I was somewhat in my 25th week when I went to the hospital, I was having contractions that started prior to that week.

I was scared, being my first pregnancy and it hadn’t gone so good since now. But all of my ultrasounds were looking good. But my first instinct was to get to the hospital. My husband and I were there for at least 4-5 hrs. As I was hooked up to monitors things were still ok.

The next hour or so went by when a nurse came in to check my cervix, I was dilated to a one. They gave me a shot which would help the contractions stop labor. Still, another hour went by when I was checked again and was then told I was dilated to a 4. I was rushed over to a hospital where they could take care of my baby and me. I went by Ambulance which got us there in a hurry.

I was given Magnesium Sulphate which would help stop the labor for a while. This was close to the last choice we had before delivery. While I was given this, they also gave me a shot which would help the baby’s lungs develop faster. (steroid) This was given every day once a day, for 48 hrs. I was told that I would be there till then, hopefully not delivering in that amount of time.

I held off for the next 3 weeks, I was bedridden for that time being. I was given fluids, and antibiotics to help the baby stay in there for a little longer. I was wrong, the 3 weeks were enough for her, she held out this long which was a blessing. I delivered her emergency C-section, on 03-15-01 at 6:39 a.m. her foot was sticking out of the birth canal, which I was rushed over to the delivery room before she could go any further.

Once they were able to release her foot her head got stuck, then her arm, and her shoulder. It was a long delivery. It was one of the hardest delivery my doctor had done. (he was a High-risk doctor). Finally, she was released and taken across the window to the NICU. She was able to breathe on her own, and with no complications. She just needed to gain weight. Shelby Katlyn, we named her. She was 1 lb. 13 oz. and 14 1/2 inches long.

Shelby was so small, but yet she made it through everything, she came home the day before Mother’s day. Now she is 14 months, weighing 17.5 lbs. On Sunday, (which was mother’s day), Shelby again gave me something wonderful, she crawled for the first time that day. I was so thrilled to see her take that first step to crawl. I couldn’t ask for more than that. Shelby is doing wonderful and is such a good baby. We are grateful to have a wonderful strong healthy baby girl.