Josh and I found out I was pregnant with our first child in February of 2004.  We were both very excited and nervous.  We were afraid of how it was going to change our lives.  I was very active in animal rescue and both of us were very much in to exercise.  I was a runner and enjoyed the freedom to run when I pleased!  We had not been trying to get pregnant, but we had not been trying to prevent it either.  We decided to just let nature run its course. 

We found out I was pregnant when I was only 5 weeks.  I had been in the hospital because I had the flu and the nurse asked when my last period was.  Neither of us could remember.  So once I was feeling better I took a pregnancy test.  The first one I did had a very light positive.  So I did another one.  It was another light positive.  I ended up going to my doctor at the time for a urine test.  That came up negative.  So I did another home test and again a light positive.  So I called my doctor and told them I wanted a blood test.  Finally a blood test confirmed my pregnancy.  At the time we had a health insurance provider that did not have the Adler Center on their list.  I had always gone to the Adler Center and could not imagine going anywhere else. I was able to pick up new insurance through my employer just so that I could go there. 

At my first appointment I saw Rita-Marie.  My husband and I had tons of questions for her.  I worked at an animal hospital and had questions about the potential risks I could encounter.  Rita-Marie was very patient and answered all of our questions.  I was having a strange pain in my lower left abdomen so she suggested that I have an ultrasound to make sure I did not have a cyst.  She told us not to worry that this often occurred.  At the ultrasound we found out everything was just fine and that my due date was now October 6 instead of September 30. 
At our next appointment we were so excited because we were going to hear the heartbeat again.  I was heartbroken we they were unable to find it.  I had watched way too many episodes of “The Baby Story” on TLC!  I was sure that something was wrong.  Rita-Marie told us not to panic that it was my first pregnancy and that sometimes you need to be further along in the pregnancy to hear the heartbeat. We came back after what seemed like the longest week of my life and they were able to locate the baby’s heartbeat. 

Things moved along fine until I went for my sonogram in my fifth month.  They were able to tell us we were having a boy!  We were so excited!  We both had wanted a boy, and this would be the first boy in three generations on my family’s side.  There was one problem.  I had a complete placenta previa.  I was given orders to take it easy.  This changed my pregnancy immediately.  I could no longer do many of my required duties at work, and my exercise was limited to certain activities.  That meant no running.  I went back for a recheck sonogram at 26 weeks and my placenta previa was starting to resolve.  My husband and I were overjoyed!  They said to come back for another recheck sonogram in 4 weeks.  When we went back my placenta previa had completely resolved.  Three days after we were told my placenta previa was resolved I received a call from Carron, a nurse at the Adler Center.  She called to tell me I had gestational diabetes.  

Gestational diabetes was the last thing I ever expected to have.  I was healthy, and I exercised.  I was so upset thinking there was something I could have done to prevent it. The midwives at the Adler Center were wonderful in explaining to me that this was not my fault.  There was nothing I could have done to prevent it.  They made me feel much better!  I ended up going to a diabetes counselor to learn how to control my diabetes with diet.  I feel terrible for the many nurses that answered my weekly calls about my sugars being elevated or being way too low.  And then there is my poor husband who had to deal with the maniac I had become; looking at the label of every little crumb I put in my mouth.  I managed to keep my gestational diabetes under control with diet and a small insulin injection in the evenings. 

As a result of the diabetes I had to have weekly NST tests to make sure the baby was doing all right. I had a sonogram at 36 weeks to monitor his size.  The sonogram showed him at approximately 6 pounds.  I was convinced there was no way that was right.  I was huge! Sharon had promised me there was no way they would let me go to my due date.  She said if they did she would call in sick the day of my delivery because I would not be a happy woman! The week before my son was born he decided to stop moving.  I spent the day in labor and delivery being monitored and having sonograms to see if he would move.  Rita-Marie was so great in reassuring me that the worse case scenario would be that they would induce me if the baby did not begin to move.  Finally after 10 hours in the hospital my son began to move again.  I was allowed to go home. 

The sonograms I had while in the hospital showed my son to be around 7 pounds.  Rita-Maria said that due to the gestational diabetes and the lack of movement, she would consult Dr. Colon about inducing me a week before my due date.  That was 2 weeks away.  I was never going make it.  When I saw Monica that week I told her there was no way I could make it until October 1st, which was the day I was scheduled to be induced.  Monica said that was the earliest they could induce me and to hang in there.  I had been walking as I was advised to do by Monica and Rita-Marie.  They said it helps the baby to drop.  I must have walked 5 miles the day before I went in to labor. 

On the morning of September 25^th I woke up to cramps in my lower abdomen.  The cramping continued all morning and I finally call the Adler Center around 10:30am.  Rita-Marie called me back and I explained what was going on.  She said I was having contractions and I could be in false labor or I could be in early labor.   She told me to take a warm bath and to try walking and that if the contractions subsided when I walked or took a bath I was in false labor.  After my two-mile walk I took a warm bath and my contractions continued to get stronger and a little closer.  I called Rita-Marie back around 7:30 that evening and told her my contractions were about 3-5 minutes apart.  She told me that when I could not take the pain anymore or the contractions were closer it was time to come to the hospital. I made it until 12:30am before I left for the hospital.  I was having back labor and could no longer stand the pain.  When I got to the hospital Rita-Maria said I was only dilated 3cm.  She broke my water and told me I needed to wait an hour for my epidural.  Once I got the epidural I felt fine.  My labor progressed slowly.  Around 10:00am Rita-Marie thought for sure I was going to fully dilate.  I didn’t and it was time for Rita-Marie to go home.  She asked me if I felt okay with Monica and I said absolutely.  I loved all the midwives at the Adler Center.

After two hours of hard labor and fourteen hours of labor altogether, my son finally made his entrance on September 26 at 6:29pm.  He was large at 8 pounds 8 ounces and 20 ½ inches and came out with his arm bent.  This caused his shoulders to get stuck.  Monica performed an episiotomy and was able to get him out.  He was not breathing because he had been stuck for a few minutes. The NICU team was waiting and worked on him quickly.  He finally began to cry after what seemed like forever.  I got to look at him briefly before he was rushed off to the NICU.  I was very sad that I did not get to hold or nurse him, but I understood it was necessary.

I was starving after being in labor for so long so Monica ordered a pizza for my husband and me!  It was the best pizza I ever had.  I had not had pizza since I found out I had gestational diabetes!  Monica was the best!  My husband and I are very grateful to her, the entire Adler Staff, and the Labor and Delivery staff at Potomac Hospital.  While our experience was not the norm, it was very positive.  Everyone was so nice and helpful!  We were amazed that a not so normal pregnancy or delivery was made into such a positive experience. 

Thank You,

Michelle, Josh, and Braeden Henry