Author name: Diane

“The darkest time of my life was after I lost my baby at 25 weeks. The grief was unbearable. My hopes and dreams of a perfect pregnancy and a healthy baby daughter were shattered,” explains Brielle. Brielle, a patient at Cherokee Women’s Health, lost her first baby when she was 25 weeks pregnant. She eventually went on to give birth to a healthy baby boy but the journey to get there was an emotional one. Here, she shares her journey. Getting Pregnant Within just a few days of missing her period, Brielle took a home pregnancy test, which tested positive. Excited, she quickly followed up with an appointment with Cherokee Women’s Health Specialists and her doctor confirmed it — she was pregnant. Brielle was ecstatic as she and her husband Mark had been trying to conceive for five months. She had dreamed of becoming a mother and she shouted the good news from the rooftops. Everything seemed completely normal to her, and her doctor confirmed that the baby seemed to be growing as expected. But throughout the first trimester she experienced extreme nausea, loss of appetite, and even vomited multiple times. Then, as the second trimester started, she felt much better and she began to get her appetite back. At her next routine OB visit, her doctor shared that her baby was growing and looked healthy. The ultrasound revealed that she was carrying a baby girl. Brielle and Mark were beyond excited about their baby daughter and couldn’t wait to tell their extended families. They planned a gender reveal party with their family and friends for the next weekend. Brielle’s mom and sister popped the balloons together as the pink confetti exploded, revealing to everyone that a baby girl was on the way. They began the process of decorating the nursery and preparing for what she thought would be the happiest time of her life. Brielle went shopping with her mom and sisters and bought girly outfits, bows and soft blankets in anticipation of her baby girl’s arrival. She even had the names narrowed down to two top choices — Ella and Miranda. She couldn’t quite decide on which one but she knew she had a few months to decide. She kept tossing the names around in her head attempting to pick the perfect name for her daughter. Something’s Wrong And then it happened. Brielle woke up one morning and instantly felt something was wrong. She had been feeling the baby move for a couple of weeks, but that morning was different. She felt no movement at all. Nothing. Her heart sank and she said she felt a wave of panic. Luckily, Mark was still home so he called her doctor’s office. He was able to immediately get the triage nurse at Cherokee Women’s Health on the phone, who told him to bring his wife to the office for an ultrasound. “Julianna was as kind and compassionate as could be, but I could tell that something was not right by her facial expression,” Brielle recalls. Julianna, the ultrasound technician called in the doctor. Brielle was told the most devastating news imaginable — her baby had suddenly died. The Grieving Process Brielle shared that the following days were a blur and the saddest time of her life. She was put in the hospital, induced labor and had to give birth to a baby that had died. She and Mark’s hearts were broken as they held their baby and mourned the loss together. They named her Ella, which was ultimately what they decided was her name when they saw her for the first and last time. Tests were run, and nothing was ever confirmed about Ella’s cause of death. Brielle was told that it wasn’t her fault, and her doctor seemed to think that it was an extremely rare occurrence and she would be able to try to conceive again soon. For several months following, Brielle went through a deep personal struggle. There were many days where she couldn’t get out of bed. She had to seek counseling, and she credits God, her family and her counselor for pulling her out of a depression. Her faith in God was tested, but ultimately she decided she had to go on and trust that He had a plan for her future. Getting Pregnant Again is Emotional Brielle and Mark finally decided that they were emotionally healthy enough to try to get pregnant again. They knew that they would forever mourn their loss of Ella, but both felt a strong need to move forward. Staying in the depression and sadness was not an option, so trying to conceive again was at least a step in the right direction. After 4 months of trying, Brielle finally had a positive pregnancy test. She was relieved, scared, and was hesitant to share the news this time. After her 12-week visit with her doctor and an ultrasound, she finally told her family that she was pregnant. “During the pregnancy, we were put on a strict schedule of doctor visits, and at 24 weeks, we started going to the doctor every week. I was also given a Doppler so I could hear the baby’s heartbeat at home. I used that thing all day long!” Brielle shared that her entire pregnancy the second time around was stressful. She said she wanted to feel the baby moving all the time, and when she didn’t feel movement, she felt that familiar wave of panic and fear. She was nervous until the day she gave birth. A Healthy Birth and Newborn Son At 39 weeks, her doctor delivered Brielle’s healthy 7 lb. son, Jacob, via scheduled C-section. Brielle and Mark say they are grateful for their son, who is now 6 months old and is healthy and thriving. “My doctor told me I had a ‘Rainbow Baby’, which is a baby after a miscarriage or stillborn birth. I honestly had never heard that term before, but I loved it since it refers to the

