Callan was born via emergency c section in the evening of Sunday March 16th, 2025. My first pregnancy with his big brother and ended with an induction due to elevated blood pressures. Mom and baby were healthy overall. Fast forward to Callan’s pregnancy and from the very beginning I felt much different than my first pregnancy. Severe headaches, dizziness with nausea and vomiting. I was already presenting with elevated blood pressures and was started on aspirin and blood pressure medication. At the end of January 2025 he was measuring within normal parameters and all appeared well. We had a planned c section for March 19, 2025.

On Sunday March 16, 2025 at roughly 4pm I started with contractions that quickly advanced to 5 minutes apart. We were instructed to head immediately in to triage to be assessed. Upon arrival, my blood pressure was extremely elevated with a new onset headache and baby boy was showing signs of distress on the monitor. We were rushed back for an emergent c section. I sat on the OR table while anesthesia told me I could either consider a spinal and risk bleeding since my labs (platelets) had not resulted yet or consider general anesthesia in which case I would risk aspiration since I had just eaten a few hours prior, my husband couldn’t be in the room and I would not be able to see baby right away. I opted for the spinal and often replay that conversation in my head. Callan was born at 8:36pm with no amniotic fluid, covered in meconium and unknowingly to us was an IUGR baby weighing only 4lbs, 2oz. Although full term, my placenta had stopped and working at some point and he had stopped growing. The OR was eerily quiet, he didn’t make a peep and when they yelled his weight out my heart sank. He finally let out what sounded like a kittens cry. He was in the NICU for 24 days which felt like 3 steps forward and 2 steps back most days.

6 days post partum at a pediatrician appointment for my oldest son I ended up back in the hospital due to severe post partum eclampsia. A terrifying experience overall. We are so blessed for a positive outcome and our hearts continue to mourn for those who weren’t so lucky.