My husband and I met almost 16 years ago at Sam Houston State University. Never in a million years did I think I would be happily married and starting a family with this guy I met in biology class in 2007. In August of 2023, we will be celebrating our 5th anniversary, and I can only thank God for allowing us to cross paths and create a beautiful family.
What’s the backstory of your journey to motherhood? How did it all start?
I grew up feeling indifferent about being a mother. I’ve always loved working with kids, but having my own? In the back of my mind, I wasn’t sure if I could have any, which contributed to being unsure if I wanted any. My husband and I got married in 2018 and decided to wait a few months before we started trying to conceive. I had so many emotions during this time, but my uncertainty about being a mom became a desire to be a mom, so my hopes and prayers grew. My OBGYN assured me that this could take some time. A few months turned into years, and my desires deepened. In February of 2022, we moved to another state, bought a house, and started a new job. There were a lot of transitions and blessings, but that summer, I felt depression beginning to ease in because I was away from the familiarity and family. A month before Easter, my husband and I went on a fast to get pregnant. My husband said that if we didn’t get pregnant by July 2022, we would conduct research on different medical interventions. I’d been using ovulation strips that were suggested by my OBGYN, but I wasn’t consistently tracking as I should have. So, I got serious about tracking it when we moved. From February to June, I consistently used my journal to track my ovulation, I used chlorophyll drops, took vitamin D, Zinc, and that May I started Pilates. July rolled around, and little did I know we would be going to the doctor, but for a different reason!
When and how did you find out you were pregnant?
On July 9, 2022, I was in Houston visiting my mom. We went out to eat at one of my favorite restaurants, Bellagreen. We ordered our food and sat down to eat, and I distinctly remembered the food tasting weird, so I barely ate. I thought it might be because of my cycle (which was playing hide and seek), so I tried not to overthink it. I was sure that it would come in the coming days. That next day, I traveled back home, and still no cycle. So many thoughts popped into my mind. Could I be pregnant? It was unusual for my cycle to be delayed so many days and in addition to my appetite being different. I went to my stash of pregnancy tests and took one without my husband knowing. As I waited for the results to show up, my heart raced. Finally, those lines showed up, and I was shocked. I decided to go to Target the next day to get a cute little card, a onesie, and baby booties to make a box to present to my husband once he came home from work that evening. That night was torture, holding such a big secret. The next day, as my husband was coming in the door, I rushed to try to hide my camera to catch his reaction. Once he walked in and put his things down, I told him I had bought him a just-because gift. He opened the filled box and kept repeating, “You are lying!”, my response, “Nope, I’m not.”
How many pregnancy tests did you take?
I can’t recall, but I believe 3 Clear Blue tests and 10 pregnancy test strips on the initial day. It got worse with the strips. I took them every day for about four days. My husband had to tell me to stop.
Were there any signs before finding out you were pregnant?
My sign was the delayed cycle, and my food tasted weird. Regarding the food, I thought maybe it wasn’t a good day for the chef, which may have been the case.
Who was the first person you told after finding out you were pregnant?
When I found out, I went outside and called my older sister to tell her. She had been praying for us for a long time, so I wanted to share my praise report and how I planned to tell my husband.
What did you want the gender of your baby to be?
I wanted a boy because I wanted to be the only girl in the house. Of course, I wouldn’t have minded either; I just wanted a healthy baby. I read a few old wives’ tales and thought I was indeed having a girl. We made a candid gender reveal video to share with our close friends and family. I was shocked, but we were both excited that it was a boy.
What was the worst experience during pregnancy?
I found out that I was pregnant on a Monday. In the days following, I started to see light spotting. I monitored the spotting, and by that Sunday, the spotting had gotten heavier. We went to church, and all I could remember was crying for the entire service. I just felt that something was wrong. All I could think about was whether I was losing my baby that we prayed so hard and waited so long for. I was also holding on to guilt, shame, and disappointment, and the fear became louder and louder. I’m a Christian; I have the word of God. I just felt so spiritually weak at that time. After church, we rushed to urgent care, and the nurse practitioner informed me that they didn’t have an ultrasound machine so they couldn’t tell me anything. She prescribed me some pain medication in case I miscarried. She told me I could be suffering from sub-chronic hematoma, a blood clot that forms between the uterus wall and the baby’s gestational sac (or chorionic membrane). She suggested that we go to the Women’s Assessment Center. We left and headed straight there feeling uncertain, and all I could do was pray. We went to the Women’s Assessment Center; long story short, the nurse practitioner was right. While there, we were able to see the baby’s heartbeat, and it was the most beautiful view ever, but I was traumatized by the whole experience. They told me the spotting should last about five days, but it lasted until week 15. Between weeks 5 and 15, I returned to the Women’s Assessment Center 2 more times. Thank God all was well.
Also, during my first trimester, everything tasted bitter. I was so sad because I couldn’t enjoy the foods I loved. I want to say I’m a pretty healthy eater, but everything good for me was gross to me. I was constantly nauseous but only threw up twice during my first trimester after drinking pomegranate juice. Thankfully, the weird bitter taste and nausea disappeared during my second trimester; however, I had to force myself to eat greens and fruits.
How much weight did you gain?
I only gained 27 pounds. I’m sure that was due to walking 1.5-2 miles at least four times a week. I also had no cravings or much of an appetite.
When was your expected due date, and when did you actually give birth?