We sat down to interview Jourdan Adams to get her perspective on having a high-risk pregnancy with twins, and ultimately delivering her tiny twin boys as ‘preemies’. We also discuss the long weeks her babies had to stay in the Northside Hospital Cherokee NICU (Neo-Intensive Care Unit), and the ups and downs that she and her husband experienced as they went through the roller coaster of emotions during this difficult journey. A Mother’s Perspective Jourdan recalls, “The pregnancy was good – up until about 22 weeks. That was the first time I had to go to the hospital.” Jourdan and her husband Tyler had been trying to get pregnant for a couple years, so when Jourdan’s home pregnancy test read positive, she went to the OB right away.  Jourdan chose Cherokee Women’s Health. “We came in super early. And then again at 5 weeks, when we saw 2 sacs! And that was how we found out we had twins.” She admits the twin pregnancy came as a shock. “I just remember looking at my husband and saying, ‘Oh my gosh, what are we going to DO?!’ And my husband was so good, he just said to me, ‘Babe, we’ve got this.’ “But I was thinking, ‘No, you DON’T!!! You have no CLUE what we’re in for!” Hospital Trips and Bedrest Jourdan relates that early on in the pregnancy she had a small bleed, which, she quickly adds, is not unusual. But at 22 weeks the real trouble started. “I was feeling kind of weird at the office one day. My doctor gave me an ultrasound and put me on the monitor. They realized I was having contractions. She sent me to the hospital.” At Northside Cherokee, Jourdan saw her high-risk specialist, who put her on fluids and sent her home, anticipating that the contractions would settle down once she was off her feet. “But the next day I was still having contractions every 10 minutes. I went back to the hospital, and got three injections of terbutaline. Because it was so early, I just wasn’t worried. I figured they’d fix it and that it was normal. I never really felt super fearful they were coming. Then I was put on bedrest until 24 weeks because that is viability. At that point I was allowed to work three days a week.” But at Jourdan’s next check-up, an ultrasound revealed a troubling development. “We realized my cervix was shrinking. After that, I was on bedrest for the rest of my pregnancy.”

Ambre wasn’t expecting to have C-sections with her two pregnancies but she knows without a doubt that they were the right decision for her and the birth of her babies. This is her story. When Ambre and her husband moved to Georgia, they didn’t know anyone. When it came time to find an OB/GYN, Ambre had no one to ask for a recommendation. As a medical professional herself, Ambre knew how important it was to find the right physician. She began an internet search, digging deep, looking at reviews on Facebook and Google, and anything else she could find. Ambre liked all she read about Cherokee Women’s Health and made her choice. 1st Pregnancy When Ambre found out she and her husband were expecting their first baby she made an appointment with an OB/GYN at Cherokee Women’s Health. Unfortunately, she was told the devasting news that she was having a miscarriage. “My doctor was so compassionate and caring and explained everything. I loved the way my husband and I were included in all discussions.” – Ambre A Difficult 2nd Pregnancy Ambre’s next pregnancy had many complications. She had very high blood pressure from the beginning and was so swollen she could barely walk. She was eventually placed on bed rest. Because of her high blood pressure, her doctor made the decision to induce labor. After actively pushing for four hours and due to stress on the baby, Ambre had to have a C-section. On top of that, the epidural didn’t work for her and she had to have general anesthesia. It was a very emotional experience. But thankfully, Ambre delivered a healthy baby boy, whom she and her husband named Rhett.   An Easy 3rd Pregnancy, But Then… The third pregnancy for Ambre started much better. No high blood pressure and no complications. However, because Ambre was considered an “older mom” by this point, she and her husband opted to have early genetic testing. The test came back with the likelihood that the baby girl they were expecting may have Downs Syndrome. Ambre and her husband were surprised and obviously concerned. Her doctor called Ambre one night, after hours, to address her concerns. Ambre says, “My doctor was wonderful! He went above and beyond to put my mind at ease. He is the best!” In the end, it turned out that the test was a false positive. Another C-Section Two weeks before her due date, Ambre started having contractions and went into early labor. Ambre had seen all of Cherokee Women’s Health’s doctors during her pregnancies, and felt completely comfortable with each of them and knew that they all delivered at Northside Hospital Cherokee. And she believes her doctor made the right call to deliver her early, and via cesarean section again, as the baby’s head was stuck. “It was my doctor’s experience and knowledge that prevented us from going through a dangerous labor again. Baby Claire arrived safe and healthy.” – Ambre on the care she received Ambre is quick to refer Cherokee Women’s Health to everyone. She loves that all the physicians and advanced practice providers she has met at the practice are so caring and compassionate. If you’d like to make an appointment at either our Woodstock and Canton location, please call 770.720.7733 or simply schedule an appointment online.