Guest Post: "A Story of Strength: Know Your Options"

Hello, my name is Brittney Horn and this is my birth story.

I am a 27 year old stay at home mother to one amazingly smart 3 year old little girl. I am married to the love of my life, TJ. We have been together for nine years, married for five. One year into our marriage, we decided to try for our first child. First time was a charm for us. We got pregnant right off the bat but my first trimester was extremely hard on me due to the nausea. Was in and out of the hospital getting iv fluids to maintain hydration. I couldn't hold water down. Second trimester was amazing! Loved it! Then the third trimester hit.

I had just started my 34th week of pregnancy, on our way home from the hospital tour and as we approached a green light, the car in front of us locked his brakes. We had to do the same resulting in my seatbelt tightening around my stomach.  Later that night I felt pain, didn't think anything of it. 

During the night, the pain got worse. I got up the next morning, got ready for work and went about my normal day, with continued pain. After four hours at work, I drove myself across town to the hospital where they said I was in preterm labor with contractions less than two minutes apart. I was dilated to one cm. After what seemed like forever, I was sent home on bed rest. The next five days were just a repeat. Labor starting and being stopped. 

Fast forward almost six weeks to five days before my due date. At exactly midnight my water broke. I didn't want to be sent home from the hospital again so I allowed my husband to sleep while I paced the house and sat on my birthing ball for five and a half hours. I then woke him up and off to the hospital we went. Once there, the rest of my water broke. At 3 cm I was taken to get an epidural. My contractions were about one minute apart. The anesthesiologist missed the first epidural. Second one was a success until the pump they had me on died. I started feeling my legs, third epidural on its way along with pitocin. Neither worked because by that time I was stuck at 8cm, my daughter flipped her head and was stuck in the birth canal. My temperature starting skyrocketing and I couldn't stop shaking. The doctor said emergency c section and I saw 5 nurses and 3 doctors running in. 

It was such a rush to the operating room. Once placed on the table and drape was up, I was crying for my husband whom they said was getting in his coverups. After a few minutes of prep, the doctor informed me that they couldn't wait and were going to do the first cut. He did so and I about flew off the table. It was like I had absolutely no pain meds or anything on board. I screamed and the last thing I remember was the doctor yelling stop, she feels it, she needs to go under. 

At 6:55 pm on February 21st 2010 our beautiful daughter, Audrey Lynn was born weighing in at 7lbs 5oz, 20 and a quarter inches in length. She was pulled out by her right foot due to being stuck in my birth canal. I woke up eight hours later on a sleep apnea machine. I never heard my girls first cries, I never got to feed her her first meal or change her first diaper. Thank God my husband was there to do all of that. Having my daughter was a true blessing, just wish I could remember the most important parts of it. I refuse to go back to that hospital and I am now researching midwives and doulas. My husband and I are trying for our second child and I want nothing more than to have her/him naturally. With C-Sections growing by the day, we all need to know what our options are. I now know that I have other options and I hope to be able to use a better one for our second child. 

 

Thank you for reading my long story. Its not easy for me to talk about.