The Miracle of Birth

Holding My Daughter for the First Time

The birth of my daughter September 21, 2012 is a day I will never forget. I chose to share this because the birth of a child can be one breath away from disaster...

I had a lot of complications because I was stubborn and wouldn't heed my OBGYN about cutting salt out of my diet. I was taken off work on September 4 because I was extremely swollen from fluid, and my blood pressure was higher than high. Even so, I still refused to watch my salt intake. So, on September 18, I decided to eat fries that I drenched in seasoned salt. A few hours later, my head was swimming so bad that my husband took my pressure and the meter wouldn't even read it. Then my sister tried it, and got the same results. My husband took me to Walgreens to check my pressure and needless to say, it was so high that we had to call my OBGYN. I was told to go straight to the hospital.

For two days, my labor was induced, but my daughter just wasn't ready to come yet. I only managed to dilate 2 cm in that entire 48 hours. My blood pressure was constantly rising at an excelling rate and the labor was steadily not. The only choice my OBGYN had was to prep me for an emergency C-section. Because I was a high-risk pregnancy due to being very overweight (I was almost 400 lbs), my doctor did not want to cut me, but he knew if he didn't either me a=or the baby wouldn't make it. Just like he feared, I had many complications, but after the surgery. A small scare came right as they got my daughter out because her umbilical cord was wrapped around her stomach, but other than that she was a miracle. I didn't get a chance to enjoy that right off because I began to hemorrhage and had to be rushed back to surgery, get a blood transfusion--in which they gave me the wrong blood, which caused me to have to get that blood flushed and get a whole new transfusion, and then I had an allergic reaction to the blood. All in all, though, God spared my life, my daughter's life, and anointed the hands of all those involved. 

We believe that because of my selfishness that caused my daughter to have to be forced out rather than come out willingly, her bowels and systems for waste disposal were not fully developed. She had horrible, painful bowel movements and issues with constipation. That's why I know with no doubt that the way you take care of your child in the womb is significant to the child's growth and development.

In South Africa...

I researched what birthing processes are present in South Africa and came across an article that spoke of pregnant mothers being physically abused by medical staff and how low standards of care have caused deaths and/or injuries for mothers and children (Nordqvist, 2011). According to Nordqvist (2011), approximately 4500 women die every year due to pregnancy and childbirth-related causes that could have either been prevented or treated, but unfortunately were not. 

How does this compare to my story? If I had been in South Africa with all the complications I had, I may not be here today typing this. My daughter may very well have died, as well. 

References

Nordqvist, C. (August 2011). The shocking truth about giving birth in south africa. Medical News Today.