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.

Guest Post - "Heartache and Hope; Sara-Marie's Story"

We conceived our first child by complete accident. I had been told by doctors and specialists that I may never conceive due to scar tissue on my uterus, so to find out after only being with my (then boyfriend) fiancé for a few months I was so shocked. We had used protection but it failed. After a rough pregnancy first daughter was born vaginally 9 months later in July of 2010 at 41 weeks.

Several months after our first was born I had the Mirena IUD put in. A few months later I had pregnancy symptoms, so to calm my nerves took an at home test... positive. We immediately called the doctors office. They couldn't get me in for a week... Within 24 hours I started cramping and had my first miscarriage. I saw my doctor and had the IUD removed, as now my body was trying to reject it and I had a very unpleasant internal infection... 

About a year or so after our first was born, and only a few months after the IUD nightmare, we decided to try for baby 2. A few months later, a late period, a positive test. Called the doctor. Within 12 hours I started cramping. Second miscarriage. Heart break. This happened 2 more times, bringing my miscarriage total to 4. I demanded every test possible be run to find out why I wasn't carrying past 8 weeks... Turns out I had MRSA, a real pain in the arse type of staph infection that I most likely picked up at the hospital after having my first daughter. More antibiotics. That was November 2011.

Now we're at January 2012. We stopped trying because my heart was still so broken from my 4 losses. I started thinking I might be pregnant again, even though we weren't trying, but wasn't about to get my hopes up again. I got a call from an old friend of mine that week... Another friend I'd grown up with and was close with for 16 years unexpectedly passed away. More heartache. His funeral was in a week. 3 days after the phone call I decided I needed to take a pregnancy test as I was late and had enough to deal with. I figured I was just under a lot of stress. Positive. Great. 3 days after that I went to my friends funeral. I was a wreck. Emotional. Preparing for another miscarriage and saying goodbye to someone I'd seen as family and loved very much. After we got home I called the doctors office, preparing for the telltale cramping to start within 24 hours. Nothing. Went to my doctor and had an ultrasound set up. I was still prepared for the worst. We told no one at this point.

When we went in, we saw a heart fluttering in a little black sack... I couldn't believe it. 5 weeks and 6 days along... Scheduled another ultrasound for about 2 months later along with reoccurring hcg monitoring. Up, up, up. Next ultrasound. Saw her body and little limbs and a strong heart. We were finally having our second baby! At 37 weeks and 4 days I was rushed in for an emergency cesarean. Turned out her umbilical was wrapped around her stomach, shoulder and almost doubled around her neck and was strangling her with every contraction I had. The c-section, and the quick choice of the OB-GYN saved her life. We had our second beautiful daughter in September 2012.

We decided we wanted to wait a few years before trying one more time for a boy. We set August 2015 for our wedding and decided after that would be perfect to try again. 4 months after my second daughter was born a friend brought me into the hospital. I was so dizzy and sick I couldn't walk... So I gave a urine sample, had some blood taken and we waited. As it was late at night they had to phone the doctor to come in. He arrived and came right in. He looked me right in the face, and all calmly and nonchalant he explains to us that there are 3 things going on that could be causing my symptoms. My lymphocytes were elevated, I'm pregnant, and my white blood cell count is high. Umm... Okay... Wait... What?! What was that second thing?! My period wasn't even due to start for approximately 2 days... At the earliest!! Blood work confirmed a few weeks later that I was around 5 weeks. 

At 19 weeks I had severe cramping, I had the runs and was vomiting with contractions. I went to the hospital. I felt like I was in labour. To my horror I was told I was miscarrying, even though baby's heart was strong and I could feel his kicks. The doctor wouldn't even bother to come in and see me. I was told to go home and let it progress. There was nothing they could do. I was beyond devastated... I drove over 2 hours to get to my home town and see my usual doctor. I went to the emergency since it was after hours, where I was rushed for an ultrasound and hooked to IV fluids. Baby was doing just fine. No miscarriage, just severe food poisoning from a steak most likely... Talk about a roller-coaster of emotion... Relief. Anger. Resentment. Frustration. But I'm now 30 weeks with an active little boy. I will be having a scheduled cesarean early November 2013 and having my tubes removed at the same time.

It's been quite the road. Going from believing I'll never be able to have kids, losing 4, and soon to be a mother of 3 beautiful children. If its taught me anything, it's that anything is possible and to not give up. Things happen for a reason, even if that reason isn't clear.

Sara-Marie describes herself as a fluffy stay at home momma of two gorgeous little girls, Madison and Miley, (her M&M's), and a little boy, Lane, on the way. Born and raised in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. Sketching people and painting landscapes are two of her favorite hobbies, but most of all, she loves being a mom, friend, and (soon to be official!) wife! You can check out Sara-Marie's sketches at her website.