My whole life I knew I was meant to be a mom. I have always been fascinated with pregnancy and looked forward to my own. In June 2011, we found out that we would be expecting our first child in February 2012. We were even more excited to find out we were having a boy since boys are rare in my husband’s family. I had an idea of what pregnancy would be like, but my story ended up being anything but ordinary.
I had had a great pregnancy other than having morning sickness for the first three months. My brother had been born three months premature so my doctor was watching me to make sure I didn’t have the same problems my mom had. There were no signs of early labor.
On November 15, 2011, I started having really low pains and it was difficult to walk. I assumed it was what many
called “Braxton Hicks Contractions” and ligament pains. Eventually, I hit the floor on my hands and knees and was having to breathe through these pains. I decided to go to the hospital where they said I wasn’t having contractions because they weren’t registering on the computer. They thought I had an irritated cervix and a bladder infection. Then, they decided to do an exam and everything changed.
I’ll never forget the nurse’s face going white, the quick IV in my arm and shot in my hip, and the words “no membrane.” One moment they said I was fine and the next they told me they could see my baby’s head. I was dilated to 8 cm and would be having a baby. I cried. I asked questions. I was terrified to lose my baby. I knew it was too early. Though Cooper had been head down the entire pregnancy, the force of my water being broken flipped him and I had to have a C-section. It was the most terrifying night of my life, but I look back and in so many ways it was a blessing.
Initially we chose McKay Dee Hospital because it was close to my husband’s work and if I went in labor he would either be with me or there. We soon learned that McKay Dee Hospital was one of two hospitals that could care for babies as early as ours--26.5 weeks gestation, that’s 13½ weeks too early. They took care of our sweet little boy and us. They made sure we were informed of everything happening and why. They answered all of our questions. They even made sure that we had our “firsts” with Cooper the best they could--- his first bath, his first cry after his ventilation tube was taken out, his first diaper change. There were many ups and downs in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU). He had serious bleeding in his brain, a blood transfusion, bad reflux, a heart valve problem, and so much more, but he also soared while in the NICU and came home four weeks sooner than they thought he would. It was in large part because of the care he received. These people will forever be considered family to us.
Though my first pregnancy didn’t go as planned and though our little guy had a rough start to his life, it has been one of the biggest blessings of our life. We have learned so much and feel the biggest thing we have learned is that our Heavenly Father has a greater plan for us than we have planned for ourselves. We’re happy to say that preemie
is thriving! He’s already caught up to his actual age and brings more joy to our life than we ever thought possible. We’re grateful for all that was done to save our little guy’s life because he has truly blessed ours.
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