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Pregnancy
How HELLP Syndrome Altered My Birth Experience by Jamie
Updated: Aug. 20, 2015
Originally Published: Jan. 14, 2015
Let me tell you, my birth story isn’t filled with beautiful moments, warm fuzzies, or even a hint of humor. I’m sharing it not just to raise awareness about a serious and rare pregnancy complication but also to remind you to lighten up a little. Here goes…
Get ready to roll your eyes: I had a pretty dreamy pregnancy. I blissfully waddled through eight months filled with lazy Saturday naps, a husband who let me rest (though he did refuse to rub my feet once – he’ll never live that down), endless ice cream, and doctor appointments that were entirely uneventful. You know, the usual stuff.
Things took a turn around 35 weeks. I started feeling unwell while my husband was away on a business trip. When he called me on his way home, I dramatically begged for Ginger Ale and saltines. For an entire week, I could barely keep anything down. Eventually, I called my doctor out of desperation.
Fast forward a few days… Things got intense. My doctor was pacing in the hospital, urgently requesting an OR while gently informing me that my life was on the line if the baby didn’t come out immediately. I barely remember this; I was drifting in and out of consciousness. I needed an emergency C-section under general anesthesia, and my husband couldn’t be there for our child’s birth. Wait, what? I wouldn’t be awake for this life-changing moment, and my partner wouldn’t hear our baby’s first cries? Seriously? Can I get a refund on that labor and delivery class I took?
When I woke up in intensive care, machines were beeping around me, tubes everywhere, and I had no idea where my baby was. My husband spent days sleeping in a chair next to me, doing skin-to-skin with our little one, ensuring he was fed, and managing a flood of calls and texts from concerned family members. They could only visit for a short time, so he had to keep them away from my bedridden state and my hair that hadn’t seen shampoo in days.
As for the baby? He was in decent shape for being a month early but ended up with pneumonia and had to stay in the NICU for a week. Now, he’s a happy, healthy, teething five-month-old!
As for me? The recovery is ongoing. The chaos was caused by HELLP Syndrome, along with some kidney and liver failure (not everyone experiences organ failure, but I did). Most people have never even heard of HELLP because it’s one of those chapters in the back of the pregnancy book that many expectant moms skip over. Who wants to read about the risks of death for both them and their baby? Not me, that’s for sure. But it can happen, and nobody wants to discuss it.
Eventually, I escaped the ICU and spent eight more days in my own room. I nearly punched the nurse when she casually mentioned, “Did you know there’s a patio outside?” This was after I had been inhaling hospital air for six days during the summer. I live in Minnesota; every second of summer is precious!
Sure, I didn’t have the ideal birth experience. I don’t recall holding my son for the first time or being able to feed him his first meal. Reaching for him in the middle of the night? Forget it! That surgery had me feeling crippled.
But you know what I DO have? A healthy baby. A fiercely supportive partner (who has been forgiven for that foot rub incident). A doctor who greets me with hugs and asks to see pictures of my son. A resilient body that’s recovering well from the tough hand it was dealt. And that little fighter who weighed just 6 lbs at birth? He’s got his momma.
To all the expectant moms out there: don’t get too attached to that “birth plan.” Be ready to toss it aside and embrace the unpredictable journey of motherhood. At the end of the day, you are someone’s mommy, no matter how your child enters the world. For more insights on the journey, check out this excellent resource for pregnancy and home insemination at Cleveland Clinic.
In the meantime, if you’re interested in learning more about home insemination, you might want to check out the Intracervical Insemination or visit Make A Mom for authoritative insights.
Summary:
My birth story took a dramatic turn due to HELLP Syndrome, leading to an emergency C-section and a challenging recovery. While the experience was far from what I had envisioned, I emerged with a healthy baby and a supportive partner. This journey taught me to let go of rigid birth plans and embrace the unpredictability of motherhood.