Sophie Jane

Sophie Jane

I'm not really sure where to start with her birth story. It was a pretty crazy last few weeks, so we will start there.

Up to this point nothing out of the ordinary had been happening. Except for the fact that I was WAY more sick with this pregnancy than the last. Which was a good indication that I was having a girl. Anyway, it all started when I was on my way to my 37 week appointment. It was scheduled for 11am, and on my way there I realized I hadn't felt the baby move all day. Not too big of a deal, but not normal for her. I told my doctor that, and he did some poking and prodding and she started moving again. He told me to pay attention and do my kick counts and if that happened again to go straight to Labor and Delivery.

At my 38 week appointment, he asked about her movement. I said it had definitely decreased, but I was able to get her to move around when I would lay down and drink cold water or a sugary drink. That concerned him a little bit so he decided to do an ultrasound to check the amniotic fluid (which looked okay) and then he sent me to labor and delivery for an NST. It took a acoustic tool to get her to move, but after 40 minutes, I passed that test and was sent home. By this point I was a basket case. I was so stressed out about her moving that I couldn't even live my life. It was so frustrating.

My doctor told me that if I didn't feel five distinct movements within two hours, to head back to labor and delivery and do another NST. I ended up doing this two more times before she was born. One was the day before my due date. The second time I went in the nurse was pretty rude. She made me feel so stupid for going in. I was torn because I felt stupid, but I would never be able to forgive myself if something was wrong. The third time I went in I hadn't felt any movement all day and it was 4:00pm. I brought my mom with me because I'm too shy to speak my mind, but my mom isn't. She was able to get more answers out of them, and they also did another ultrasound where they informed me I had "plenty of fluid" and I shouldn't be worried. Every time I went in (except for the first time when the doctor sent me over himself,) the nurses acted like I was just being paranoid. I had Logan give me a blessing that day so that I could calm down and everything would be okay.

By this point I was an emotional wreck. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know what else to do, so I just prayed I would go into labor soon, or that by the day they induce me (which would have been Valentine's Day) that everything would be fine.

Sunday morning (February 12th . . . Three days after my due date) at about 5am I woke up from a contraction. I started taking screen shots on my phone of the times in between contractions. Around 8am they were about five minutes apart. I sent my mom a text to be ready to take Gunner soon once they got closer together. Around 10am my mom and dad came over to my house to bring us breakfast and pick up Gunner. I was able to get a shower in and start packing a bag for Gunner before they came in-between contractions. I had such a bad experience the last few times at labor and delivery that I wanted to prolong going in there as long as possible. Finally when they were three minutes apart and lasting for quite awhile my mom and Logan forced me to go to the hospital haha. I was so nervous.

It's so much different with the second baby. I knew what to expect this time! Or so I thought. Once they got me hooked up to the machines and were watching my contractions and the baby's heart rate the nurse checked my progression. Up to this point I had only been dilated to a 2 and barely effaced. However, I was at a 6+, but only 60% effaced. Which was weird, but that was a good number for me, and she sent off for the anesthesiologist. I was so nervous for an epidural again. I felt it going in last time because for some reason I don't numb as well as other people.

The labor and delivery unit also happened to be understaffed that day, with only two nurses working at the time. They were super nice nurses, but I could tell they were a little stressed out because there were two other people in labor. I jokingly told them to call my neighbor Ashley because I had been talking with her about delivering the baby and stuff a few days before. They actually called her and she came in. Bless her heart! She said she happened to drive a separate car to church, so it worked out. With everything that was about to happen, it was nice to have a familiar face there taking care of me! I owe her big time!

While we were waiting for the anesthesiologist we noticed that every time I got a contraction the baby's heart rate was dropping. This went on for about ten minutes or so. Logan and I had done so many NST's by this point that we knew what to look for, and we knew that it didn't look good. The nurse came in and said, "I don't want to stress you out, but the baby's heart rate is dropping every time you get a contraction. I just called your doctor and he's concerned enough that he's leaving church right now to come here." Logan and I just looked at each other and my stomach sank. I knew that wasn't good and I was so scared.

