Hey horse - I am sorry I did not have a doula - I think you mean some one else.
OK here goes: I am small. I think all women should know that not all women's bodies are the same. Some of us are built better for birthin' babies than others. Had I lived even 50 years ago I would not have survived childbirth. Maybe that is nature's way of preventing poor genetic stock, but I am grateful for the interventions!
I developed a clotting disorder during the pregnancy. And I had (I forget the word now) the endless constant vomiting. I started out weighing about 110 lbs. At five months pregnant I weighed 100 lbs. I got put in the hospital for the vomiting and the dehydration. We got that all calmed down when I started having trouble breathing. All women start panting as their lungs get squished, but I was only maybe six months along. The doctor said it was just because I was small. Then I started fainting. Alot.
Finally (bless my DH) hubby had a fit at the OB that none of my symptoms were "normal" and he wasn't paying enough attention. The OB listened to my chest for a moment and off to the hospital I went! For reasons no one is sure of yet, my lungs had started to fill with fluid. I was drowning internally. They soon discovered that my heart, instead of being pushed upward as is normal, had shifted over to one side and was now essentially upside down! They suspect this is what caused the edema. (It is very concerning when the cardiologist is doing an echocardiogram and cannot find your heart! LOL!)
So, we focused on keeping me healthy and I got shots twice a day, and my no medication plan was out the window. I was taking all kinds of stuff to keep the oxygen level to the baby high. I wore and finger oxygen thingy to measure my levels most of the time.
In and out of the hospital right up to the day! We knew by then that I was not going to be able to handle a long labor and we also knew by then that I had an inadequate amount of amniotic fluid and that she was heads up! So a C section was the way to go. But, I went into labor anyway! SO we got to the hospital and I felt this tremendous pain in my chest. I thought it was labor but it hurt so bad I finally said something about the pain in my chest being worse than the contractions and everyone freaked out. I was having a heart attack.
I was sped into surgery. I remember very clearly one moment of clarity. There were like 20 people in the room and the anesthesiologist and my husband were arguing that this was now major surgery and he could not stay and he said he wanted to be there for the baby when she was born. The OB and cardiologist were standing there the OB with a scalpel over my belly saying are we ready are we ready. And I said, "Am I supposed to still be here for this part?" LOL! I am not sure what I was thinking I was afraid he would start cutting while I was still awake I guess. That is all I remember. I woke up two days later.
DH said they knocked me out completely because spinal blocks cannot be done when you have blood thinners on board. The OB cut me and started taking the baby out when I stated fibrillating. The neonatal team scooped DD up and started their whole deal and scooted incubator and neonatal team and DH out of the room. He said it was the hardest thing he had ever done, but I had made him promise me that once she was outside of my body his job was to tend her. Later the nurses told me how they all were so surprised because she was breathing too fast and her heart rate was off the charts and they were afraid she was going to seize when he leaned over the incubator and started to sing to her. She immediately calmed down and everything slowed and she pinked up. The nurse said she had never seen so clear a sign that a baby recognized her father's voice like that.
Obviously, I lived. I have scarring on my heart, but recovered fairly well. When we started to discuss having another child my OB fired me. He refused to be my doctor if I got pg again. We interviewed six different drs. Finally, I met with one who read my entire record and said the event s of my pregnancy were unlikely to reoccur. He was right. I had a fairly uneventful, normal pregnancy and a long painful but fairly normal VBAC delivery. There were still 20 people in the room! LOL!
Both kids are fine. We all lived = happy ending.
If I have the next one at home, then I am hiring a postpartum doula to look after me and the baby for the first 24 hours. To do the laundry, bring us yummy food, and keep an eye on our health. 
