“She was on oxygen, and had been since arrival. ‘By the way, I told you the wrong dad. The real dad is ____.’ I went into full panic mode.”
‘The new dad wanted to be part of our baby girl’s life. ‘What? No.’ It had been 8 months. I went into full panic mode.’: Mom details adoption of their 2 children from foster care
‘His eyes wouldn’t leave the screen. ‘I’m so sorry.’ I barely heard him. My body betrayed me.’: Woman discusses pregnancy fears after loss, ‘This baby is not a replacement’
“Over and over I said, ‘Please have a heartbeat.’ Sometimes I close the nursery door so I don’t get too attached. Just in case.”
‘You aren’t leaving without delivering.’ I sat in disbelief. After 7 days of life, they cut into his side.’: Woman gives birth to baby with CHD, ‘We are blown away by his strength’
“I was recovering from birth while walking from the parking garage to my baby multiple times a day, changing my pad in a hospital bathroom, setting alarms to pump. I mustered up the strength to sit at a hospital, postpartum, while my 1-week-old baby had his chest cut open.”
‘My son calls out, ‘Are you Uncle Carterrrr?’ and kisses pictures. It hurts to know your struggles were so heavy.’: Woman mourns loss of baby brother, ‘You are still so loved’
“He would wash his hands up to his armpits, position himself on the couch with a blanket, and eagerly wait for his turn to hold and stare at his nephew. He would do anything for you.”
‘I was threatened with a letter to be kicked out because my grades were crap. I didn’t even believe I deserved to be there.’: Childhood trauma survivor’s message for others struggling, ‘You are already a somebody’
“I dropped out. ‘You won’t get very far,’ they told me. I believed it. I was determined to do was prove people wrong. You don’t need ANYBODY to make you a SOMEBODY.”
‘My sister called. ‘Rachel is thirsty. I think she has heat exhaustion.’ She stopped breathing. I was on the phone as they started CPR.’: Mom loses daughter to undiagnosed Type 1 Diabetes
“She was moodier than usual, but she was turning 12. ‘Hormones, right?’ She started complaining about leg cramps and throwing up after running. When the coroner’s office called, we were told, ‘You missed the symptoms.’ Rachel was gone, and she was not coming back.”
‘You didn’t hear the words ‘it’s a boy.’ You didn’t claim your title like most. But you’re tied to that child by something much stronger than blood.’: Mom says ‘you’re more than a step or bonus dad’
“I was wary of you at first. I was sure we’d scare you off. And part of me wanted to—single parenthood had made my list of requirements pretty tough. But you won me over with ‘bring him too.’ You never ever had to be, and that’s what makes me extra thankful you’re ours.”
‘We should have a bio child first.’ The fetus grew into a tumor. We were discouraged from fostering.’: Woman with Gestational Trophoblastic Disease fosters son, ‘You can change the world’
“Only one mother showed up at ‘Family Day.’ It broke my heart. Our friends and family discouraged us from moving forward. All I could think about was how Alex didn’t have a choice.”
‘I was coughing so much I fractured my rib. ‘I will fight for myself and my baby.’ I gave my life to bringing a baby into the world.’: Woman with Osteogenesis Imperfecta gives birth to healthy baby, ‘Never give up on your dreams’
“The doctor wouldn’t test my hormones. I was livid. ‘If you don’t give me an exact reason, I’m going to disregard your opinion.’ I know people were scared, but so was I.”