My Second and LAST Pregnancy (Part 1)

My second pregnancy was one of the most challenging experiences I have ever gone through.

With my first child, I had hyperemesis gravidarum (severe morning sickness), which led to multiple hospital visits and admissions due to dehydration. I thought I had already faced the worst, but my second pregnancy was a very different story. The challenges began even before conception.

The Road to Pregnancy

I have PCOS, which can cause irregular periods and make it difficult to conceive. We had no trouble getting pregnant with our first daughter, so when my doctor mentioned we might face difficulties if we tried for another child, I brushed it off. I smiled and left the office thinking, “That won’t be us.”

I was wrong.

Meeting with a Fertility Specialist

After a little over a year of trying, we decided to consult a fertility specialist. During our virtual appointment, the doctor laid out the process. I was overwhelmed and told my husband I didn’t want to move forward with treatment.

We agreed to give ourselves another year. If nothing happened, we would explore adoption.

A Surprise Blessing

One month after that fertility consultation, we found out we were expecting! 🥳 It was completely unexpected, but deeply welcomed. I had stopped using weekly fertility and pregnancy test strips and surrendered the process to God. If it was meant to be, it would happen in His timing.

And to top it off, we found out we were having a boy! 👶🏽🎉 We already had our daughter, and I had quietly hoped for a son to complete our family. My prayers were answered.

Pain Returns

At three months pregnant, my back gave out. After my first pregnancy, I had developed an L4/L5 disc herniation on top of existing scoliosis. I hadn’t thought much about it when we decided to try again, and honestly, I don’t know if anything could have prepared me for the pain.

Sitting, standing, walking, even lying down became unbearable. I was admitted to the hospital and prescribed Percocet.

Unfortunately, the hyperemesis gravidarum returned, although it wasn’t as severe this time. Still, the Percocet made me vomit, so I had to manage the pain without medication. I started seeing a chiropractor and going to physical therapy. Eventually, the pain became a bit more manageable, but it never fully went away.

Eight Months In

By eight months pregnant (around 34 weeks), I was huge and naturally uncomfortable. One Saturday night, my husband went out for dinner with friends while I stayed home trying to get some rest with our daughter. After an hour of tossing and turning, I felt foggy and started experiencing sharp pains at the top of my head. I blamed it on exhaustion and assumed it was due to my poor sleep.

The next day, my mom and nieces visited while my sister attended a nearby wedding. I couldn’t move from the couch. Again, I chalked it up to being in the final stretch of pregnancy.

That night, I was so exhausted I fell asleep right away, which felt like a blessing after so many restless nights.

When Things Took a Turn

Since we were still working remotely due to the pandemic, I worked from home. My alarm went off at 5:45 AM, but I snoozed it. That five minutes turned into two hours. I didn’t want to call out of work, as I was trying to accrue as much time as possible for maternity leave. I decided to sleep in a bit longer and log on at 9:00 AM.

When I finally woke up, my body felt completely off. I could barely move. When I forced myself out of bed, I immediately knew something was wrong.

The sharp pains in my head returned, and I could barely walk up the stairs. When I finally made it to my work computer, I felt short of breath. I shut everything down, went back downstairs, and woke my husband to tell him something wasn’t right.

I remembered we had a blood pressure monitor. When I checked, it read 147/101. My gut told me to act fast, so I called my OB-GYN. They informed me that my doctor was doing rounds at the hospital and told me to meet her there.

Continue on to Part 2 Here!