Avery’s Birth Story

So little Miss Avery is finally here and a week old yesterday! After months of feeling her grow, kick, roll and hiccup her way into existence she decided to make her debut at 37 weeks and 2 days on March 23rd. Since I love reading other birth birth stories I decided to share Avery’s birth story here. You can also check out how I made it through the first trimester with these first trimester must haves HERE.

Avery’s Birth Story

The night before while out to dinner with Aaron and the kids I started experiencing increased abdominal cramping and extreme lower back pain. It felt like contractions but there was no predictability to them and by the time I got home and laid down they seemed to ease up.

At around 3 am I woke up feeling uncomfortable and was unable to go back to sleep. I decided to head downstairs, watch television and pay bills. That should have been my first sign that something wasn’t right. I figured this weird morning energy was due to pregnancy insomnia and nothing else. Hayden woke up and I got him ready for school and myself ready for my doctor’s appointment and off we went.

While at the appointment I mentioned the back pain I was experiencing which led to being hooked up for a NST. Within 20 minutes I had about 5 contractions that were being picked up on the monitor. This finding landed me a trip over to labor and delivery at the hospital to be monitored further. By this time the contractions were becoming more intense and more painful.

Now I know nothing about labor and delivery so I really didn’t fully understand if what I was feeling was actual contractions or not. Apparently, they were. Although these contractions were very real my cervix wasn’t changing. This concerned the doctors.

At around 20 weeks the doctors at maternal fetal medicine were concerned that my previous cesarean scar was thinning. This could cause multiple complications including uterine rupture if in labor. While they had no way to be 100% sure the odds that my uterus could rupture causing both fetal and maternal death were not odds that I wanted to chance.

Avery’s Arrival

Based on the intensity and pain with the contractions and the thinning of the old cesarean scar the doctors decided that it was time for baby to come out and a repeat c-section would be done immediately. This was not what I was prepared to hear.

I had nothing with me thinking this was just a routine appointment and I was suppose to pick up my son from school that day. I had also sent Aaron home about 30-45 minutes away thinking there was no need for him to hang out because I was going to be sent home after monitoring. Needless to say I was in full blown panic mode. Thankfully the kind anesthesiologist saw my meltdown and slowed things down for me.  This gave Aaron enough time to arrive soon after I went in to the operating room which I was incredibly thankful for since he was able to be there when Avery was born.

As for the c-section things went smoothly. It felt as though I was in and out in no time with Avery safely in my arms. By the time I got back to my hospital room my family including my son were already there to welcome our newest family member.

Avery’s is Here

Even at 37 weeks, Avery weighed in at a whopping 8 pounds and 12 ounces and 20 inches long. While the events leading up to my repeat c-section were traumatic and scary. Everything worked out in the end and thankfully Aaron was able to make it in time to see his daughter be born but to be there for me as well.

It’s been a week and we are settling in as well as to be expected with a newborn. Sleep is non existent at night and we are struggling with breastfeeding. Avery lost a pound by the time we were discharged from the hospital. We we are still working on gaining that weight back. I wish things had gone differently in regards to my labor and birth. I’m so happy Avery is here and healthy and that I can share her birth story with everyone.