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Ep. 5 - An American in South Africa and Sweden

When Katie and Mårten's contraceptive failed while they were on assignment in South Africa, Katie was overjoyed with what felt like an answer to prayer. Unfortunately, several weeks later, it would be confirmed that the pregnancy was lost, and Katie would go through a rather daunting experience of D&C in the public healthcare system. But as fate should have it, not too long after, she and her husband learned they were expecting a double rainbow - TWINS!


Katie met Mårten not too long into a work assignment in Germany. The two clicked instantly with their creative personalities and similar interests in life. They traveled around for work for several years after being married, but as much as Katie wanted to start a family, it didn't seem like the "right timing".


During an aggrevating separation whereby Katie and Mårten had to return to their respective home countries while their South African residence permits processed, Katie got the shock of a lifetime - she was pregnant! Unfortunately, while going through routine prenatal screening in South Africa, it was discovered that Katie had what appeared to be a blighted ovum - a situation in which the gestational sac developed, but a fetus did not. Katie underwent a rather harrowing D&C in the public healthcare system there - a process that would have been a quick outpatient procedure in most places, but a 3 days / 2 nights ordeal where she was living.


After much prayer, the two decided to actively try to conceive, and shortly after they got the shock of a lifetime: TWINS! It was decided that Katie would move to Mårten's homeland of Sweden while he finished his work assignment in South Africa to be looked after by his family. As luck should have it, not even a week after Mårten moved back to Sweden with Katie, she went experienced PROM (premature rupture of membranes) at 32 weeks and delivered by cesarean in Sweden when it was discovered that Baby A had rotated transverse.


"Have you ever felt your water break before? It is like a fire hose in your pants!"

Their girls were healthy and thrived however, and Katie concludes her story with some beautiful advice to moms in Sweden (and just in general!) about coping with new motherhood and all the pressures placed on us to "be good moms".


TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:

Miscarriage, blighted ovum, D&C procedure, twin pregnancy, PROM, cesarean birth, premature babies, and a happy ending <3



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