Lucky.
That’s what they told me, I was lucky.
So lucky.
I hear stories every day about childbirth that didn’t go as planned. Babies end up in the NICU, Mamas in the ICU.
But me? I walked out of the hospital in pretty good shape 3 days after childbirth with my baby in my arms.
I was lucky.
Lucky that I listened to my body and saw my midwife for just a little pain.
Lucky that she had the intuition to do bloodwork just to check.
Lucky that my body developed HELLP syndrome later in my pregnancy.
Lucky that the cord was only around his neck once.
Lucky that I only almost lost consciousness from the blood loss.
Lucky.
So lucky that I should be grateful.
Then why did I just end up crying on the floor in my kitchen when I came across this video of a Dad singing to his dying son after his wife died in childbirth?
Why do I cry every time I think about the day my oldest son was brought into this world, even almost 5 years later?
I cry because that man up there could have been my husband.
I cry because that could have been my son.
I cry because I was lucky.
Such a great post and such an amazing video! I too cried in my kitchen…thankfully I made the smart choice of watching this when I was alone! I too was lucky with my son…lucky that I went in as soon as I start bleeding heavily…lucky that I only “almost” lost so much blood that I would need a transfusion…lucky that they were able to slow the bleeding enough to allow my uterus to heal on its own…lucky that I took my son in when he started getting sick at 6 weeks, despite a doctor repeatedly telling me not to worry…lucky that they caught the RSV in time and were able to treat it…lucky that we were able to leave the hospital and pediatric ICU 5 days later with a happy and healthy 6 week old…I too cry when I think about his birth and early days and realize just how lucky we really are! Thank you so much for sharing this…it is nice to know I am far from alone!
Samantha, you are far from alone. I know many other moms who were also lucky. I’m sorry you and your babe had such a hard start. That RSV is terrible, my youngest had it at 2 weeks old. Again…we were lucky.
All mothers are lucky?
Lucky I went to the hospital with axes with the dilemma …
We Jews observe the Sabbath, and we went to the hospital on foot. (Two hours instead of fifteen minutes usually. With axes, you know.)
Lucky we waited ultrasound, although there was an opening.
That there was no water in the womb. At all.
It’s eldest child.
And the other child? The first ultrasound we found a ‘borderline’ tumor in the ovary.
So surgery …
And strengthening pills pregnancy …
And is a child a gift …
Thank luck
I was blessed that my son is still here. I went into labor at 34 weeks (on Thanksgiving) and we were able to stop it with meds and bed rest. On Christmas Eve, I went into labor again. This time, my husband barely made it to the hospital cause he was working 400 miles away. Everything was going normally until Samuel’s heart rate started dropping with each contraction. The decision for a c-section was a no-brainer. I was wheeled into the OR and after some prep and a long time tugging on him and me, they were able to deliver him. He didn’t cry and I was freaking out, unable to move or see what was going on. Finally, my husband told me that he was fine and that he was looking around and moving. Eventually, he made a little cry. Then they bundled him up, let me see him, and sent him to the NICU. His cord was thin in 3 places resulting in him having a low birth weight. (He was right on track until 34weeks.) Then the long process started. An artery tore while they were trying to get him out and I ended up with a 3 hour c-section while my wonderful OB and family doctor spent their Christmas Eve making sure that I wasn’t going to bleed to death. I ended up spending a week in the hospital and then getting a blood transfusion. I hold him close and still feel grateful to have him. (By the way, if there are any typos in here, it is because my toddler boy has decided to try and “help” tell his story!”
Well your post and the video has me in tears too… [hug]
Thanks. The video put me in tears too.