Ethan's birth story

I was scheduled for a c-section on June 18. I was in the hospital on June 16 to check my platelet levels as they were low and if they continued to be less than 80,000 then I would need to be put under general anesthesia for the section. After a blood test my platelet levels were 72,000 so they told me the plan would be for me to be under general anesthesia unless something changes on the day of my section. They would also have bags of platelets available in case I needed it during the surgery. The midwife said they would type up my plan so that my consultant, the anesthesiologist and the OR knew what to do for my surgery on Wednesday. As I was in the hospital I noticed a bloody show when I went to the bath room. I told the midwife and she said not to worry. I was worried the baby would come before as the section was scheduled for 38 weeks and 6 days and Connor, my first born came at 38 weeks. However, I did read that it could be some time after the bloody show before labour would start. I did not see a bloody show with Connor. I did not have contractions so I went home. Around 4 pm that day I started feeling what felt like contractions however they were not consistent and would come and go. I thought they might be Braxton hicks. I wasn't feeling as great and now I was more worried the baby would come early.

Throughout the night the contractions came and went and I started timing them at 10 pm. They still were not quite consistent and were mild. They were coming in intervals of 7-9 minutes. I decided to go to bed at midnight but could not really sleep because the contractions were not stopping. Now they were coming around 6-7 minutes and were ranging mild to moderate. At 1 am I told Michael that we should probably go to the hospital. 

We walked to the National Maternity Hospital and buzzed to be admitted. We were told to go to Admissions and the woman there printed out a few forms for me to sign and went to get my chart. We then were led to the delivery ward. A midwife came and introduced herself and asked me about my contractions and led me to a delivery room. She then checked me and put a monitor on my belly to listen to baby's heartbeat and also monitor the contractions. It was now around 2 am. I started timing the contractions myself and they were coming at 5 minute intervals and were getting stronger. The midwife would come in at intervals to check on me and around 3:30 - 4 am the contractions were getting very intense and painful and were coming at 3 minutes apart and 1 minute long. The midwife said it was a busy day for c sections and that the doctor would come soon. I was in a lot of pain at this point - much more so than when I had Connor and was feeling very strong urges to push. She offered me some laughing gas to help with the pain and I gladly took it as the pain was so intense. The midwife said the doctor knew of my case and they were sending platelets from a nearby hospital. The doctor finally came and checked me physically and then I was getting prepared for the c section. I went into a wheelchair to the operating theatre. Michael was not allowed in the theatre with me. At this point I didn't think they would get him out on time as it seemed like he would come out of me at any time with how much my body wanted me to push. There were many people in the theatre. They put me on the table and the anesthesiologist was above my head with a mask and told me to breathe in and out. Someone was sticking something on my chest, it felt like many people were talking to me at once telling me what they were doing. Finally I breathe a funny smell and lost consciousness.  I woke up in a different room and felt really sleepy and disoriented. The midwife there told me that everything went well in my operation and there was not much bleeding and that the baby was fine. She also told me to push a button when I felt pain and I would get more morphine. I was pushing that button a lot. They wheeled me to my room which consisted of 5 beds separated by curtains. Shortly after, Michael wheeled Ethan into me and I was able to hold him for the first time. He was beautiful and perfect. He was born at 5:58 AM, 7 pounds 5 ounces, and 20.5 inches.