Akiah Grace made an entrance in her own grand way. It wasn’t my plan, nothing about my birth experience followed my birth plan. But it’s still my birth story and a beautiful one, because it brought me my sweet and healthy girl.
On March 18th, at exactly 39 weeks pregnant, I woke up with my first bad headache of my whole pregnancy. I didn’t think much of it, I took some Tylenol and went on with my morning. My grandma picked me up to take me to my Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment
appointment. I felt exhausted, even though I’d slept great that night. My eyes were burning, my head was pounding, and I just felt weak.
I’ve worked with this OM doctor and nurse for several years; so they know me well. The nurse immediately asked me if I felt okay when she saw me. I explained my symptoms and then she took my blood pressure. I could tell by her face, something was wrong. She calmly took my blood pressure again in the opposite arm. After 4 times of taking it, I was staring her down. She said, “I can feel you watching me and I really don’t even want to tell you what it is.” She knows my struggles with anxiety. Finally, she told me the lowest reading she got was 150/89. The nurse told me to remain calm and she would contact my OB. My OM doctor came in and treated me, she said my body was ready to deliver. The nurse returned and told me that my OB wanted me come into labor and delivery immediately.
My heart was racing figuratively and literally, on the way home from Athens. My heart rate sitting in the car was in the 130s to140s. I don’t think I talked a lot to my grandma and if I did, I don’t remember it. As soon as we got home, my mom was waiting. Mom and I were quickly on our way to the hospital.
We just knew after a week full of on again and off again contractions, being 39 weeks, 75% effaced, starting to dilate, my heart rate/blood pressure already being monitored, and now my blood pressure being that high...that today was the day. I texted a handful of people, that I knew would be praying. My grandma started a prayer chain for me with her church, because my blood pressure was scary high. I tried to remain calm, but if I am honest my emotions were all over the place.
We arrived at Holzer and I was taken to labor and delivery. Everyone was moving quickly to get me checked in, changed, and hooked up to monitors. They took blood work, monitored me, and monitored baby girl. It felt like forever while waiting for my lab results. But in reality, it really wasn’t that long. My sweet girl was doing perfectly, moving all around, and still enjoying my womb. However, my lab results weren’t great and my blood pressure wasn't coming down. My doctor made the decision that it’d be best to induce me. She didn’t want to risk my blood pressure going any higher.
Cue phase one of not part of my birthing plan. Being induced wasn’t something I wanted, I’d done my research and knew I wanted to go into labor naturally. Luckily in the last couple weeks, I had also come to terms with the fact I might have to be induced. My doctor and I had discussed it. Honestly, I had even considered requesting it. So this phase of not my birthing plan, wasn’t that bad and caused no anxiety. I was ready to meet my daughter.
The nurse explained my two options stay now or go home and come back at 10 P.M. to begin the process. I opted to go home and come back. I wanted to mentally prepare myself, I wanted to see my Libby Mae, I wanted a shower, and I wanted a nice supper. I needed these things to be fully ready to labor. The nurse thought it was the best option too.
The car ride back to my house was pretty quiet. I was trying to process all my emotions. I was letting it sink in that tonight was the night I’d go in to have my baby girl. I was realizing more than ever before that my life was about to forever change in the best possible way.
“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” -
Psalms 139:13-16
Birth Story Part 2 coming soon....
With Love,
T
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