Please join us in wishing a very happy Mother's Day to first-time mom Tessa Deignan! She and her husband Charlie were excited to welcome baby Tallulah to their family on April 29.
Tessa says when it came time to look for prenatal and delivery care, their choice was clear. "My gynecologist has always been at Boston Medical Center and I've really enjoyed my experiences there, so it made sense to keep my prenatal care in-house. And everything was awesome-the whole team was super warm, helpful, and accommodating."
During the last few weeks of pregnancy, Tallulah did a lot of moving around, and her team was afraid she might be born in breech position, or feet down. So Tessa's team scheduled an external cephalic version, a procedure that tries to turn the baby from a breech position to a head-down position, so she could have vaginal birth.
"They moved her into position, and then tried to induce me, but it didn't really take," Tessa says. "My water broke and I was having contractions, but I was only one centimeter dilated after a long time, which is when we all decided that a C-section would be best."
Throughout the delivery, Tessa says her team kept her informed about what was happening and why they ultimately recommended the C-section, including her and Charlie in the decisionmaking process.
"There was one nurse, Lauren, who really just helped with everything," says Tessa. "She was super informative, and she always made sure we were in good hands when her shift ended, before she handed us off to another nurse. She was amazing."
Because Tessa has a heart condition, she was also happy to rely on the expertise of her BMC cardiologist, Dr. Naomi Hamburg, throughout her pregnancy and labor. “They kept very close watch on me the whole time, and thankfully everything was normal.”
The couple was also happy that Charlie was able to stay in her room on a foldout bed, so they could be together. Now that they are all home, Tessa, Charlie, and Tallulah are looking forward to celebrating their first Mother's Day together as a family.