Birth Stories

Suite’s Birth Story: Full-Term Pregnancy and HELLP Syndrome

Editor’s note: We believe that all birth stories and all birth experiences matter. This post is part of an ongoing series of birth stories submitted by readers and fellow bloggers, featuring a diverse range of women and their birth experiences. Today I’m sharing Suite’s experience with HELLP syndrome. If you would like to share your own birth story, please visit this post to learn how. ~Olivia


On February 11, 2015, I found out I was pregnant. It was 9 days before my and my boyfriend’s 1 year anniversary. I got an ultrasound a couple of weeks later, and I was 9 weeks pregnant. My due date was October 15th, 2015. Months came and went, and everything was going great. I found out I was having a baby girl the day before I got married on May 27.

Months later, I began having swollen feet and not feeling well but I didn’t think much about it. My mom told me told me those were signs of preeclampsia and told me to get checked but I didn’t. I just kept on going. At every check up, my blood pressure was fine and the baby was doing great. She was the perfect size and everything. But on October 2nd at the stroke of midnight, I began to have really bad pains. I tried to get comfortable but I couldn’t so I told my aunt what was going on, and she kept track of everything. At 5:30 am we decided to go to Labor & Delivery. I got up and told my husband that it was time. We gathered up our stuff, but just as I was almost ready to go I began throwing up and shaking uncontrollably. I didn’t want to get up but I needed to. We got into the cab and we were on our way!

We got to L&D, and I was in back labor and 2 cm dilated. They did some tests and told me to walk around and come back in 2 hours. So I went to my aunt’s appointment and tried walking up and down the 5 levels of stairs. I got tired and my feet were hurting and exhausted. When we finally got back to the hospital they told me they had bad news… I had HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count) – a serious complication with high blood pressure. I was admitted and got an IV and magnesium drip to keep me from having seizures during the labor and after.

They said I needed to have the baby today and induced me. During the night of October 2nd, I had the worst contractions. I couldn’t eat because I would throw it up and I couldn’t really move, so I decided to get the epidural. It was amazing. I still felt the pain but not as bad, then they broke my water. On October 3rd at 10:00 am, they told me I was 10 cm dilated and it was time to push. I started pushing and screaming, and I told my aunt I wanted my mother here. My mother came finally after maybe an hour and a half of pushing.

My daughter came into this world on October 3rd, 2015, at 12:04 pm. She was 6lbs 9oz and 21 inches long. She decided to wait for her nana (grandma) to come into the room.

After I had her, the nurses tried to make me hold her but I was shaking too much and I didn’t want to scare her. After getting stitches and everything calmed down, I finally held my daughter and cuddled with her before a high fever hit me. I had a fever of 103.1 that wouldn’t go down for a few hours. It was agony. My whole body was shutting down on me but I fought through it since I knew my daughter needed me. Finally, the fever broke and I felt better.

A year later, my daughter Rosemarie is one and thriving more than ever. I’m also doing better even though I still have problems, but I know I will overcome them. I’m a survivor of HELLP syndrome, and I overcame my fears and became stronger than I was before.

xoxo Suite xoxo

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9 Comments

  • I am so happy everything worked out for you and that your baby is so precious. I can’t say I blame her for waiting for her Nana as I also was a grandmothers girl. Have a great week. Thank you for sharing your story with us. As I know it will help others who may suffer from Help.

  • Thanks for sharing your beautiful story,so happy everything worked out great.Enjoy your beautiful baby !!

  • What a relief it was to read that everything went well in the end. So sorry you had to go through all this. I’m happy that you have a beautiful, healthy daughter now and hopefully your story will help others too.

  • As a grandmother, I hope you realize how much your Mother loves you and that, when possible, you should follow her advice.
    I am so happy that all turned out well for both of you. Your baby girl is beautiful and I haope you are will again and able to really enjoy your family.

  • I love you my Suiteness!
    I’m honored to have been with you and witnessing my first great nieces birth!
    Best four/five days of 2015!
    I’m so grateful you survived, I was devastated and so scared.
    I tried not to show you my fear and just wanted to help you as much as I could.
    I’m proud of you, I love you and my lmLil Precious Blanket Rosemarie. ❤️????✝❤️????✝