At 38 weeks and 2 days, Sunday February 24th at 6pm we went into the hospital to be induced due to a circumvallate placenta, and IUGR.

I was started on cirvidil at 8pm, until 8am the pillowing morning. I was 2cm and fully effaced at 8am. My doctor started me on pitocin after I was checked. At 10am I was still 2cm, and contractions were pretty bad, or so I thought. My doctor gave me the option do insert a foley balloon, or just allow the pitocin to keep trying to do its job. I opted for the foley balloon at 11am to make the process much faster as I was already in a lot of pain. As soon as that foley balloon was inserted, contractions instantly went to a 10 out of 10 in pain. I asked for my epidural at 1pm, and the pain all went away. I’m glad I put my pride aside and just got the epidural because man did I feel so much better. Right after my epidural was put in, my nurse checked me. The foley balloon popped out from behind my cervix and I was 6cm!!!! So we took the balloon out and bumped up the pitocin. By 5pm, I was 10cm. My doctor was about a half an hour away at the point which made me very nervous as he was the only person I trusted to deliver my son due to all of my complications during this pregnancy, and no other doctor understood my baby’s past and risks during a natural delivery the way he did. At 5:30, I sat up and said “he’s coming right now” as I felt my sons head drop into the birth canal and could feel him coming down every time I moved. I was almost panicking at this point because my doctor was still in route to come deliver him. I sat back and couldn’t help but cry because I knew he was coming right now. The second I said I need to push my doctor came in and it was like watching a transformer transform. Whipped his coat and shoes off as the nurses helped him suit up within the matter of 10 seconds, no joke. Nurses wheeled in all the tools, and it was time. Here we go.

With my fiancé on my right side trying not to pass out, but cheer me on at the same time.

My fiancé’s grandma in the corner of the room balling her eyes out waiting for her first great grand child’s arrival.

And my mirror in front of me so I could watch myself give birth....

4 contractions later, and he was out.

We were expecting no more than a 5 pound baby, and possibly some development issues.

But my beautiful baby boy, as a huge surprise came out at 6 pounds 7 ounces, 19 inches long and as healthy as can be. Passed all his tests with flying colors.

Kamdynn Kenneth Lorenz

6lb 7oz

19in

February 25th, 2019

6:05pm

These photos are graphic and I apologize for anyone who may not want to see them but this is a circumvallate placenta which only occurs in 1% of pregnancies.

On top of having placental abnormalities, my boy came out holding his umbilical cord. Low and behold, there was a pretzel knot.

My baby truly is a miracle and is the strongest little man I know. There was such a high chance he wouldn’t have made it, with these complications. I am so grateful to have had this boy in my life for the last week, and am beyond in love with my little family.

Thank you for reading my story.