First-Time-Mommy.Com Featured Birth Story: Caleb–Born at Only 29.5 Weeks

Babies Name: Caleb

Babies Sex: Male

Due Date: 10/12/2013

Babies Birth Date: 7/31/2013

# of weeks pregnant: 29 1/2 weeks

Type of Birth: Emergency c-section

Babies Stats: 2 # 11 1/2 oz 15 3/4″

Parents: Denise and Alex

This year I celebrated my 35th birthday. This was my freak out year. I already had two miscarriages and difficulty getting pregnant. I had been diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome. I knew the older I got, the harder it would be to get pregnant. By my birthday, I had gotten to peace with thinking I would not be able to get pregnant.

My mom was down from Ohio visiting me in Alabama for my birthday. Towards the end of her visit, I was coughing a lot, and having a hard time breathing. She took me to a doc in the box and they told me I had walking pneumonia. They gave me a steroid shot, z-PAC and hydrocodone cough syrup. This was on a Sunday. Monday I felt wonderful. Tuesday, I felt much worse. My mom was supposed to go home that day, but I called her from work and asked if she could take me back to the doctor. On our way to the doctor, I was in great distress. I couldn’t breathe and I was coughing up blood. We were stuck in traffic too. We pulled over and called 911, shortly after paramedics showed up. They got me to the emergency room. My presenting blood pressure was 260/190, x-rays showed fluid throughout my chest cavity. I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

The next morning they told me they wanted to run a few tests, but couldn’t because I tested positive on my pregnancy test. Within a few hours, the ultrasonographers told me I was probably 7 1/2 months along. I was in complete shock. I could not believe I did not know I was pregnant and the baby was okay. I thought back to the smoking, drinking, sushi and roller coaster rides. Yes I said that right roller coaster rides. I was shortly moved to the women’s ward where I met my ob/gyn for the first time. He introduced himself and proceeded to tell me they were going to deliver that day. I have never been so scared in all my life. They performed an emergency c- section. I was on a ventilator and was moved straight to ICU unconscious. I was in the ICU for four days. I had nine blood transfusions while I was there.

My son, my healthy baby boy was off the ventilator sooner than I was. His stay in the NICU was only a month. He breezed through all their milestones and came home sooner than expected. I still remember seeing him for the first time, four days after he was born. I just thought, I made that. My husband and I, our love together made this perfect beautiful boy. Today he is 14 weeks old and is doing great. He’s almost 10 pounds!!!!! I never knew how much I could love until I laid eyes on him. The best scare of my life he is! We are truly two living miracles!