C-Section Birth Stories: Jordan Zangri
1. Please share the circumstances that led to your c-section birth(s):
We went to see our new primary care in the morning. They ended up taking my blood pressure twice due to it being high. The new doctor recommended I contact my OBGYN due to my blood pressure. Over the week prior to the appointment, I had also swelled up A LOT. My feet were awful and none of my shoes fit. I called my OBGYN on the way home. They asked that I come in for some monitoring. After taking my blood pressure a couple of times and monitoring us for about 20 minutes, the doctor sent me over to the hospital to be triaged. I spent about an hour in Labor and Delivery triage before the on-call doctor decided to admit me. I was only about two to three centimeters dilated and extremely posterior. There was no protein in my urine and my pressures were consistently 140s/90s. An hour or so later I was moved to a room. My husband knew it was a good possibility of this happening when he went to work, so I called him to let him know it was go-time.
They planned to start the induction process and we'd hopefully have a baby that day or the next. First, they tried inserting Cervidil. A few hours later, they started Pitocin. My pressures were still consistently high and starting to rise. They asked that I remain reclined in the bed and try not to move too much. Only from side to side, and very slowly. Since my blood pressure wasn’t going down, they tried two IV doses of magnesium and there was no change. I was put on a constant drip of magnesium and had a catheter inserted. I wasn’t dilating and was barely having contractions so they decided to insert a balloon. This is where I felt things started going down the toilet, haha.
I started having contractions so painful that I was physically shaking uncontrollably. My pressures continued to rise. With the painful contractions, when they offered an epidural I said (*expletive) yes! The epidural worked for about an hour and then I asked why I was starting to get more feeling in my legs. They told me the epidural had fallen out! My contractions/active labor had stopped completely, despite the balloon and being maxed out on Pitocin. The doctor came in to check my cervix and hopefully break my water. At this point, we had been at the hospital for almost 24 hours. I was only five centimeters dilated, still extremely posterior, and the baby hadn’t dropped. She was unable to break my water because they couldn’t even reach the baby's head. My pressure hit 184/110 and was rising. The doctor came back and said she strongly recommended I have a c-section. There was a huge risk of stroke or seizure, especially if I went back into stressful active labor. She stepped out to let us process and "decide." I started bawling to my husband because it just wasn’t what I wanted. This was my first and only pregnancy. I wanted the experience of vaginal delivery and putting the baby on my chest. My husband said he couldn't lose both of us so we had to do it. I knew there was no decision. I knew it had come down to this being our only option for safe delivery.
An hour later they were taking me over to surgery. I was so tired and groggy from not sleeping. On top of having the worst headache of my life for the last six hours. Right after they laid me down on the table, I started throwing up. My husband talked to me to keep me awake during the surgery. I barely remember hearing my son's first cries because of how groggy I was. I do remember during the surgery that the doctor gasped and said "Wow! Miracle baby!". Turns out he couldn't drop because his cord was knotted and wrapped around his neck. The doctor said he shouldn't have survived pregnancy. My husband brought him over to me and luckily one of the techs took tons of photos for us. Our little leap year baby was perfect. Everything checked out and he was healthy. The next few hours were a blur. I was still so tired but luckily my headache was gone as soon as he came out.
2. What surprised you the most about having a c-section?:
How quick it was! Before I knew it, they were showing me my son over the top of the curtain.
3. What kind of support do you feel you received (from friends, family, healthcare team) after your c-section(s)?:
Everyone was amazing. My husband is the best person I know. He has always been willing and ready to help since delivery. The doctor, nurses, anesthesiologist, and techs were fantastic at our hospital. I cried when we were moved to postpartum almost two days later. I loved my day nurse. I will never forget her.
4. What’s your #1 piece of advice/encouragement for a new c-section mom?:
Even if it wasn’t part of your plan and it wasn’t what you envisioned...you grew a human! You are amazing. You now have the ultimate thing (your scar) to commemorate the day your baby was born.
5. How do you believe having a c-section birth(s) made you stronger?:
Adapt and overcome. I had planned on a vaginal birth and dismissed ever having a c-section. Because I had a very healthy pregnancy, I didn’t think was a possibility.
Name: Jordan Zangri
Your Profession: Law Enforcement
How to Connect With You on Social Media: @jordan.t.z on Instagram
