MOTHERS INTUITION - A MOM'S STORY {TAMPA AREA PHOTOGRAPHER}

This blog post is a special post for Mother's Day. 

This a special story about a Mom and a little life that almost wasn't.   
But I am getting a head of myself here. 
Let's go back a little over 6 months and let me introduce you to Kelly.  She is pregnant and expecting to have a peaceful tub birth and do it naturally without drugs.  Why not?  her first two pregnancies  were uneventful and this little one was soooo active.  Waking Mommy up every morning with the sweet little tap tap tap at 6:30 am.  Like an internal alarm clock.   This morning was like the others.  tap-tap-tap!   Today though she is a little more tired than usual but still heads out for work.   Around 10 am this normally active baby wasn't quite as active and mom was also feeling a little edgy and not feeling quite right.  So she goes home early that day and puts the other young ones to bed early so she can relax and feel better.  She slept.  She wakes up the next morning at 7:45 what? wait..  her little internal alarm didn't go off along with her bedside alarm.  She rushes around to get everyone to school and work and heads off to some appts.   As she is sitting waiting for her appt she realizes that the baby wasn't really kicking but when she rubbed her belly the baby shifted a little.  All day this normally active baby hasn't really moved or kicked.  She tries everything.. she eats.. no kicking or movement.  She drinks a coke.. no kicking or movement.  She takes a warm bath, something that baby loves.. nothing.    Trying not to stress and in the midst of picking up children she calls her birthing center and tells them something is not right.  They tell her to come right in.  They hook her up to a non-stress heart monitor.  As soon as they turn it on she hears the heartbeat.  She lays back and for the first time all day she relaxes.  This only lasts about 5 minutes.  the midwife comes in and tells her  to be calm but that the heartbeat is not normal and that she needs to immediately go to the hospital.  Her heart sinks.. she goes into auto-mode and keeps telling herself that the heart is beating.. the heart is beating.   So tests start and things seem okay.  Ultra sound good.  Then they do a Doppler on the blood flow of the umbilical cord.  One of the arteries is blocked in the umbilical cord..  Suddenly.. a lot of people are in her room..  doctors and nurses and they are prepping her for surgery and she was starting to go into labor and every time she did the heartbeat would go way down.  The baby was in distress..  After testing to make sure mom would be okay through surgery they do a C-section right away.   At 7:18pm, Connor John was born. He weighed 4lb 13oz and was 17 in long. He let out a little squawk and was instantly worked on by the Neonatology team.  When they wheeled her to see the baby in the NICU all she could do was touch his toe.  Connor spent seven days there without any ill effects.  While Connor was in the NICU, he was visited by nurses and the mid wife who was there when mom was admitted. They all wanted to see the "miracle baby." They all said the same thing, most of the time these babies don't make it.

But this story has a happy ending.. Connor did make it and it was all because Mommy's instincts told her that something wasn't right.   She listened to that nagging little voice in her head and heart and she acted on it.  

Connor is the cutest little guy.. so happy and sweet.  When he finally got home and was able to have some newborn photos done mom Kelly brought him to the studio.  He was so good and we had such a precious time.  And as Kelly was telling me all about how he almost didn't make it.. I knew instantly that I wanted to write about this sweet story of a mother's intuition.  So she gave me permission and filled in the details.

 Connor came back recently for his 6 month shoot.  What a HAM!! and so darn happy.. and smiling.. oh my word.  I am so blessed that I got to meet this little guy.  And next time I get to meet the whole family. 

So I want to say to you mom's out there.. all of you who doubt yourself.. are you doing the right thing?  is this okay?  are they doing something they shouldn't?  is something going on that doesn't feel quite right?  TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS!  Your instincts are probably right on.   Everyone has an opinion about how you should do things for your child.. but trust yourself and know that you know what is the best. 

And to all the Moms who work hard at raising these awesome kids (and the furry, feathered and scaly kind) that I love seeing.  Taking their photos and sharing your lives is such an honor.  I know I say it all the time.. but I truly mean it.. 

And to my girls and grand children.. I love you all so much and you are always and will always be the best of me. 
To my sister who has always been my 'other' mom whether I liked it or not I love ya and thanks for being there.
And to my mom.. thanks for being a strong woman that taught me right from wrong.  I love you and wish I could see you more often.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL OF YOU MOMS.. !!