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MICHAEL — USA
Born November 8, 1994 Early-onset Mother's GBS Status: Not tested Gestational Age: Full-term Age Harmed: Newborn |
Michael is a miracle to me because I had trouble getting pregnant. It took about a year and then it finally happened and I was so happy. No morning sickness or nothing wrong the whole pregnancy. I did not get tested for GBS. My due date was October 29,1994, but I had him on November 8, 1994. The doctor was going to induce me but when I got there my water broke a little while later. This was at night but I did not have him until the next afternoon. When I had him I did not know if he would be a boy or girl. He did not cry for a long time. The doctors had to keep working on him and kept saying, "Come on, man" over and over to get him to cry. I only got to see him in the nurse's arm for a short time and did not hold him because he had to be rushed to the ICU for 1 day. He had gotten sepsis and pneumonia from GBS so was on oxygen for 1 day. I had a fever during labor. He weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces at birth and the nurses said he was the biggest baby in the ICU.
I finally got to hold him that night and to try to nurse him which he caught on to pretty fast. He had so many wires and IV's hooked up to him. I never thought that could happen, but if only they had tested me he wouldn't have had to go through this. He stayed in the nursery for 8 days so he was in the hospital for a total of 9 days. I traveled an hour every day from my home to the hospital so I could be with him and to nurse him. I was very sad when I went home without him. I cried because I did not want to leave without my baby, but I had to rest for the next day. I was happy he did not get meningitis. I am happy to say Michael is a very bright 13 year old with nothing wrong now,thank you, Lord. When I got pregnant for my second son, Nicholas, I had told my new doctor about my first son so he put me on antibiotics during my pregnancy and during labor. Nicholas was a healthy 7 pound, 7 ounce baby, nothing wrong, and came out crying. We were so happy about that. Thank you for reading my story.
— Celestia Hankel Jr., LA, USA
I finally got to hold him that night and to try to nurse him which he caught on to pretty fast. He had so many wires and IV's hooked up to him. I never thought that could happen, but if only they had tested me he wouldn't have had to go through this. He stayed in the nursery for 8 days so he was in the hospital for a total of 9 days. I traveled an hour every day from my home to the hospital so I could be with him and to nurse him. I was very sad when I went home without him. I cried because I did not want to leave without my baby, but I had to rest for the next day. I was happy he did not get meningitis. I am happy to say Michael is a very bright 13 year old with nothing wrong now,thank you, Lord. When I got pregnant for my second son, Nicholas, I had told my new doctor about my first son so he put me on antibiotics during my pregnancy and during labor. Nicholas was a healthy 7 pound, 7 ounce baby, nothing wrong, and came out crying. We were so happy about that. Thank you for reading my story.
— Celestia Hankel Jr., LA, USA
To learn more about Perinatal & GBS Misconceptions, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of Preterm Labor, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of GBS Infection, click HERE.
To learn more about Why Membranes Should NOT Be Stripped, click HERE.
To learn more about How to Help Protect Your Baby from Group B Strep (GBS), click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of Preterm Labor, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of GBS Infection, click HERE.
To learn more about Why Membranes Should NOT Be Stripped, click HERE.
To learn more about How to Help Protect Your Baby from Group B Strep (GBS), click HERE.