After ten years together, my boyfriend and I decided we were ready to take the next step—we wanted a baby. We tried for almost a year, and finally, it happened. The way I found out is actually kind of funny in hindsight. I had a wisdom tooth that had been giving me trouble, so I scheduled a dental appointment. While filling out the paperwork, there was a question: “Could you be pregnant?” I paused. Of course, we had been trying, but I didn’t really think I was. Still, I decided to check “Yes.”
The dental assistant called me back and said, “Since you could be pregnant, we need to do a quick test before the x-rays. If you are, we can’t do the procedure.” I thought it was a bit over the top, but I took the test, came back, and confidently said, “We’re good.” She took a look at the stick, then called another assistant over. They both stared at it and said, “Nope. You’re pregnant.” I was stunned—shock, disbelief, and excitement all at once. I walked out and called my boyfriend. When I told him we were going to have a baby, he freaked out—in the best possible way.
My pregnancy was smooth at first. I didn’t experience morning sickness or complications, and everything seemed perfect. At our 20-week ultrasound, we found out we were having a girl. But then the technician noticed a “bright spot” in her heart. Naturally, we were referred to a specialist. After more detailed scans, everything came back normal—no signs of Down Syndrome, her heart looked healthy, and our little girl seemed perfectly fine.
Fast forward to 40 weeks. With no signs of labor, we scheduled an induction. The morning of, I started having contractions and headed to the hospital. They admitted me, but labor was slow. I tried everything—bouncing on exercise balls, showers, pacing—but nothing sped things up. When I was dilated to four centimeters, I asked for an epidural. I labored for 24 hours with the help of the epidural, the overnight nurse even told me she could feel our baby’s hair, which made me so happy.
The next morning, the epidural machine beeped: the medicine would run out in ten minutes. My boyfriend frantically searched for the anesthesiologist, who was the only one with the key to refill it. No one could find him, and my epidural ran out—full-blown labor hit. The nurses said I was dilated to nine, but I couldn’t push yet. I was desperate to meet my baby. When the doctor finally arrived, she explained I wasn’t actually at nine centimeters; my cervix was swelling shut. I needed a cesarean. Two hours later, they wheeled me into the OR. I was terrified—I didn’t want surgery—but it was necessary to keep our daughter safe.
When she was born, they took her away to weigh her. I asked, “What’s wrong with her?” I didn’t even get to hold her for four hours. It turned out she had a severe infection, one that hadn’t been detected until birth. Her pediatrician immediately knew something was wrong. She was transferred to the children’s hospital, and my heart sank. We followed behind, exhausted and worried, with no time to recover from my surgery. My mom was told we got her out just in time—five more minutes could have been fatal.
We spent 21 days in the NICU. The tests were long and grueling. She couldn’t swallow properly and was incredibly weak. Yet, the scans showed no spina bifida, no brain issues, nothing visibly wrong. Just low muscle tone and a tiny, fragile body that needed intensive care. It was terrifying, but through constant prayer and hope, we held on. After those long 21 days, she came home with a feeding tube and a plan for therapy. Life as we knew it had changed forever.
She began occupational therapy at three months, physical therapy at four, and by five months, she was feeding tube-free! Almost four years later, she continues weekly therapy and speech sessions. Despite countless appointments and tests, no one can pinpoint why she has low muscle tone—but she thrives anyway. Every milestone she reaches, every small victory, is a testament to her resilience.
We are so lucky. Every day, I remind myself that it could have been worse. Our daughter, who once faced impossible odds, is now thriving. She may have taken a few extra months to hit milestones, but she’s achieving them with fierce determination. She’s strong, brave, and unstoppable. I cannot wait to see the ways she will change the world, because I already know she will.
