The Birth Story Series - Krista’s Story
Welcome to the Birth Story Series! Sharing birth stories helps normalize birth and takes some of the fear of the unknown out of the equation. I am excited to share this space to honor birth stories from women in our community. Birth is transformative, beautiful, and profound no matter how it happens!
If you'd like to share your birth story send us an email by filling out our contact form here. All birth experiences and stories are welcome here; epidural, unmedicated, c-section, loss, home birth, however birth looked for you, this is a safe space to share!
We found out July 1st we were expecting, We had not planned this pregnancy, but I had been feeling off, broke out with acne like a teenager again and had some other symptoms that I had not experienced before. So after nannying all day I came home and took a pregnancy test full on expecting it to be negative. But within seconds there were two pink lines! My husband was at work and it was the longest 3 hours till he got home! We were shocked and excited and nervous! I went to all my check ups which was crazy in this COVID world, did not drink caffeine eat deli meat, all the things, everything was going as planned! Fast forward to Feb 18th...
February 18th I went in for a routine ultrasound at 36 weeks. Well I’m there the tech was having a hard time getting baby to move. She tried all the things. So she excused her self to get a buzzer and to have me take a break and move around. When she didn’t come back and didn’t come back I suddenly had this fear something was wrong.
In walked the Fetal Specialist- they both looked and looked at the monitor and did not say much. The Dr finally said your baby has a coart of the aortic valve (a congenital condition where there is narrowing of the aorta) and fluid building up in his abdomen and around his heart . The Dr said "we need to deliver now and he will be going to Madison".
I called my husband and said: "You need to leave work something is wrong and we are having a baby today". This appointment was at 245. The next hour was a blur of being wheeled over to L/D and my husband showing up, hooked to monitors and prepped for a CSection I swat there were 30 people in a room made for 5! Off we won’t go out C Section and Brooks was born at 428! Fun fact 4/28 is my birthday! From there Andy (hubby) was taken back to see him well they stitched me up.
It wasn’t till 10 pm that night did I see my little man before he was taken to American Family Children's Hospital (AFCH) in Madison for the next 4 weeks. He was very sick and was diagnosed with Hydrops Fetalis, which is an abnormal build up of fulids around the heart and abdomen. Prayers and miracles were on our side as he slowly turned the corner and has no heart conditions! No genetic disorders and he is a happy, constantly moving almost 7 month old!!
