I photographed this sweet girl back in October. She was born a micro-preemie, and her mama contacted me to photograph her when she had grown to the size of an average newborn at just under five months old! It was amazing to photograph her knowing that she was almost the same age as my little boy who was three times her size.
As I prepared to finally blog about this session I emailed Mom to ask her to remind me of some of the details of Raegan’s birth story. What she wrote to me was so perfect, I don’t want to paraphrase it at all, so here is Raegan’s inspiring story told by her Mom Jen:
“When my water broke slightly before 20 weeks we were devastated! They checked me into the hospital and said we basically had zero chance of survival if baby was to be born now. California law is do not CPR until 24 weeks gestation. They said when this type of rupture occurs most often women lose the baby within 12-72 hours, especially if they are leaking amniotic fluid. Well Kyle and I refused to hear this, we had loved our baby for 5 months and the doctor just told us he would induce the baby and we could hold her as she passed.
Oh no! Kyle called Northridge Hospital and the supervisor Pia said come here and we will at least give our best effort should the baby come this early.
Well, after a couple days it was already a miracle and we took an ambulance down to Northridge. Once there, the Doctor looked at me and she said “TIP HER UPSIDE DOWN RIGHT NOW, SHE IS DILATED AND THE BABY IS ALREADY CLOSE TO COMING!!” Well I was tilted 40 degrees upside down into Trendellenberg position, no sitting up, no bathroom, no NOTHING!! I felt I owed it to my daughter to fight, they still said it was doom and gloom but I was up for the fight.
With God and will, Raegan stayed in utero for 8 more weeks which is a miracle with a leaking placenta, no infection, no temperature. If any one of these things would have happened the chances of survival were very minimal. Everyone was so supportive, my husband, family, and friends. Then at 28 weeks which no one thought we would ever get to, after 67 days of laying upside down and not getting up one time for over 2 months, Raegan decided June 4th she would join us here on earth. The love of our lives and the fight of all fights had played in our favor. Thank God!
After this my husband and I spent every day and night with Raegan for over 90 days in the NICU unit. She was born at 2.5 pounds and for the first time in 30 years of the staff working in this field said she was the first to not need any air or resuscitation at all, another miracle to us. She was breathing regular air that we breathe, she had some issues that we still deal with today, and every day was scary and rewarding all in one. We prayed, cried, laughed, and worried, but after a little more than 3 months she was sent home with us to start our family and now be taken care of by mom and dad.
What a blessing it all was, everyone involved, praise God, and we still deal with reflux issues because of feeding tubes, and lung issues but overall she is thriving and healthy, and a blessing to us.”
Thank you so much Jen for telling your little girl’s story! And thank you to you and Kyle for inviting me into your home to photograph your miracle baby! I’m blessed to know her and can’t wait to watch her grow!
