07/04/2026
Feb 5, 2024 I met my son Elijah. I was scheduled for a c-section at 37 weeks because he was in the breech position. I wasn’t mad at having him early because I was so tired of being pregnant but he was scheduled for an early birth because he was diagnosed with a condition called FGR-Fetal Growth Restriction. He was in the 3rd percentile of weight for babies his gestational age which just means he’s severely small for his age in the womb. Elijah was considered full term but was born at 3 lbs 10 ounces. He was a small baby and our doctors couldn’t explain why. There was nothing contributing to his weight deficiency. I had sonograms done once a week with a weight check up every 2 weeks. They tested for oxygen, practice breathing, blood flow, and placenta health and every week we measured in the normal range. The goal was to get the baby out to avoid stillbirth. Small babies had less chance to survive in the womb according to the data.
The plan was to spend time in the NICU with Doctors and nurses to help him gain weight and monitor him for any potential issues that small babies have. Even though I was told by several providers that I did nothing wrong, my heart didn’t believe it. I thought my diet, my body, my partner, and/or my faith, had something to do with his growth restriction. The guilt consumed me. I blamed myself heavily and I cried a lot. I tried to stay positive to avoid slipping into a depression so I left my surroundings and spent 3 weeks at home in CA with my mother and my family. I was under so much pressure I planned on leaving Elijah father and start a new journey in CA because I didn’t want him to have a broken, depressed woman around him. I was so damaged and confused it became contagious. The trip helped me get my mind right and to prepare for the least wanted birth plan. A C-section.
Monday the 5th, I walked in to the hospital at 5AM, prepped for surgery which was the scariest moment of my life and waited for the surgeons to pull my breech baby out his womb. And at 9:55AM I heard my sons cry for the first time. I cried, happy tears.
This is Elijah’s Birth story.
✨He is my greatest joy. 💫
