A Fashionable Journey to Motherhood
Surviving a Placental Abruption at 35 Weeks My Midwife's Unexpected Journey in Alaska's Icy Wilderness
I had a placental abruption at 35 weeks, while my midwife was in Alaska.
Courtesy of J&J Brusie Photography
Hey there, fashionistas! Today, I have a story that will truly make your jaw drop and your perfectly plucked eyebrows raise in astonishment.
Imagine this: I was 35 weeks pregnant with my fifth child, rocking that baby bump like it was the latest fashion trend. Life was going smoothly, until one fateful night when I woke up at the ungodly hour of 2 a.m. to find my stomach as hard as a rock and blood gushing out. Talk about a fashion emergency!
But wait, here’s the plot twist: Yours truly was an obstetrics nurse! So, while this whole situation would have scared the stripes off a zebra, I knew exactly what was happening. I had experienced a placental abruption, which is when the placenta decides to say “goodbye” to the uterus walls before the baby is ready to make its grand entrance. And let me tell you, this situation could make even the fiercest runway model break a sweat.
Now, picture this: I’m alone in my bathroom, blood gushing like a fountain, and my midwife is off gallivanting in Alaska, probably enjoying the sight of glaciers instead of answering my SOS call. She had left on a trip the day before, and we had laughed about me needing some early testing done, just to be on the safe side. Oh, the irony!
Oh, darling readers, the drama continues! You see, I was a solid hour away from the hospital, and my husband, in his sleepy stupor, tried to convince me that bleeding at 35 weeks was perfectly normal. As if! He finally jumped into action when he saw me desperately trying to catch the blood with a towel. Multitasking at its finest, right?
Now, brace yourselves for the next fashion-forward move: instead of waking up our other four children, we decided to leave them peacefully slumbering while we raced to the nearest hospital. I can already hear the gasps of scandalized fellow parents! But trust me, the situation was as dire as trying to find the perfect lipstick shade in a sea of options.
Thank the fashion gods, my mother-in-law answered her phone and came to our rescue. With contractions intensifying, I made a swift decision to stop at our local hospital. Who cares about fancy-frills when life hangs in the balance, right? It was a risky move, considering the hospital lacked a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). But hey, I wasn’t about to let that little detail disrupt my fierce determination!
But wait, our tale doesn’t end there. Fate, it seems, had a fabulous twist in store for us. At around 3 a.m., my midwife, amidst the beauty of nature in Alaska, managed to grab a signal on her phone. Talk about a fashion miracle! With her sage advice, we redirected our stylish journey to a larger hospital equipped with a NICU. It was like swapping a pair of designer pumps for stiletto heels – a style upgrade that saved the day!
As labor progressed, my daughter stayed stable, dancing with grace within the confines of my womb. You could say she had mastered the art of walking the runway before even taking her first breath. It turned out that I had a partial abruption. Yes, folks, I bled like a fashion icon taking a risk with a bold red gown, but my baby still received the oxygen she needed. Just call her the fashionista of survival!
With the melodious sound of her steady heartbeat filling the room, my labor continued like a well-choreographed fashion show. And in a moment of pure beauty, my daughter made her grand entrance into the world. Ta-da! After a short stay in the NICU, she joined our fashionable family of seven.
There you have it, my fashion-forward friends. A tale of bravery, resilience, and stylish decisions made in the face of the most unexpected circumstances. Remember, life can sometimes throw stilettos your way, but with the right attitude and a killer outfit, you can conquer anything!
So, keep strutting down that runway of life with confidence, and remember, even in the most chaotic of moments, your fashion instincts will guide you to success. Stay fabulous, darlings, and until next time!
Written by the Glorious Guru of Glam – Fashion Expert Extraordinaire
