push. We called the nurse back in and I was at a 10cm! Andrew's grandma told them to hurry back up. I was so ready to get Liam out. I pushed for 45 minutes and he was out! My doctor was busy that day so he had another doctor he worked close with who would deliver. She was stuck in traffic and made it literally right after I pushed Liam out. It was the triage on call doctor that barely made it in with one glove on to deliver Liam. I was so done that I couldn't hold Liam in any longer. Sorry to the doctor who barely caught my kid! Opps!

Liam came out perfect! No breathing issues just very tired from the magnesium as well. It was a beautiful moment. Andrew's parents were able to be there as well as his grandma. Andrew's mom face timed my mom in during the birth so she could be apart of it. Our dear friend Andrea was also there to assist in anything we needed and to capture many pictures. I was so grateful to have everyone there.

We were told we had to stay in the hospital at least another 24 hours so that the magnesium could lower my blood pressure. We ended staying until Saturday afternoon. It wasn't ideal but it was nothing I could have prevented. I am now on way more medications than I ever thought I would be in my life. They are hoping to wean me off the blood pressure medicine but I am hoping not to get stuck on it for a very long time. My future pregnancies will now most likely have this issue. It's frustrating but there's nothing I could have done to prevent it. God has it under control and I have to trust in that. 

At the end of the day we were blessed with the most precious gift and I am thankful for the team of doctors, nurses and medicine that helped deliver him into this world. It wasn't what I had planned but then again now having Liam nothing is really planned anymore and I wouldn't change that for anything. 

Love Forever,

Chel Chel