* This birth story is a little traumatic and so different than my usual peaceful natural births from our previous 8 children.* Read on with caution*
Last Tuesday I went in for an ob appointment and everything looked great into my 3rd trimester. I had passed the glucose test, blood pressures were fine, baby was growing on track and head down already! Over the weekend I was feeling pretty crummy with back, hip, pelvic pain, and Braxton hicks contractions. It was getting painful and uncomfortable to walk up and down the stairs, go grocery shopping, or just going to bed. I hate to complain about pregnancy because I know it is a gift and priviledge so many never get to experience. I didn't think anything of it, and chalked it up to being 8 months pregnant and 36 years old.
On Tuesday evening I got ready for bed about 11:45pm. I fell asleep a little after 12am, but was woken suddenly around 1:30am with a gush of fluid. I went to the bathroom upset knowing I was not at full term expecting to see clear fluid, but when I turned the light on I saw bright red blood and lots of it! It lead to a bloody footprint trail back to the bed like a murder scene. I immediately told Chris my water broke with blood and we needed the hospital asap. My placenta had detached from the uterine wall and myself and baby were in great danger. I put on a skirt over my nightgown, grabbed my phone and charger and headed downstairs for the van. I brought a towel to sit on in the van and Chris started driving. Our security camera has us driving off about 1:45 am.
The 20 minute drive seemed to take forever. I sat perfectly still as I could trying not to release anymore fluids. I called or texted no one and prayed silently in a state of shock and worry. Chris asked if I could feel the baby moving and I honestly couldn't tell and feared we had lost our little guy. Once at the hospital we checked in and told them it was an emergency so we got to skip the covid questions and test. They hooked me up to a fetal monitor and baby's heart rate was very low and dropping. I was just 2 cm dilated and no time to waste to try a vaginal birth. They ran my bed over to the OR, got me put under quickly and got our baby out in time to save his life. Luke was born at 2:43am, weighing in at 4 pounds 5 oz. His first Apgar score was just a 1! Chris got to see him shortly after delivery and made some fb posts to let everyone know to pray for us. I had to wait until that night to finally meet baby Luke.
He is perfect and precious. I am hoping he will not have to stay in the Nicu too long. Chris went back home with the kids and will take off work until I get discharged. Our church is giving us lots of meals and I will spend the next several weeks recovering and pumping milk for baby Luke until he can come home with us.
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