Shawn has encouraged me for months to share our Umbilical Cord Story.


I am finally doing it. Looking back on it all, it has been emotional for me to even type our experience, but I want other families to know what I know now and what I wish I hadn't or had done during our pregnancy, labor, and delivery.


First and foremost, I would have TRUSTED MYSELF and MY INSTINCTS! I would have been EVEN more vocal and researched technology to see our baby better. I would have requested other tests after researching.


We had umbilical cord issues with our younger son. Our little boy was born with his umbilical cord looped and knotted around his neck THREE times, rather than wrapped around and around which actually would have made it easier for him in a way, not being knotted and all.


His umbilical cord was extremely long also. Which was a factor to how many times it was looped/knotted. 3 times is very rare and knotted in the fashion it was. It was as if when he had the space/room to maneuver around, he just got so tangled up in it.


While pregnant, we had many complications and needed monitoring at the hospital several times, medications for pre-term labor, as well as 5 sonograms in total with him. I even had my belly vibrated on to make him move when I was having severe 2-3 minute apart pre-term contractions (which began at 27 weeks and continued the entire pregnancy) in the office following an exam. With the constant, unrelenting contractions I experienced for 13 full weeks, our younger son very well could have suffered long term effects, too.


Thinking back on what I know now, I would NEVER have allowed that, knowing the vibrations could have made him jump around or startle him where the cord could have tightened on his neck.


I noticed a marked difference in his activity level from one day to the next. I alerted the staff in our doctor's office and we did go to the hospital for a non-stress test and to be monitored. Assured everything was alright, even though my instincts said something completely different! I remember thinking that our little boy would be better off outside my body than inside anymore. I still had several weeks to go, too.


I even had a forethought during one sonogram session to ask the technician about his umbilical cord, his neck, and if the tech could tell whether or not it was around his neck - BUT brushed it aside wondering what in the world would make me think of that! I wish I would have asked.


I also let my doctor break my water, thinking it would progress my labor. Something that took me some time to release guilt of. I LOVED (and still do) my doctor and trust him to the fullest. He delivered both of our boys and was very excited to be delivering another boy of his younger son's same name in the same room as his wife delivered theirs.


Now, in hindsight I wish I hadn't allowed my water to be broken.


The fluid was keeping his cord from tightening too much. I failed to progress further than 7cm and was rushed into an emergency caesarean section with our son's obvious distress.


When our son was born, I didn't even know it. He was so quiet. For the APGAR tests, on his color he received a zero and in the follow-up, a zero still.


My husband later told me he had been so afraid our little boy wasn't with us any longer because he was ashen grey at birth and so quiet.


I had to ask what time he was born because when I finally heard him cry, he was off to the side with the Neonatalogists and NICU Specialists and none of the doctors nor nurses announced his birth to me/us. It was a very quiet room until our little boy cried.


I literally had to fight to stay awake to hear and see our little boy. But, I was determined! I fought the medications until the Neonatalogists showed me our son and I held his hand in mine. My husband assured me he would stay with him until I could be.


A couple of months after he was born I recall attending a teacher's workshop at the school board with my little breastfeeding baby boy and one of the subjects was umbilical cord complications resulting in cerebral palsy and then I began to research this pregnancy/delivery complication. I learned that there can be complications that arise from the lack of oxygen up to a full year after birth.


I am humbled and awed to say our little boy made it through (not that we weren't nervous, watching his every development for some months) and as an active boy nearing his 5th birthday there are no ill effects of his traumatic pregnancy and delivery.


I may be removed from this experience by several years, however, I am weeping as I type. It still brings me to my knees to think how close we were to losing him. To relive it again reminds me how precious life is.


Our son is our miracle!


I do know some people including Katie (lilliesmom) here who suffered when their little ones went home Heavenward from umbilical cord complications. I am so sorry for your loss, Katie. I am also delighted to hear of your current pregnancy!


I rejoice with you and for you!

I apologize for being so detailed, but if one of those details sticks in a mommy-to-be's mind whether it is something she faces herself or passes information on to someone she knows, maybe a baby can be saved.


