July 28th was a typical Thursday I was just trying to get through my work day so I could get home and lay down. As the day progressed I started feeling worse and worse. My upper abdomen hurt in a way that it never had before and while at a department luncheon I noticed my ankles and feet had swollen drastically. I ended up leaving work a little bit early to beat some of the Atlanta traffic and Brian suggested we go swim to see if it would help me feel better. Unfortunately the pool didn't help so we grabbed some dinner and headed home to go to bed.
Around 1:30AM I hit my boiling point. I couldn't get comfortable and was completely restless with increasing pain. In tears, I woke up Brian and after going back and forth he decided we should go to the hospital to make sure everything was okay, I already had hospital bags packed for me and the baby so we grabbed those and left for the hospital. I was admitted to triage for my general exam and was expecting for them to tell me I was being a baby and that they would see me in four weeks, but I could tell right away by the expressions of the nurses and doctors that something was wrong.
Brian's nametag
There I was at 35 weeks and 5 days pregnant paralyzed in fear waiting to hear what was going on with me. I was poked and prodded for blood work, got an IV set, and my blood pressure was being taken every five minutes. Brian was doing his best to keep me calm, but I could tell he was scared too. My blood work finally came back and two doctors walked into my room. you could have knocked me over with a feather when the doctor said I had developed severe preeclampsia and for my safety as well as the baby's we are going to induce me.
We had gone over so many birth scenarios but never thought of an emergency induction, I thought my only chance of induction was me going over my due date. I was immediately placed on magnesium and penicillin so that they could give me my first induction pill in a few hours once my blood pressure had stabilized...it was in the 190's right after they told me I was being induced.
At 9:45AM on Friday, July 29th I was given my first pill for induction. Brian made a quick trip back to our house to pack a bag for himself and to take our dogs to the boarder. We notified our parents and close friends of what was going on and I did my best to mentally prepare that this was actually happening. I was moved from triage to my room and man did we luck out. I got the corner room and it was huge! My mom quickly packed up and started the drive from West Virginia and my in-laws in Cleveland, OH booked their flight to get in late Friday evening. The silver lining of the weekend was presented shortly after I got settled into my room...it was Harry Potter weekend y'all!!! I know it seem silly but that was the best thing that could've happened. All the things I was terrified of I got to have done with the comfort of Harry Potter. I was watching Chamber of Secrets when they broke my water and Prisoner of Azkaban when I got my epidural. I was blessed with amazing nurses they entire time but my first night nurse, Alyssa, was the one there for all the truly scary things for me and she kept me calm with her fellow love for Harry Potter, all things Disney, and Parks and Rec.
My dilation was being checked every few hours and around 5:00PM on Saturday, July 30th the doctor when to check to see where I was, the last time she checked I was at 5cm, and her eyes got really big and she said they baby's head was down and ready...it was time to push.
Everyone cleared out of the room except for Brian and my nurse, Colette. Colette said that everyone else was getting things prepared and that I would be pushing until the baby crowned and then the doctors and other nurses would come in. I was scared but not stressed because they told me they wouldn't let me push for anything more than twenty minutes for mine and the baby's safety. Colette gave me my instructions and we waited for the next contraction to push. I made my first push and Colette smiled and said I did great and that I got the baby to crown on my first push and that she would go get the others. The doctors and nurses came in and in four pushes while watching The Half Blood Prince at 6:43PM our beautiful little girl Brynn Elizabeth made her grand entrance weighing 5 pounds, 4 ounces and 18.25 inches long.
Brian took this right when they laid her on me.
Our tiny, but mighty girl got to stay with us for about thirty minutes. My mom got to meet her before she was taken to the nursery where she had to stay for 24 hours since she was pre-term. We were in the hospital until Tuesday evening and the only thing Brynn had to be treated for was 24 hours of blue light therapy for jaundice.
Getting her blue light therapy.
My greatest loves
Around 7:00PM on August 2nd, we loaded up in our car and headed home with our little girl, completely terrified and blissfully excited. Even though her start was rough she has proven to be so resilient and strong and I surprised myself by conquering my biggest fear...yes childbirth WAS my biggest fear. Our first night home was wonderful and much smoother than I ever thought it would be...the following days were the hardest of my life but that's a story for another time.
Leaving the hospital
Thank you to everyone for the love, prayers, and well wishes during my labor and delivery as well as the phenomenal team at Emory Midtown who kept me and Brynn safe from start to finish. It was a whirlwind experience but like every mother says completely worth it. There is nothing more special than seeing your baby for the first time and I wouldn't change any part of my birth experience because it happened exactly how it was supposed to.
