Becoming Mothers: What not to Expect when you are Unexpectedly Expecting
The day I found out I was expecting, I was in tears. I wasn’t ready to be a mommy. My husband had just left for Iraq. How was I going to handle pregnancy without him? And how was I going to tell him? Through Instant Message, of course!
Jump ahead 9 months later, it was time to have a baby girl. The delivery seemed to go pretty smoothly. There was nothing too out of the ordinary.
Like many new moms, I was having trouble breastfeeding. Baby C kept losing weight and I was forced to supplement.
Three weeks later, I was admitted back into the hospital and separated from my baby girl. Turns out, I had placenta left inside of me (that explains the breastfeeding issue). After the D&C procedure, I returned back to my hospital room where my symptoms worsened. (I’ll spare you the gory details.) I was diagnosed with an E.Coli Infection.
After being hooked up to machines, attached to I.V.’s, and having a nurse tend to my bathroom emergencies, I remember thinking, “things can’t possibly get any worse.”
Well, I was so wrong! Two days later, my mom and mother-in-law came into my room with tears. That’s when I found out the unexpected. My baby girl was admitted into the hospital with Bacterial Spinal Meningitis from Salmonella. *Insert loud scream here.
Though the doctors warned us that Baby C may lose her hearing and have several developmental delays, there is no doubt in my mind that it was God’s healing hand that completely healed Baby C. Unfortunately, we lost a great amount of bonding time while she spent 28 days in the hospital. So it felt like forever before she knew I was her mommy. I had a very hard time moving past the illness of Baby C and I, so I began blogging as therapy.
Today, Baby C is the happiest and sweetest baby you could ever meet. She has hit every milestone right on time and continues to amaze me every day.
Mandi Eschenbach is a former teacher turned SAHM to Baby C and married to her adventurous husband who takes great care of them. She is the author of Sweet Tiny Blessings, where I blog about faith, family and fun!
Oh, my! Seems you experienced the ickiest of trifectas! I’m so glad you got a happy ending.
May Baby C continue to enjoy good health, and her mama, too.
Thanks for sharing your beautiful story! Hugs to you and your beautiful Baby C whom, I’m sure, will continue to amazing you.
What a wonderfully positive attitude you have. I am sure that is a huge reason why you’ve been so blessed.
Great story and a happy one even w some unexpected bumps along the way- pun intended
Oh my goodness, I can’t imagine how stressful those first few weeks must have been for you!
It really never does go the way we expect it to does it? So glad you are all doing well now.