Sunflower Dove
Sunflower Dove
"Ducky" was due to
arrive around October 13, wich was perfectly OK with us, until a few weeks
before then. At a routine check-up/catch-up with our midwife, we
discovered my blood pressure had all of the sudden spiked, and ther was
protein in my urine. These are all symptoms of toxemia.
She, with the help of my husband, started me on a high protein diet, and
tinctures of blue and black cohosh, wich would not only help to keep my
blood pressure down, but would also help to stimulate labor. Since I was
already 38 weeks, we figured getting the baby out was our best
option.
After one check-up at a local hospital with an obstetrician, he gave my
midwife the OK to go ahead with a homebirth. Everything was under control.
Since we had determined getting the baby out was best "medicine," we tried
everything, and everyone had their own suggestions.
I started having contractions at around 39 weeks, and on the morning of
October 14 I went into labor. I labored at about the same pace for
24 for hours before any real action started, and boy did it start.
After being in the tub for a few hours, my husband was talking to me when
I
started to "feel funky".
My right arm started to flail about uncontrollably. I opened my fuzzy
eyes in an ambulance to find out I had a seizure. The toxemia that
we thought was under control, had
turned into eclampsya.
3 1/2 hours after we were admitted to the hospital I gave birth to my beautiful
Sunflower Dove. She was in perfect shape given the events that preceeded
her birth. I, on the other hand was still very much "out of it".
They gave me a major dose of magnesium sulfate, to keep me from having
another seizure, so my memorie of it all is very hazy.
It took me a little while to recover, I had bruises all over my body, and
my muscles were very sore. I had also bitten through my bottom lip,
and my tounge during the seizure.
At first I was very sad that our plans for a peacful, low intervention
birth at home had been turned completley upside down. We were now
in a hospital with machines and IV's and doctors who knew very little to
nothing about our choice for "alternantive medicine". After two grueling
days in the womens ward, I told the doctor on staff I wanted to go home.
She was very taken aback by such a suggestion ,and proceeded to warn me
of all possible dangers this might enatil. I asked her if she could
promise me that If I stayed under hospital supervison, would I be immune
to these dangers. when she said no, I quickly packed up my things,and
my knew daughter to go home.
Aside from still dealing with hospital bills we did no expect to have, we have moved on with our lives, and are loving parenthood more than we ever imagined possible.