For the sake of the internet, we’re gonna call my son “Matthew” (: Yep, we’re using a fake name today. The world is nuts!

Either your babe was diagnosed with gastroschisis, or you’re just curious what it is and checking out some stories. Well, from a first hand perspective, here is my story of me & baby Matthew delivering a gastroschisis warrior during COVID19!

1.)FINDING OUT THE NEWS!

I had blood work done at 13 weeks pregnant to find out the gender and see if he would be a cystic fibrosis carrier like me! The results came out negative for everything & yay! Another boy! However, my doctor said he was questions apart of the results, and scheduled me for a MFM appointment at 19 weeks! During the ultrasound, something seemed off. The doctor came in and told me the news, “he has gastroschisis.” I was only 19 at the time, so of course I panicked a little ... okay a lot. I cried, and he told me “nothing you did could have changed the fact he did or didn’t have it”. He said the defect occurs at 3-4 weeks!

2.) WALKING A FINE LINE!

I was panicking thinking I had to go on bed rest. Good news is, I didn’t have to. He measured small the entire time, but they reassured me it was perfectly normal for gastro babies. I had ultrasounds 2 times a week, and NST (non stress tests) 2 times a week at the children’s hospital 3 1/2 hours away from home.

3.) TIME FOR HIS BIG SHOW!

I went into my appointment for the NST on a Thursday, and told my doctor I hadn’t felt much movement. we did a NST and he failed the first 45 minutes, so they came in and zapped him, he still didn’t move. They came in and zapped him 4-5 times more and he moved once. They called it a “passed test” and sent me off. By 5pm that night, still no movement. I stayed at the hospital hotel while my husband had to head back home. I ended up in the hospital at 9pm and they put him on monitors, still no movement. (I don’t know they took so long, they were p***** me off!) they told me he’s probably fine and sent me back. By 7am, I woke up and STILL, no movement. I went back to the hospital against my doctors advice & demanded more testing be done to check up on him. They fought me, but finally did it, and I was right - he needed to come out ASAP. My doctor came in and said “it’s baby time!” So I called my husband to rush and get here. He almost didn’t make it because the hospital kept refusing to let him into the room due to COVID, and a beautiful older nurse marched down there & grabbed his arm and brought him up to me! I had a C section, and it was beautiful.

4.) JOURNEY IN THE NICU

Bc of COVID, my husband wasn’t allowed in the NICU with me or even on his own. I was the only one allowed in. Matthew spent 29 days in the Nicu. It felt like so much longer, days were long in the rooms with no windows. Nobody to talk to besides the nurses, but even they were few and far in between. I was lonely, and scared. But he did it. Matthew came home & is now 3 months, (2 1/2 months adjusted.) and thriving. He’s the best little boy I could have asked for ❤️