Safe and Sound

“If it wasn’t for Holy Redeemer, I’m worried my son wouldn’t be here.”

Jessica H. was rapidly approaching her due date. At 32 weeks, Dr. Kavous Emami of Millennium OB/GYN referred Jessica to Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM), just to keep tabs on her baby. Jessica attended her appointments each week as her baby showed no signs of wanting to leave the comfort of the womb. Her due date came and went. Four days after her due date, on March 20th, Jessica went for her ob appointment.  Dr. Regina Dougherty asked, “Your bags are packed, right?”

Jessica laughed, but Dr. Dougherty was serious.  Her blood pressure was through the roof and her baby needed to arrive that day. Jessica returned home to grab her go bag and was admitted into Labor & Delivery at 7:15pm despite no contractions.

A stress test concluded her baby’s heart rate was low. Jessica’s blood pressure continued to climb but her doctors and nurses kept her calm.

“They knew how bad it was but they didn’t want to stress me out,” Jessica said. “The triage nurses, L&D, doctors, everyone made my predicament seem like it was just another day on the unit.”

Jessica’s care team told her that she’d be delivering that evening. With no contractions and minimal dilation, Jessica was in complete disbelief. Her baby didn’t seem to be ready but the baby’s heart rate remained a concern.

The hours passed and labor finally began. Jessica was doubled over in pain and begged for the epidural.

“The anesthesiologist was amazing, I think everyone on the floor heard me yell for the epidural but my nurse, Allison and my anesthesiologist were so supportive, friendly and best of all, calm,” Jessica said.

Six hours and 36 minutes from start to finish, Jessica’s baby boy was born at 8lbs and 2 oz.

But the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and he wasn’t breathing right away.

“I swear every doctors from cardiology to endocrinology to neonatal was there making sure he was okay,” Jessica said.

Quick thinking and protocol was put in place and baby Michael was taken to the NICU for observation. He spent three hours on the unit before being released to the Maternity ward and into his anxious mother’s arms.

“When he was born, I thought there was a chance I wasn’t going home with him,” Jessica said. “If it wasn’t for Holy Redeemer, I don’t know if I would have come home with my child. I couldn’t be more grateful, he is healthy and happy.”

That evening, every doctor and nurse who worked with Michael and Jessica stopped by her room to make sure the pair was doing okay. Jessica felt like family. She wasn’t just “another patient” or a “number,” she was a person and she knew Redeemer Health cared about her and her son.

Now Jessica is home with her son and her two-year-old daughter, Mckenzie. She is adjusting to her role as big sister and finally enjoys helping her mom with her new brother.