32 Weeks

No, I'm not pregnant (yet) but this video reminds me of my first born and what happened when I was 32 weeks along with him.


Suzanne at Blessed Among Men posted about being at 32 weeks today. She wrote a beautiful post about the pure love her kids have for her newest son.


When I was pregnant with my first child (after almost 3 years of trying), my water broke during the night at 32 weeks. I remember going back upstairs after going to the bathroom, and as I got into bed, I felt something. I got up and gush! I said to my husband "I think my water broke." He sat up and said "what does that mean?" I said "I'm not sure, but we have to call the hospital." We called the hospital, wondering what to do, they told us to come immediately. It was 2 am. We quickly got dressed and left, not realizing I would not be back again for 28 days! We just thought they would tell us to do something and go home. Afterall, we just had our "baby class" the night before. we had it all planned out, we would deliver naturally, I'd nurse my baby, it would all go perfectly. Wrong.


We got to the hospital and they informed me I would not be going home without the baby out of my tummy. Shock, fear, yep, it was there, but so was, my " just relax, God will take care of you." They did an ultrasound and he was transverse, so the Hail Mary's started. They were preparing for a c-section. Then miraculously, he flipped inside me and was not transverse anymore! (there was still room in there to move around) They stopped plans for a c-section and prepared for delivery. They monitored me, but the contractions slowed down and eventually stopped!! It was amazing. The neonatal doctors told me that each day he was still in my womb saved me 2 days in the neonatal unit. (the preemie unit) Well, flat on my back, I laid for the next 3 1/2 weeks, only getting up to go the bathroom or shower, sitting down. It was emotional, lonely, but so worth it.


At 35 weeks the risk of infection (with little water inside me) was greater than him being born a preemie so they induced labor. I was in hard labor all day (10 hours), the last time the nurses checked me, they looked at eachother, in a weird way, so I asked "When will I be in that last stage of labor?" They said, "Jamie, you've been in that stage all day and you've only progressed to a one." I said, "ok, give me pain meds now!!" I was trying to hold off for so long for that last stage and didn't realize I was in it! Well, shortly after that, within 20 minutes, they prepped me for a c-section, and he was born shortly after that. He was beautiful and perfect. He was 5 pounds 11 ounces! His lungs were developed, he was breathing on his own. He did have to be in the preemie unit for a week, to learn how to suck. (so, yes, I pumped my breastmilk and they fed him by tube feeding until he could suck good enough to nurse, not the way I had planned in the baby class though!)


This "born Alive" video reminds me of how we fought for his life at 32 weeks. How valuable each and every life is. How ironic that at the same age, other babies are being murdered and left to die because the mother does not want them, or the abortion clinic does not want the baby to live as with the last baby shown. What sad, sad times we live in.


Every night now, my children are asking God for another baby. My little 2 year old's face just lights up and she smiles and says "Desus, mamababytummy....pleeeeese?" It is just precious and the most beautiful thing in the world.