Survival
Part of what makes this so hard is I heard Maisie’s heart beating at my 28 week appt. on Friday, December 4th, 2020. The same appointment where I also had to chug my glucose drink (during music class before). Everything was fine at this appointment. It was quick and easy… just checking the boxes off the list. I even remarked to my doctor, very proudly, how active my baby was. “Especially when I go to bed!” Who would have known that activity would cease, while she was still in my womb, less than a week later. Shortly after she turned 29 weeks on Wednesday, December 9, she passed away in utero (what day we don’t know exactly, possibly the 10th). I didn’t go in to get checked out until Sunday, December 13 after a few days of worrying, but convincing myself baby was just having some lazy days, or moved to a position I couldn’t feel. I mean, what could have been wrong? I didn’t realize it was a possibility for a baby to die when everything was perfect leading up to that point. Maisie was born 2 days before I would have been 30 weeks. And here is the thing: a baby born between 28-31 weeks has a 90-95% chance of survival. At 29 weeks pregnant, your baby weighs 2½ to 3 pounds and measures 15½ to 16 inches long. Maisie was 2lbs (yes, I have small babies) and 15½ inches. Maisie was perfect. She was tracking just as big as she should have been. But my super active Maisie somehow managed to wind her umbilical cord so tight (torsion) that it occluded, therefore cutting off her oxygen and lifeline. Maisie had an accident and died in the place I thought she was the safest in the world. And what if… what if we could have seen her umbilical cord had too many twists before it was too late? What if we had the possibility to deliver her and give her a chance at life? What if this was something they monitored more closely? I don’t care if it only happens in 5%-30% of stillbirths (which happen 1/160 births). If we can SAVE any single one of those babes, we SHOULD!
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AuthorMother. Jesus Lover. Mourner of my stillborn Maisie Martha Ofsthun. Archives
October 2021
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