Thought I would share my graphic but beautiful belly birth photos with you all.

Little back story: I had my twins via c-section 7 years ago at 33 weeks due to severe preeclampsia which actually resulted in my permanently losing all hearing in my right ear (odd and unexplained medical mystery) . Flash forward to this singleton pregnancy I started to develop my symptoms slowly but surely around 34 weeks. My OB , hub's and I decided that with my history and symptoms we would go ahead with a csection at 37 weeks to maintain the hearing I have left . One week later I began to feel very unwell, blood pressure was creeping up, water retention was hitting hard and I was getting a strange ringing in my ear along with seeing stars, a constant headache and persistent vomiting and heartburn. The OB called a high risk OB and it was decided that the best route would be to deliver at 36 weeks. Shortly after the decision I was admitted to the hospital three days before my booked surgery to be monitored and placed on bed rest.

The day of my surgery I was a so excited and nervous that I didn't sleep a wink and was waiting and ready to go by 4 am. Come 8 am I say "see you soon" to my husband and I was wheeled to the OR . Through the anxiety tears kept creeping up, but I wanted to be a brave faced mother and keep my shit together. That was until the epidural. They asked me to relax my shoulders and take deep breaths and that's when they anxiety all came out , aka the tears. The staff was all amazing and held my hands while I composed myself. After all was said and numb my husband was brought into the room where I held his hand so tight that he had to readjust every so often. Our team was by far the best I have ever experienced and as soon bad our baby girl was about to enter the word they told him to get his camera ready , they lowered the drapes and had him stand to watch it all . Then I heard it, the most beautiful sound I could of asked for, my baby girls first cry. Hearing her sweet cry was like a thousand pounds had been lifted off my chest and I began to cry out of pure joy, love and relief. My husband left to go check out our baby girl and came back to kiss me , and told me me loved me and that she had my toes 😂.

At 36 weeks our tiny but mighty Ava Kate was born at 5p 3oz , spent three days in the NICU before coming home to complete our beautiful family.