Sonya Laurali Seraphina Birth Story, Pictures - LONG and not finished
What was planned for my baby girl is completely different from the reality of what happened. I had a very easy pregnancy - little to no nausea and no morning sickness to speak of, slight heartburn and some minor hip and chest pain at the end of the time frame. I ran over a week late. I had a few little problems with myself with my blood pressure near the end. But no Gestational diabetes, no toxemia, no pre-eclempsia.
My plan was a fully natural child birth - a water birth with music, and soft lights and candles. All kinds of things were set up and I was excited about. Needless to say - this is not at all what happened.
Her story starts on my prenatal appointment on Monday -Because we are still measuring only 39ish weeks, and that we are now passed the due date. We were set up for another ultrasound for a biological review.
However my apt ended after 6pm so the ultrasound place was closed.
So Tuesday April 21, 2009 I called and set up the Biological review. They were able to get me in that day. In less than an hour I got a call from my midwife and I was risked out of the birth center - it appears my amniotic fluid was low, as well as she seemed to be lazy on breathing and moving. I was referred to Emmanuel Legacy Hospital. They wanted me in that night and for an induction to get the ball rolling
because there were some danger signs and she needed to come out and we couldn’t wait for her to decide to come out on her own.
They wanted to run some stress tests and everything was set before I arrived to start the induction.
So we got everything packed up, got Athena off to Grandpa’s,and went and grabbed food, and wouldn’t you know it I started to have contractions and started pretty much immediately with the 4-5 minutes apart about 1 minute long and I ran the potty and I had my first sign and bloody show- so I thought maybe we could not worry about induction. Since I happened to start on my own.
So I got into the hospital and they hooked me up to the monitors and yes I was contracting - but there was immediately a large problem. Sonya’s heartbeat started to stall after each contraction - so not good. And combined with the bad biological report the doctor came in with what I would consider the worst news possible - that natural birth, the child most likely wouldn’t survive the stress of a normal vaginal birth. So everyone left me with Michael so we could discuss it. The absolutely last thing I wanted was a C section. After I stopped crying a bit and calmed down we called in Anne, our Doula and one of my midwifes showed up - Adele and we talked with them. They both knew how much I really wanted a natural birth but there was real concern for Sonya’s health. So after long discussion I agreed to the procedure and I was soon wheeled into the surgery.
I got numbed with a spinal so I was awake during the surgery. As far as things go - It was absolutely the right thing to do was the C Section Sonya had passed poop/merconium into the amniotic sac and she had aspirated it and was having a very hard time with breathing. Michael left my side and was with her through the first several hours. She was sent to Nicu -
She was born on April 21, 2009 at 11.59 pm; she is 6 lbs 14 ounces, and 19.5 inches long. She has been in the Nicu since then. She was put on CPAP most of the night and it looks like today she is breathing better, she had a chest x-ray - found she had a small hole in her lungs and air was leaking into her lung wall - that appears to also have cleared up. However the new concern today is that she is having what appears to be seizure events. So it is possible she hadn’t got enough oxygen during the birth or while in the womb or or or. They are checking to make sure there is no spinal infection. And they are running an EKG.
So at this point her story is not over.
I was able to hold her for a very small amount of time. But I feel blessed because I was told I probably couldn’t hold her till things are more settled.
A few pictures -unfortunately they aren’t the best and she has tubes and all kinds of things on her. But she has the most hair I have ever seen on a baby.
cross posted to My personal journal, pregnant and April_2009
My plan was a fully natural child birth - a water birth with music, and soft lights and candles. All kinds of things were set up and I was excited about. Needless to say - this is not at all what happened.
Her story starts on my prenatal appointment on Monday -Because we are still measuring only 39ish weeks, and that we are now passed the due date. We were set up for another ultrasound for a biological review.
However my apt ended after 6pm so the ultrasound place was closed.
So Tuesday April 21, 2009 I called and set up the Biological review. They were able to get me in that day. In less than an hour I got a call from my midwife and I was risked out of the birth center - it appears my amniotic fluid was low, as well as she seemed to be lazy on breathing and moving. I was referred to Emmanuel Legacy Hospital. They wanted me in that night and for an induction to get the ball rolling
because there were some danger signs and she needed to come out and we couldn’t wait for her to decide to come out on her own.
They wanted to run some stress tests and everything was set before I arrived to start the induction.
So we got everything packed up, got Athena off to Grandpa’s,and went and grabbed food, and wouldn’t you know it I started to have contractions and started pretty much immediately with the 4-5 minutes apart about 1 minute long and I ran the potty and I had my first sign and bloody show- so I thought maybe we could not worry about induction. Since I happened to start on my own.
So I got into the hospital and they hooked me up to the monitors and yes I was contracting - but there was immediately a large problem. Sonya’s heartbeat started to stall after each contraction - so not good. And combined with the bad biological report the doctor came in with what I would consider the worst news possible - that natural birth, the child most likely wouldn’t survive the stress of a normal vaginal birth. So everyone left me with Michael so we could discuss it. The absolutely last thing I wanted was a C section. After I stopped crying a bit and calmed down we called in Anne, our Doula and one of my midwifes showed up - Adele and we talked with them. They both knew how much I really wanted a natural birth but there was real concern for Sonya’s health. So after long discussion I agreed to the procedure and I was soon wheeled into the surgery.
I got numbed with a spinal so I was awake during the surgery. As far as things go - It was absolutely the right thing to do was the C Section Sonya had passed poop/merconium into the amniotic sac and she had aspirated it and was having a very hard time with breathing. Michael left my side and was with her through the first several hours. She was sent to Nicu -
She was born on April 21, 2009 at 11.59 pm; she is 6 lbs 14 ounces, and 19.5 inches long. She has been in the Nicu since then. She was put on CPAP most of the night and it looks like today she is breathing better, she had a chest x-ray - found she had a small hole in her lungs and air was leaking into her lung wall - that appears to also have cleared up. However the new concern today is that she is having what appears to be seizure events. So it is possible she hadn’t got enough oxygen during the birth or while in the womb or or or. They are checking to make sure there is no spinal infection. And they are running an EKG.
So at this point her story is not over.
I was able to hold her for a very small amount of time. But I feel blessed because I was told I probably couldn’t hold her till things are more settled.
A few pictures -unfortunately they aren’t the best and she has tubes and all kinds of things on her. But she has the most hair I have ever seen on a baby.
cross posted to My personal journal, pregnant and April_2009
