It Was All Worth It
Written by Shelby Mackinnon
Hi! I’m Shelby, I’m 28 years old and I live in Ontario, Canada.
I have a 14 month old daughter named Rylee.
When I was 5.5 weeks pregnant I went into a severe nausea and vomiting episode. I was vomiting every 15 minutes for 3 days straight and managed to fill up 5 gallon buckets.
I could barely stand and lift my head off the pillow. I started to chug cold water just so I could have something to vomit as the dry heaving was too much. The water would come back up cold because it wouldn’t stay down long enough. I crawled to the car where my boyfriend drove me to the emergency department. They rushed me back and immediately gave me several rounds of IV fluids and IV anti nausea medication. It took hours for it to even take some of the edge off. They ran numerous tests on me and ended up admitting me. I spent 7 days in the hospital and could barely open my eyes. My electrolyte levels were dangerously abnormal due to all the vomiting, I had lost a lot of weight and couldn’t even sip water without vomiting. I hadn’t eaten for 7 days and the hospital was begging me to try something or else they would have to inset an NG tube to give me nutrition.
By day 6, I was starting to feel the best I had felt in a week. I stood in the shower while my boyfriend helped me bathe. I was able to put on deodorant and fresh clothes on and I even managed to have a few grapes and a sip of ginger-ale. I was discharged from the hospital and still feeling nauseous. I was still on a plethora of medications and spend the next few weeks in bed. The vomiting was still there but it was much more manageable than it was prior. I eventually went back to work while battling debilitating nausea and vomiting. I worked and struggled for 16 weeks before the nausea started to subside. I was extremely ill for over half my pregnancy. My daughter was doing well inside me and at the end of the day, that was all that mattered.
I delivered a healthy and beautiful baby girl in June of 2025 and immediately after delivery I felt like a million dollars.
My labour was difficult. I had a failed epidural. They could not place it properly and spent 15 minutes fishing around in my spinal column trying to place it all while I was 4cm dilated and contracting. After numerous struggles they eventually got it. I was in labour for 24.5 hours when I developed a fever and mine and my daughter’s HR climbed to the 180’s. Narrowly avoiding a c-section, I finally delivered a baby girl sunny side up(which if you’re unfamiliar, the baby’s face is facing the sky/roof instead of the floor) it makes it much more difficult to deliver as they have to get under your pelvic bone.
I then bled out after she was born. The nurses and dr had to administer oxytocin and TXA.
I received an iron transfusion and IV antibiotics to compensate for an infection they thought I may have had brewing.
After 3 days in hospital I was discharged to go home with my new daughter.
Things had gone well for us although i kept gaining weight. I ended up gaining a total of 100lbs from pre pregnancy to 2 months post partum. After a Dr. appt I was put on medication and have since lost 30lbs.
It’s been a slow process but we are getting there.
It was a lot of work to grow her to full term. I reflect often on the things my body and mind went through but it was all worth and I am the proudest mom in the world!