Birth technology has come a very, very long way since the Middle Ages — when having a baby was more or less flipping a coin for your life. Of course, part of that could have had to do with the fact that there was no prenatal care, people actually drank wine as if it were water, and the threat of plague was always looming.
Pregnant women were encouraged to smoke cigarettes and stay inside as recently as the 20th century.
But even with all we know now, there is still a chance of something going wrong.
Recently, Scottish mom Rebecca Meldrum and the baby in her womb baffled doctors when her baby suddenly stopped growing. The mom stays active on social media and enjoys sharing photos of her home life and her children on Instagram.
So with this mysterious case of her baby — appearing not to grow while still in the womb — she wasn't afraid to record the entire experience, including graphic photos of the knotted umbilical cord that her doctors discovered was the root of the problem.
WARNING: Some readers may find the following content upsetting. If you do not wish to see graphic medical imagery, please click back to the LittleThings homepage.
[H/T: Daily Mail]
Rebecca, 28, was pregnant with her third child when doctors noticed that her baby stopped growing.
At 36 weeks, they decided that it was time to induce labor. They were worried that there was something wrong and that, without intervention, she might lose the little one.
The doctors at Aberdeen hospital attempted to induce Rebecca's labor for two full days before deciding that it was time for a C-section.
Rebecca captions this photo on Instagram: "We are 26 hours into induction & not a lot is happening."
Finally, thanks to the C-section, doctors were able to remove the baby and bring her into the world. Rebecca and her husband named their little girl Poppy.
Poppy weighed 5 lbs., .25 oz. when she was born and needed a little help breathing. She was taken to the neonatal unit to get the care she needed.
However, Poppy wasn't the only product of Rebecca's labor.
When doctors removed the afterbirth, they found her umbilical cord was knotted.
She shares on Instagram:
If you’re squeamish or eating your breakfast then look away now! This knot was in Poppy’s cord, a True Knot which apparently is pretty uncommon 1 in 2,000 babies I think the midwife said.
Before I had Poppy I’d known friends who had babies go into NICU & always thought it sounded hard, but you know they’re in the best place so it’s fine… I can honestly say I have never ever been through emotions like I have been through these last few days & I’m sure will continue to go through until we are all home together. I’ve cried in a way I’ve never heard myself cry before, loud, ugly & almost primal need for my baby to be with me, I’ve stared into space for hours upon end wishing I was pregnant still, I’ve gone through every hospital appointment, scan & meeting from the last 6 months trying to work out how this could have ended up differently & I have sobbed to countless midwives about not knowing how I’m feeling, the guilt, the fear, the unexplainable emotions.
As you can imagine, the experience of not knowing what was wrong with your baby, especially after two healthy pregnancies, was difficult for Rebecca and her family.
Luckily, the medical team were able to act in time and save little Poppy.
While Rebecca was still resting in the ward, Poppy had plenty of company from her sisters and dad.
Rebecca livestreamed the whole process and shared her struggle with some 26,00o viewers.
Poppy and Rebecca have returned back to their home in Aberdeen since the August 5 birthday. They are enjoying their new lives together — despite the bumpy (and knotty) road there.
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