ICAN Accreta Awareness Month – Alexis’s Birth Story
I’m a survivor of multiple pregnancy complications: placenta increta, incompetent cervix, and postpartum hemorrhage – all during my first viable pregnancy. I had several risk factors for accreta including several D&Cs and hysteroscopies. I was on home bedrest for two months due to incompetent cervix. Then during a routine sonogram at 36 weeks gestation, my […]
ICAN Accreta Awareness Month – Katie’s Birth Story
I had my first son in October 2009. He was 10 days late and after being induced for over 24 hours and having “failure to progress” during labor the doctor said that we could do the cesarean now or we could continue the induction the next day. I was tired and realized another day of induction would […]
ICAN Awareness Month – Placenta Accreta: Multiple C-Sections Can Kill Mother
By Susan Donaldson James, April 18, 2011 Barbara George nearly hemorrhaged to death while doctors delivered her fifth child at Hackensack Medical Center in New Jersey — and that was in 2010, not 1910. The stay-at-home mother from South Orange was diagnosed with placenta accreta, a life-threatening condition where the placenta grows into the uterine wall […]
An Unexpected Birth Story – I Didn’t Love My Baby
By Payton Foeller My Birth Story: An Unexpected Turn I love my new life. I love my new baby and all my new things…But I also don’t like them sometimes. And sometimes I don’t like them a lot of the time. And sometimes I hate them. I look at my sweet baby and sometimes I […]
ICAN as Part of Your Birth Team
This post was originally published in 2015 under the title, “Why you want ICAN on your VBAC team.” It is still as pertinent today for women seeking choices and respect in their future births. Guest post by Mariah Sixkiller. There are some moments in life that feel bigger than you can process while they’re underway. Moments you […]
Day 30 – Surgery Saves Mom and Baby After Severe Hemorrhaging
“Blood was crucial in determining my surgical outcome. After five units of blood, my surgery was successful. In addition to saving my life, a beautiful five-pound baby was brought into the world. Today, Cooper, 4, is a thriving preschooler who is able to have his mom in his life. I now share my story in […]
Day 23 – I Suffered the Same Pregnancy Complication as Kim Kardashian but with Much More Dire Results
The placenta is an astonishing organ; it is, after all, essential for growing healthy babies. However, in my last pregnancy, the very thing that was giving my daughter life was also something that was risking mine… . . . Read the whole story over at PopSugar.com. . #ICANsavelives Read about ICAN’s Accreta Awareness Month. […]
Day 16 – Merk’s Birth Story
In late October of 2015, I got an unexpected positive pregnancy test (very unexpected), but less than a week later I started to bleed a lot and was lead to believe I miscarried. I came to terms with that and things were going okay. Several weeks passed and I found myself at the local ER with severe […]
Day 15 – Loss Remembrance Day: Lauren’s Birth Story
Today we honor and remember those we have lost to accreta. The possibility of the loss of both mom and baby is a real risk when dealing with accreta. We thank the families that have opened their hearts and shared stories of their loved one with us. Opening your heart and sharing your loss is not an easy thing […]
Day 11 – Stephanie’s Birth Story
I went in for a routine mid-pregnancy scan at 20 weeks and was sent home after being told everything looked good. The next morning I got a phone call from my OB telling me that it looked like I had complete placenta previa and possibly vasa previa. I was told not to google (I did) […]
Day 9 – Alexis’ Birth Story
I’m a survivor of multiple pregnancy complications: placenta increta, incompetent cervix, and postpartum hemorrhage – all during my first viable pregnancy. I had several risk factors for accreta including several D&Cs and hysteroscopies. I was on home bedrest for two months due to incompetent cervix. Then during a routine sonogram at 36 weeks gestation, my […]
Day 6 – What I Learned on the Day I Almost Lost My Daughter and My Life
I wish I could remember, but I can’t. The day my daughter was born was one of the worst and best days in my life — a day that almost ended my life — and I can’t remember much of it at all. After spending six weeks in and out (mostly in) of the hospital […]