Aside from some severe morning sickness early on, I have had a healthy, uncomplicated pregnancy. Until yesterday.

I woke up yesterday morning (my birthday, btw) with a pain near my belly button. When I called the midwives they told me to come in to be checked. After a checkup at the birth center I was sent to the hospital across the street for further assessment. They hooked me up for a NST and regular blood pressure checks. They also took blood and urine samples to check.

The result: preeclampsia. They sent me home for partial bed rest and the supplies to do a 24 hour urine collection. I have a follow-up appointment on Monday. If anything changes for the worse, anything at all, I will be having an induction birth in the hospital. I have to go in for twice a week check-ups from here on out (I am currently 37 weeks) and have been told to be prepared every time to be checked in to the hospital for an induction.

The hospital is a good one, the staff is great, and I would still be giving birth with the midwives, but it's just not what we had hoped for (we had planned/hoped for a natural birth center birth)! Still, I know that the most important thing is that baby is healthy (which she is at the moment) and that I don't develop more severe complications.

I am still just kind of reeling with this unexpected change. I would love to hear encouragement from anyone who has been here! I would also love to hear about anyone who has managed an induction without an epidural...