Michelle

Lisa, (scrappin mom) your kind words about our traumatic pregnancy and birthing ordeal with our younger son have not gone unappreciated! Thank you for your PM. I would have PM'd back, but w/computer stuff still ongoing......

I hope more parents realize this can be a very serious complication. It's as if sometimes we never consider things until we've first epxerienced them ourselves. There are many things I hadn't considered while pregnant that in hindsight, I wish we'd known or heard about.

We realize we are fortunate to have our little boy with us and don't take that fact lightly.

Your words were uplifting!


Michelle

Priase the Lord for You, Your Son and Family.

I truly hope that anyone who has Compliacations with their pregnacy post it on here so we can learn thru them. It is the only way. Doctors see so many cases it is up to the mom to be persistant always go with you heart and gut feeling rather the doc prove you wrog than prove you right.
Thank for Sharing

So great to hear your story and so glad all turned out well. Your son has no disabilities or learning issues b/c of the event? I alwys say in my posts that I don't want to scare people but I want them to be aware. I feel like the silver lining for me is maybe saving one family from going through what we went through. I need to make my loss someone elses gain and maybe keep one more precious baby on this earth.
I feel like sometimes we are just willing to do whatever medical professionals say. Even if they have the best of intentions.they are human beings and they make mistakes too. So we definitly need to trust that wonderful insticts the good lord enable us with and speak up for ourselves. So glad you posted your story and I am so grateful for all your support. It means a lot to know so many people care.

Moms, I talked to Michelle at our Park Play date about this issue that can turn so tragic!

I told Michelle all 3 of my kids had their cord wrapped around their neck and was told this was normal- so I thought it was. Lillian was my only baby that had the 4D ultrasound of my kids. When the tech showed us her face, it was obvious that her cord was wrapped around her neck several times. I was then told this is normal and I didn't worry. Now that I know Katie’s (lilliesmom) story, I probably would have worried tremendously!

There have been no obvious side effects on my kids that I know of. Ryan was born blue with low, low apgar scores as well, but by the next apgar read, some were high and other were mid range.

With Ethan his Apgar was at the max when he came out. I literally watched them unwrap/ untangle him from his cord.

I remember the first thing Eddy said about Lilly was how they had to unwind her from her cord around her neck. I didn't see it because there was a drape in the way. I had a c-section. Her apgar scores were great right away.

All my kids had unusually long cords.
So ladies what do you think? Did you all have cord wraps too on your babies? Were any of you told this was normal?

when i was pregnant with brooke her cord was wrapped around her neck 2 times. i had a ton of sonograms and nst's and no one ever caught it. she always had her hands around her neck. thank goodness i never went into labor. when my mom was pregnant with me the cord was wrapped around my neck also. she had to have an emercency c section and i came out blue. i can't believe how common it is. it's scary.

Shawn,
I really enjoyed our conversation the other night. Not something I am used to having often! Time devoted to conversation of my interests with another adult!

I was surprised to hear of your own cord situation. My doctor said it isn't a normal thing at all, especially the way we experienced it with 3 times and the knotting. BUT, it sounds more common than not with everyone's stories. And you with all 3 children! Which is very sad. I am hoping if more women know of this possibility, they'll ask more questions, not allow their water to be broken (it's ok to deliver in their sack) or at the very minimum wait until very close to delivery, etc.

I am sorry that you witnessed what you did with your relative, too. That must have been scary.

A neighborhood friend lost their baby due to cord complications. They sold their home and moved away. It was too painful to be at their home.

Katie,
No, our son is perfectly fine. Not that we weren't scared or anxious for many months. He zipped through milestones on an even earlier schedule than our first. We definitely comprehend our fortune with BOTH our boys and their births!

I think sometimes, doctors don't say everything out of concern of scaring us, but as parents we need ALL the information.

I thank God he stopped me from progressing because had I pushed him out the size he was (he was 9#s 12oz 22" long which is big, but for me, huge) and with the cord like it was, he would have died.

You all have been compassionate about hearing it. I don't like to share horrible things either, but if only one mommy or family learns something, it was worth it.



Michelle