The doctor got to the hospital right as soon as I was getting my epidural. Which was traumatizing for the second time in a row. It somehow hit a nerve ending and sent a huge painful shock down my left leg. Geez, I hate those things. Luckily it ended up working, so he didn't have to do it again. However, I heard the doctor soon after tell him to give me a surgical dose, which meant things weren't looking good.

My doctor knows that I'm a pretty anxious/worried person, so he did a really good job at staying calm. However, I could tell that he was worried. At this point the baby's heart rate was dropping all the way to zero with every contraction. He watched it for a few minutes, and decided to break my water and do a vaginal monitor to see if he could tell what was going on.

They broke my water, and it was full of meconium. He just kept saying that "things were just not looking good," so he informed me that he was going to do a c-section. People were moving around frantically getting prepped for surgery. They threw Logan a drape, shoe covers, a mask and a head cover. I could see the look on my moms face that she was freaked out, but she was trying to keep it together. She and my mother-in-law were trying to calm me down. They said, "we both and c-sections and we are just fine. It's going to be ok." Logan was pretty silent, but he was holding my hand and I could see silent tears running down his face. My cute dad had also come back to see me before they took me to surgery. I could tell he was scared too. He was rubbing my face telling me it was going to be okay. At this point I was in shock. I was starting to shake uncontrollably and I couldn't even talk. I just sat there with tears running down my face. I was terrified.

Right before they took me down, my mom asked if I could have a blessing. They said I could if it was quick. They sent my brother in from the waiting room, and he, my dad and Logan gave me a blessing. Logan actually gave the blessing, and it was very comforting. Right after the blessing was over I felt so brave, where before I just wanted to crawl in a hole and hide. Seconds after the blessing ended they started wheeling me down the hall.

It was just like the movies. Except scarier because it was real... We got to the operating room and Doctor Bilanzich introduced me to Doctor Gatherum who would be assisting him and thanked him for coming on such short notice. It was so funny, because I looked down and they both still had their church shoes on. My doctor also informed me that they called a pediatrician to come in for the baby and that he'd be there soon.

I was laying there with the anesthesiologist behind me as they put the shield up in my face. All of the sudden I could feel them cutting my stomach open. I started to scream, and the last thing I remember was them telling the nurses not to let Logan in. They already had, and he saw and heard me getting cut open. Poor guy. They gave me some kind of drug that knocked me out into a crazy hallucination. It was like all these white and gray pixels forming together like a kaleidoscope. I could hear what the doctors were saying, but I couldn't understand the words. I also remember seeing a light and thinking I was dying. I kept telling myself I had to go back and see my baby. It was the scariest thing I've ever had happen to me. I guess I was suppose to forget all of that, but unfortunately I didn't. However, it was probably a good thing, because when I started waking up, they put the baby in front of me and I remember saying how beautiful she was, and how long her eyelashes were.

Rewind back to when I was off in la la land and the baby was delivered. One of the nurses told me that when they cut me open they could see her inside of my uterus. I guess my uterus was pretty transparent at that point. She said she was the most beautiful baby she'd ever seen and that she looked like a china doll laying there peacefully with the longest eyelashes. So sweet. Upon taking her out of the womb, they discovered that she had the knot wrapped around her neck twice as well as what they call a "true knot." She was purple and non-responsive. She was extremely small for her gestational age. Their guess is that the knot was preventing her from receiving the nutrients she needed those last few weeks. They rushed her over to the nurses who did everything they could to get her to breath. Thank goodness for them. She had a heartbeat, so that was a good sign. They were able to suck the meconium out of her lungs and get her oxygen. (Like I said, I was dead to the world, so I am just telling you what I was told.) At this point they let Logan into the room. He said it was like walking into a horror movie. There I was passed out on the operating table with my insides open, and there his baby was: purple and motionless. He actually filmed this part so that I could see her after I woke up. He didn't realize how scary it would be and he stopped recording after about 30 seconds, when he realized she was still not responding. Thankfully, after about 40 minutes, things started looking better with her. She is a fighter! That is when they brought her over to show her to me. Thank goodness for doctors and nurses who knew what to do to save her life. One of the nurses, who everyone said was the "best," told me that she was a true miracle! She said she's seen a few babies in that circumstance that weren't so lucky. (Breaks my heart to even fathom that!)