My due date was March 15, 2023. However, we knew that wouldn’t be my due date because of my high blood pressure. Due to this, my doctor ordered me to have ultrasounds at every visit once I got to my third trimester. When I went to my 37-week appointment, my doctor was concerned about my amniotic fluid. It was in a decent range but significantly lower than the previous visit. My doctor asked me to come back in a few days to recheck the amniotic fluid, and if it were lower, she would schedule an immediate induction. I was praying hard against that because I was scheduled to get my hair braided the same day, I had to go in to get rechecked. We went back, and the fluid had increased a little.
I was so thankful and excited, but I could sense the uneasiness in her spirit. I said a quick prayer and asked that God’s will be done. We left the doctor’s office, I got my hair braided, and it was time to get in bed. It was about 10:30 p.m., and my husband came into the living room where I was and told me that my doctor was on the phone and that she had been trying to call me. I looked at my phone and saw so many missed calls. My heart went down to my feet as I looked into my husband’s eyes and listened to my doctor’s voice. Short story shorter, we were scheduled for an induction the next day at 2 a.m. Remember me saying God’s will be done?
Walk us through the day your water broke or the birthing?
We left the house around 1:30 a.m. and headed to the hospital. When we got there, we checked in and I filled out so much paperwork. Around 2:00am we were led up to my laboring room which was overlooking the surrounding area as I wanted. It was so peaceful and serene in the room. I know the holy spirit was there. I prayed for that. I got situated in my room and I put on some praise and worship music as we waited for the staff to come in and start the induction process. I received my IV (so painful) and was hooked up to the electronic fetal monitor (EFM). I was then given my first dose of medication to soften my cervix. I tried to take a nap but couldn’t because of the excitement. I messaged my friends and family to update them and watched the sunrise. At around 8: 30am my doctor arrived at the hospital to do a cervix check. That’s when she broke my water, which felt gross. Afterwards I bounced on the peanut ball to help me dilate. Around 9:40 am I started to feel the pain. My husband and I kept watching for contractions to help me brace myself for the upcoming torture, lol. My daytime nurse came in and asked me if I wanted an essential oil patch to put on my gown to help me manage the pain. I accepted but it didn’t help, so I walked around, stretched and labored on the peanut ball until it became unbearable. I labored from 9:40am til 1:00pm unmedicated. I then asked for an epidural because I couldn’t catch my breath due to the contractions coming back-to-back. My husband looked over at me and asked me if, I was sure. I thought about it for 10 seconds and said yes. I was beyond sure. Getting the epidural was not bad at all. The anesthesiologist came in, explained what she was doing while my nurse allowed me to hold on to her so I wouldn’t move. Then it was done! I felt so relieved, but out of control. I hated how my legs felt, so heavy and numb. I couldn’t go to the restroom, walk around, or labor on the peanut ball anymore, but I was pain free. The time was 5:00 pm and it was go time. I pushed from 5:00 pm-7:35pm and my baby boy was born. When I finally heard his cry, I burst into tears. I just remembered all the feelings from the very beginning, and I was relieved that we were both good and alive.
Did you get an epidural?
I decided to get an epidural because I needed to rest. I initially didn’t want an epidural because I wasn’t fond of my legs being numb, but the pain will make you rethink and change your plan. I’m glad I did because I had to get an episiotomy.
Do you remember your first words to your baby?
I don’t remember my first words, but my husband did an excellent job recording some footage of me holding him after they cleaned him up. I couldn’t do skin-to-skin with him immediately because his respiration was high due to his umbilical cord being wrapped tightly around his neck. They had to work on him for a while, but I eventually was able to hold my baby boy. I’m so thankful to my doctor. Had she not decided to induce me when she did, my story could have been very different.
Did you have any health complications during or after childbirth?
During my pregnancy, I did have to monitor my blood pressure. I was prescribed medication, and thankfully, my blood pressure stayed stable.
What’s the best thing you enjoy about being a mom?
That God gave me one of the greatest assignments. God used me to create a being with a purpose that will change generations. I get to watch this little person grow to be an amazing person. I get to help him cultivate his gifts and talents to bless others. I enjoy his attempted kisses, the tight grabs of my double chin, and seeing an extension of me and my husband. I’m living in an answered prayer. I couldn’t have imagined the depth of love I have to give, and I get to pour it on one of God’s creations that I was used as a vessel to place on this earth. Just the thought is heavenly.
What has been the most challenging part of being a mom?
The most challenging part about being a mom has been the lack of sleep, not having an extended support system, and trying to find an ever-changing groove. I must thank my amazing husband for making the ride a little easier.
What are some misconceptions regarding motherhood or the road to motherhood?
I didn’t have any. I approached and still am approaching motherhood with an open mind. Every mother and child are different, so every experience will be different.
Anything outrageous happened at the hospital?
When I was delivering my baby, I had about five medical staff pushing on my stomach to help me get my baby out. Thank God I couldn’t feel anything.
Any do-overs or regrets:
I don’t have any regrets. One thing for certain and two things for sure: this journey has brought me closer to God. I’ve never prayed or depended so much on God in my life. Had I not experienced the challenges I did, I wouldn’t have had to rely on God and know him like I do. I became spiritually stronger because of this journey. I pray more, and my prayers are more intentional. I’ve learned so much about myself during this process.
Any takeaway or advice?
Stay prayed up at all times, ask God to give you peace in all circumstances, stay away from negativity, and most importantly, meditate on God’s word. I wrote scriptures to recite over myself and the baby daily. The word of God is powerful! Negative thoughts will come, but you cannot dwell on them. Cast them down to hell and dwell on the goodness of God.
Who shot your maternity shoot if you had one?
About The Author
