My second pregnancy and birth of our son Abram

After three and a half years of trying to conceive and with the help of assisted reproductive technology, we were pregnant! I honestly was so surprised that it had worked, on the first try and that we were going to be having a baby again. After waiting for so long and preparing myself mentally for disappointment if the treatment had not worked, I was kind of in denial.

This was so different compared to my first pregnancy; with Samuel, we did not need to seek medical intervention. Don't get me wrong, I was so grateful that we were able to get the help we needed and that insurance covered a great portion of the cost, but going through that and getting pregnant in that way made it feel different.  I also was more scared of losing this pregnancy even though I had not experienced loss in the past. It had been years since my last pregnancy and my body had also changed in the fact that I had been diagnosed with Addison's disease a few years prior. I didn't really know what to expect and in a way it felt like having my first baby all over again.

I'm grateful to say that my pregnancy was for the most part enjoyable. I didn't have much morning sickness, just very exhausted in the first months. Once I was able to feel Abram move in the womb, he was very active and his movements sometimes worried me, if they were normal, because he moved so much. Towards the end, I became very emotional, anxious and was crying over things I usually would not be crying about. I also felt like I looked sad and tired most of the time and I wondered if it was normal. There were no concerns from my doctor to make me believe that something would suddenly change like it did.

In my 34th week I had heavy bleeding and I immediately went to be checked at the hospital. They kept me overnight and monitored my son and everything looked fine. My doctor put me on medication to prevent contractions and said she doubted that I would have my baby soon, but that if he came he would be fine, since most of his development would be done. I really didn't want to have my son early. I didn't feel prepared for him to come, and I hoped that I would remain pregnant at least 3 more weeks.

The following week the bleeding came back and I again went to the hospital to be checked. The doctor checked to see if I had been losing amniotic fluid and that if that was the case, my son would have to be born. The test came back positive, my water had broken and that meant it was time to have my baby. I couldn't believe what was happening. I really, really, didn't want this to happen but I had no choice. A representative from the NICU came to speak with me and told me that Abram would most likely have to remain in the NICU for some time after his birth.

I had had a c-section with Samuel, due to stalled labor. This time I wanted to try laboring again to see if I could have a vaginal delivery. Knowing my history, the doctor said she would let me labor and see what happened, but if the baby showed any sign of distress, she would send me in for a c-section. I got to a 4 and Abram was showing distress so a c-section it was.

Abram Alejandro Cedeno came into the world at 12:15 PM on Sunday July 31st. What a beautiful moment it was to hear a baby cry again and to know that that baby was mine. I got to see him for a small moment after he was born and then he was taken away to the NICU, where I would have to go see him for the next 3 weeks.

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