Once all the chaos ended, I was wheeled back to my room where I was greeted by my mom and mother-in-law. I was still pretty loopy and they told me that I told the anesthesiologist that I "loved him,"that he was "the best ever," and then I winked at him as I did a little gunshot motion with my fingers. How embarrassing. Haha. Logan wheeled the baby in, and for the first time I got to hold my tiny little miracle.

Sophie Jane Obering born on February 12, 2017 (three days late) at 1:24pm | 5lbs 9oz 19in long

Little did I know that right before I was taken back into the operating room, my parents sent around a mass text asking people to pray for me and the baby. After the dust settled, we were able to learn more information about her condition. What we learned testifies to me that prayers were answered, and that she is meant to be here.

"The perinatal mortality of pregnancies with the condition is approximately 10%." Our little Sophie is a miracle. When all the odds were against her, she made it here safe and sound. If you are an expectant mother, and ever feel like anything is wrong . . . Don't be afraid to say something! Although Sophie's condition wasn't able to be detected before birth, I knew something was wrong. Trust your instincts. We are so grateful to the doctors and nursing staff that brought our baby safely into this world. 

There isn't a lot of research out there on "true knots," because they aren't very common. However, we were determined to find more answers about her birth. He is some information that links the restrictions and problems she was facing before and after delivery:

Here were potential problems and signs that occurred while Sophie was in the womb.
- A true knot, with and umbilical cord longer than normal
- Two nuchal loops (Around the neck)
- Restricted Growth (Three weeks later and she's still wearing preemie sized onesies.)
- Large amount of amniotic fluid
- Smaller than normal placenta
- Decreased fetal movement beginning at 37 weeks
- Meconium in the womb
- Stomach measuring small around 36 weeks. (At my 40 week appointment I measured at 37 weeks.)

How common is it?

"Umbilical cord knots occur in about one in every hundred pregnancies, but only a True Knot can occur in approximately 0.3% to 2% of all births causing problems for the baby.

Who is most at risk?

Babies with long cords are at greater risk for developing true knots. Researchers also speculate that nutritional deficiencies affect the structure and protective barrier of the cord and put the baby at risk. Male babies, twins, women who have given birth before, too much amniotic fluid, and small babies are circumstances that increase the chance of a true knot forming. 

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

The most common sign of a cord knot is decreased fetal activity after week 37. If the knot occurs during labor, a fetal monitor will detect an abnormal heart rate.

SHOULD YOU BE CONCERNED?

... If the knot becomes tight, it could interfere with the circulation of blood from the placenta to the baby and cause oxygen deprivation. Such a complication is most likely to occur during your baby's descent through the birth canal, but these cases are rare.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

There is nothing you can do to prevent a knotted umbilical cord. You can, however, keep a general eye on how your baby is doing, especially later in your pregnancy, by doing regular kick counts and calling your practitioner if you notice any change in fetal activity. If a loose knot tightens during delivery, your practitioner will be able to detect the drop in your baby's heart rate, and will make the appropriate decisions to ensure your baby's safe entry into the world. Immediate delivery, usually via C-section, is often the best approach.

How is True Knot of Umbilical Cord Diagnosed?

The diagnosis of True Knots of Umbilical Cord may include:

• Routine ultrasound examination of the abdomen of the pregnant woman
• Color Doppler ultrasonography
• Examination of the placenta and umbilical cord at the time of delivery

What are the possible Complications of True Knot of Umbilical Cord?

Complications due to True Knot of Umbilical Cord could include:

• Worrying changes in the heart rate of the fetus
• Fetal death and stillbirths

How can True Knot of Umbilical Cord be Prevented?

• Currently, there are no methods available to prevent a True Knot of Umbilical Cord
• Proper ante-natal care is essential to ensure a healthy pregnancy and uncomplicated delivery

What is the Prognosis of True Knot of Umbilical Cord? (Outcomes/Resolutions)

• The prognosis of True Knot of Umbilical Cord is excellent with suitable care and management during delivery
• The perinatal mortality of pregnancies with the condition is approximately 10%