Mom Says Nurses ‘Flipped Me Back and Forth Like a Rotisserie Chicken’ During ‘Traumatic’ Labor (Exclusive)

**A Mother’s Harrowing Journey: Leah Ragan’s High-Risk Pregnancy and Chaotic Delivery**

Leah Ragan recently shared her harrowing experience of a high-risk pregnancy and an intense labour that culminated in a chaotic delivery. At the young age of 19, Ragan faced a series of frightening complications leading up to and during the birth of her daughter, which transformed her understanding of motherhood and resilience.

The ordeal began during Ragan’s third trimester while she was working at a daycare. In a moment of panic, she discovered that she was suddenly bleeding during a bathroom break. “I immediately ran to my boss, who is a mother, and just started crying and shaking,” Ragan recounted. Her boss quickly took her to the local emergency room, where medical staff revealed that she had entered into preterm labour at just 28 weeks. Admitted for observation, Ragan was left grappling with the fear of potentially losing her child and the uncertainty of her situation.

As her pregnancy progressed, Ragan’s challenges mounted. Just two days before her scheduled induction, she experienced a concerning spike in blood pressure, reaching 150/100. Her doctors opted for an early induction, but the subsequent 12 hours saw little progress, and she found herself struggling to manage the pain. An epidural was administered, but soon after, another complication arose when Ragan’s blood pressure plummeted, causing her to lose consciousness. “It was one of the scariest moments of my life,” she said, recalling the sense of isolation as her medical team scrambled to stabilise her.

After the momentary shock of passing out, the night continued to drag on with Ragan confined to her hospital bed, anxiously awaiting progress. Nurses worked tirelessly, repositioning her in hopes of aiding her labour, which had become an emotionally draining journey. Not long after her water was broken, the delivery room atmosphere shifted dramatically when her daughter’s heart rate began to drop perilously low.

Ragan described the pandemonium that ensued: “All the nurses rushed in and flipped me back and forth like a rotisserie chicken.” There was a palpable sense of urgency as the medical staff worked to ensure the wellbeing of her child. The doctor eventually arrived, and after just one small push, Ragan’s daughter was born. However, the relief was short-lived, as the newborn was taken away almost immediately for medical attention.

In these tense moments, Ragan could only lie in her bed, waiting anxiously as her baby was hurried across the room for stabilisation. “After what felt like forever, I heard our baby girl let out a cry, and I started bawling,” Ragan remembered, reflecting on the overwhelming emotion of finally hearing her child’s first sounds.

As days unfolded, the family faced further challenges, as doctors diagnosed Ragan’s daughter with Goldenhar syndrome, a rare condition affecting facial and cranial development, along with complications such as microtia and microglossia, which impacted her ear and tongue formation. These diagnoses marked yet another round of stress and uncertainty for Ragan and her fiancé, who stood steadfastly by her side.

Despite the trauma of her pregnancy and delivery, Ragan found solace in the support of her family, particularly her sister and her partner, who has proven to be a devoted father and partner. “My fiancé has been a wonderful support to me and our daughter through all her surgeries and diagnoses,” she remarked.

Reflecting on her journey more than a year later, Ragan acknowledges that while the experience was filled with anxiety and horror, it has profoundly redefined her view of strength and motherhood. “Overall it was a very traumatic pregnancy and birth,” she stated. “But we have a very happy and healthy one-year-old, and I would definitely do it all again for her.”

Leah Ragan’s experience serves as a poignant reminder of the unpredictability of pregnancy and childbirth, particularly in high-risk situations. Through sheer determination and the steadfast support of her loved ones, Ragan’s story stands as a testament to both the challenges and the joys of motherhood, capturing the essence of resilience in the face of adversity.