Hey, beautiful souls! Today, I’m sharing a story that’s close to my heart — a story some of you already know, and for some of you, it might be new. But whether you’ve heard it or not, it’s one I’ll always treasure, and it feels like the perfect moment to revisit it.

Today, we’re celebrating something special. It’s our miracle baby’s birthday. Our rainbow baby. Our Titi’s birthday. And with that, I thought it was the perfect time to reflect on how he got here… because let me tell you, his journey to us was anything but ordinary.

Let me start by saying this: Nayib (aka Titi) was meant to be here. From day one of conception, he fought to be with us. He’s the strongest little boy I know, and our family grew stronger because of him. He was the missing piece that made us whole. He completes us in a way that words can’t fully capture.

Now, let’s get into it—story time.

It all started in October 2020. I don’t remember the exact date, but I do remember feeling something wasn’t quite right. I’d already had a baby before (and even a miscarriage), so I knew what pregnancy felt like. But this one... something felt different. My belly seemed smaller than usual. And for some reason, I wasn’t showing as much as I expected. I remember thinking, "Okay, maybe it’s just me, but why isn’t my belly popping like everyone else’s second pregnancies?" It was just a feeling, but it stuck with me.

Health-wise, I was thriving. Honestly, I’m the weird one who loved being pregnant. I mean, creating life? Giving birth? All of it feels like a superpower. I truly believe that women are superheroes, because what we do is nothing short of amazing. So, there was no obvious sign that something was wrong with the baby—at least not yet.

Then, on December 7, 2020, I went in for a regular check-up. Nothing major, just one of those appointments where they don’t do ultrasounds (IYKYK). I was around 30 weeks at that point. Everything seemed normal... until it wasn’t. My doctor got concerned, even though we heard Titi’s heartbeat with the Doppler. Still, he asked for an ultrasound, which felt a little off.

The technician was super quiet during the ultrasound, which is normal, but this time it felt different. She kept measuring him, and when I peeked at the screen, I saw the numbers—22 to 25 weeks. But wait... I was 30 weeks! Why was my baby measuring so small? That’s when I knew something was wrong.

The doctor came in to explain: it had been over four weeks since the baby had grown, and it showed in my belly size. The ultrasound confirmed it—my baby had stopped growing. Worst of all, they didn’t know why. I was immediately referred to high-risk pregnancy specialists. I was told to expect a call later that day. Talk about panic! I had gone from a perfect pregnancy to the scariest moment of my life in an instant.

*This is me right after the appt. I wish i could go back and hug myself

The next few weeks were a whirlwind. I had ultrasounds, Doppler tests, and other scans 3 times a week. Still no answers. I was diagnosed with IUGR (Intrauterine Growth Restriction), which meant my baby wasn’t growing properly in the womb. There were a few potential causes:

Genetic conditions (scary, but I’d already done genetic testing, and everything was fine, though they weren’t ruling anything out).
Poor nutrition or maternal health issues (I was a vegetarian, but I was still eating healthy and blood work came back fine).
Multiple pregnancies (not our case).
Placental issues (which ended up being the cause, though we didn’t find out until after delivery. My placenta wasn’t delivering enough nutrients and oxygen to Titi.)

One day, after Christmas, I had this gut-wrenching feeling—call it mom intuition or pure paranoia—but something told me I needed answers. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. Every time I went to the high-risk doctor, they’d give me three possible outcomes: either everything was fine and I’d go home, or I’d be rushed to the hospital, or worst of all—no heartbeat. Not exactly fun choices.

After this particular appointment, I demanded more answers. I couldn’t understand why they’d say everything was fine but my baby wasn’t growing. To make a long story short, the doctor came back for a second and third look at the ultrasound, stepped out, and came back in with the words that changed everything:

“You need to go to the hospital right now.”

Instead of panicking, I thought, “I knew it.” I calmly told them, “I need to go home first. My husband will drive me.”

Why? Because I needed to say goodbye to my first-born son, Salomon. I didn’t know what could happen once I got to the hospital, and I wanted to make sure I got to hug and kiss my little boy.

So, after saying goodbye to Salomon and packing my bags, I went to the hospital.

What followed was nearly 10 days in the hospital, during the peak of COVID. It was just me and my husband, and because of the restrictions, I couldn’t see anyone else—not even my first-born (Salo). No visits, no family, nothing. It was tough. Being isolated, scared, and uncertain was hard—especially with New Year’s passing, and I couldn’t be with my family.

But then, one doctor came in and gave me an ultimatum: I could wait until 37 weeks, or I could deliver now. Without hesitation, I knew it was time to bring Titi into this world. My body had done everything it could, and now it was time for us to help him.

The decision wasn’t easy, but we made it. And the rest? Well, the rest is history.

On January 5, 2021, at 12:59 pm, Nayib was born. He weighed just 913 grams (about 2 pounds at 34 weeks gestational, in the 1% percentile of growth). When he came out, he was screaming—the best sound I’ve ever heard—which meant his lungs were strong enough that he didn’t need to be intubated (he did need a CPAP for most his stay though). While I was still on the operating table, my husband was by his side. They took Titi straight to the NICU, and my husband went with him.

What followed was a nearly two-month NICU stay. Cables, IVs, pumping, long nights, and a lot of learning from the amazing NICU nurses. But eventually, we got to bring our tiny miracle home. Strong, healthy, and with more love than we could ever express.

So, today, we’re not just celebrating Titi’s 4th birthday. We’re celebrating the fact that I was reborn that day too. January 5th, 2021, was the day I truly understood my purpose. My life had always had purpose, but in that moment, I became the mom I was always meant to be.

*the first time they let me carry him, and first picture together

And yes, I’m more than just a mom, but there’s no greater blessing than being Salo’s and Titi’s mom. Every day, I feel so incredibly lucky that they picked me to guide them through this beautiful journey called life.

Happy Birthday, Titi. You are, and always will be, our miracle. We love you so much!

From Perfect Pregnancy to IUGR to NICU: Our Journey to Our Miracle Baby

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