Life after the Storm

I remember going to my 26 week appointment, sitting down with my then-OB and being told that I was showing classic signs of preeclampsia. I remember being calm, walking out the door...... and pretty much googling everything I could find on Preeclampsia; the signs and symptoms, treatments and what it meant for baby and me. I bought a blood pressure cuff that day and began monitoring my blood pressure readings daily. In the five weeks following, I started bargaining to God and simultaneously willing the protein in my urine not to spill, for my blood pressure to suddenly go, HA! It was a fluke. Your blood pressure is fine. Those five weeks was a blur of moving from one appointment to another, visiting the Preeclampsia Foundation and praying daily. I don't remember much of anything else that happened during, to be honest. I just know that my 26th week was the start of when my world turned upside down and 5 weeks later, I had Ellie. I turned 26 weeks yesterday. Yeste...

I work for WIC - women, infant, and children; a supplemental food program that caters to mostly the three categories. Women: breastfeeding, pregnant and up to 6 months postpartum. There are days that I love, where my clients and I talk about their breastfeeding journey, or more recently, give each other little advice that could help curb nausea and vomiting. I've talked to my clients about my picking-eating-almost-four year old and in turn, they tell me secrets about what to expect at preschool, where to go resale shopping, what new recipes they come up with and what fun new games they've played. There are days where I feel like I'm making a difference and I walk out on a high note. Then there are moments where I see preemies after preemies and I think "this is really not good for my psyche." It is only after the moms have gone that I think, "I wish I said this." But I didn't know where my blubbering heart would lead. Let me tell you that when a mom...