Michelle's Story

My husband and I were in our late twenties when we first started trying to start a family. We had no idea that we would have so many problems and struggles to get there.

After many tests and two years of trying, it was discovered that my fallopian tubes were damaged, also that I had hormonal problems. We were sent to an infertility clinic with the knowledge that we may never have a child.

I was lucky enough to get pregnant on our first in-vitro try. However, before I knew I was pregnant, I became very sick from all the drug therapy. My ovaries were over-stimulated and I was in a lot of pain. I gained fluid rapidly and the doctors were very worried hat it would get into my lungs. I was very sick and scared. After a week in the hospital I began to feel better and was no longer at risk.

There I was, finally pregnant with our first baby! My husband and I were elated. Then, when I was six months pregnant, my mother passed away from complications of Lupus. She was only 48 and it was a very sad time for us.

Shortly after her death it was discovered that I was 2 cm. dilated and I was ordered off work. I focused all my energy on the baby and tried to keep everything tucked away. At seven months my water broke; three days later I delivered my baby girl. She weighed three pounds, ten ounces. I was so scared that she wouldn't be okay. Having her was a miracle in itself; now I needed the doctors to help us keep her. She was a fighter and came out breathing on her own, and thrived from that day forward. I was thirty one weeks pregnant when I delivered her and she came home at only thirty four weeks. My husband and I did a lot of "kangaroo care" with our daughter, stripping to our waists to hold her in close bodily contact, which doctors say helped her pick up on things more quickly and thrive.

Now our daughter is eight months old. She is a beautiful baby and is developing normally. It feels like so much had to happen in order for us to have her, but she has made our lives complete.