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July 19, 2003
The Story of Shelby Lane Jensen
The evening that I found out that I was pregnant for a third time will always burn bright in my memory. It was an evening filled with wonderful excitement as well unfamiliar fear. With one beautiful son sleeping in his bedroom and another sleeping peacefully in heaven, my experiences with birth had been severe. Two years earlier Mike and I had welcomed our perfect Maxwell into our family. Although my pregnancy had been rough, my 4-week early induced-labor couldn’t have gone better. We were elated. Little did we know that 15 months later we would be holding our second son in our arms saying hello and goodbye in the same moment.
We had agreed that this third and final pregnancy would remain a secret for as long as possible. Although I was experiencing morning sickness for the first time I felt wonderful. Finally on Christmas Eve we broke the news to our extended families and everything became very real.
I received my first ultrasound at 13 weeks. As I lay down on the very same bed where I had been told the devastating news of our son, I sobbed. But soon the flutter of a perfect heart dried my tears and I was able to get my first look at the perfect little one growing inside me.
The next month seemed to fly by. I enjoyed the frequent ultrasounds and was amazed at just how quickly our little one was growing. Maxwell was getting more and more excited to become a big brother although he made me promise that I would give him a sister so that he wouldn’t have to share his toys!
Just when I thought that my final pregnancy would go perfectly, I began to have that all too familiar itching. I was once again diagnosed with Obstetric Cholestasis and I knew that I was in for a long haul. My symptoms began much sooner than with Maxwell and with much more intensity. By the time I reached the 30-week mark I had no idea how I was going to make it. The itching had turned into severe burning that seemed to last all day but would greatly intensify in the evening. I didn’t ever sleep. My doctor was becoming increasingly worried and decided to start me on steroid pills. Following the pills, I went for a couple rounds of steroid injections hoping every time that it would be my last.
My first amnio was scheduled when I was 33 weeks and 3 days. I had an anterior placenta and the doctors could not find a place to insert the needle. So it was decided that turning my baby into the head down position might create a pocket of fluid. This procedure was way more painful than I had anticipated. I laid on the table with tears streaming down my face wondering if this pregnancy would ever end. Finally it was over and the sample was taken. I left the hospital hoping that the phone call the next day would reveal a healthy baby ready to be born.
The next afternoon I received the news that the baby’s lungs were not ready and that another amnio had been scheduled for the next week. I was devastated.
At 34 weeks and 3 days I arrived at the hospital for another amnio. I was at a low point. I had decided that ready or not this baby would be coming out. My doctor knew I was at the end of my rope and assured me that he would induce as soon as possible. That evening would prove to be my worst as a pregnant woman. I was in extreme pain that to this day I have a hard time describing. I went into the hospital early the next morning out of desperation. When the doctor came in to see me he said that the amnio results were good and that the next day we would have a baby. I was thrilled.
June 27, 2003
Mike and I arrived at the hospital at 7:30am. I was put on the monitors for 40 minutes while we waited for the doctor to arrive. In the curtain beside us there was a woman and her husband. We listened in as they talked to the nurses and explained that this was their 9th baby and that their previous had been born after only 25 minutes of labor. Mike thought it would be funny to have a race and instantly got into game mode! Finally the doctor arrived at around 8:45 and inserted the gel. I was placed on the monitors for another 25 minutes before I was moved into a labor and delivery suite. (During the time the woman next to me had her water broken. The race was on!)
I had been in the delivery suite for about 45 minutes without a serious contraction when we heard a baby crying in the next room. We had lost the race by a landslide!
At 11:30am my water was broken. I still wasn’t having regular contractions and I was dialated to 1 centimeter. I was getting nervous about experiencing the hard contractions and decided to get into the shower just in case. At around 12:30 I was feeling regular contractions and by 1:30 I requested an epidural. My nurse checked me and said I was still only 1 centimeter and that I would have to labor on my own for a while. I felt like the biggest weenie on earth! I got back into the shower and was having a hard time dealing with the contractions. I didn’t remember them being so painful. At 2:30 I was beside myself. I couldn’t do anything but stand and sway when I had a contraction. I was checked again and they said I was still only at 1 but that they would call the doctor to see if I could have an epidural anyway. The doctor agreed and help was on the way! While the epidural man took his sweet time I was dying! At one point I looked at Mike and told him that I thought something was wrong. At 2:50 my epidural was inserted and I had no relief. They decided to shoot a big dose of the epidural into my back and when that didn’t offer me relief the nurse checked me again. I was 8-9 centimeters dialated. Well no wonder! I felt so much better about myself! Finally the epidural kicked in and I was numb from the waist down. At 3:32 I started pushing. It was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. I could feel exactly where the baby was at every second but I felt no pain. With one last mighty push our little girl was born. Shelby Lane entered the world at 3:44 weighing 5 pounds 5 ounces. She was beautiful! I had no tearing and felt wonderful! The itching almost instantly subsided.
Soon after Shelby was born they discovered that her sugar levels were dangerously low. She was taken to the NICU and was fed through an I.V. Shelby remained in the NICU for 3 days (mostly precautionary) and came home with me on July 1, 2003.
Today Shelby is doing wonderfully. She currently weighs 5 pounds 13 ounces and eats like a little piggy. She is already sleeping 7 hours through the night and is just a joy in our lives.
I would like to thank all of you for the immense support that I have received since becoming a member of this community. I think this is the right time for me to close my diary and allow someone new to chronicle their journey through motherhood.
A special thank you to Aimee, Dawn, Jessica, Jeanette, Lisa, Allisun and the many other women who have touched my life over the last year.
And last but not least, thank you to Stephanie. You are an incredible woman whom I am deeply honored to call my friend.
I will be back every now and then and may even post and update or two on Stephanie’s diary. Until then, good luck to all of you and thank you so much.
I love you all!
Much Love
Nicole
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