The Amazing Esther

“The doctors found out about my daughter Esther’s condition during my 3rd trimester because she wasn’t peeing enough in my womb and I therefore wasn’t making enough amniotic fluid. It was so scary not knowing what was going to happen to me or her! She entered the world 5 weeks before her due date 12 hours after my baby shower! Labor was pretty smooth. After 5 hours of labor, the nurses and midwife put her on my chest and then whisked her off to the NICU. A few hours later I saw her in her room hooked up to all these machines and IV lines! The doctor told me that she had a rare malformation called Persistent Cloaca and Imperforate Anus (IA) and needed emergency colostomy surgery. I felt numb, angry, scared. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would become a medical mom! To this day I don’t know how I found the strength to keep going for her. Every night I would go home, pump colostrum, call the nurse and check in on her and bring the colostrum to the NICU along with other things. I started pumping there too. She stayed 5 weeks in the NICU. Now, 3 years and 3 major surgeries later, we are still dealing with setbacks and struggles with her condition BUT she is going to preschool! She loves music and playing with other kids! She is the strongest, most fiery person I know and I am so so proud to be her mommy!” NICU Mama, Jules