My Miracle Baby!
In 2010, the Lord led me to resign from my full-time job in the biotech industry to pursue ministry. I had begun teaching Bible studies and leading two women’s conferences at my local church, Ann Arbor Assembly of God. One of those conferences became my first book--Spring Cleaning Me: A Key to Effectiveness in Your Purpose. It was in the quiet and stillness of building myself up in God that He told me becoming a mother was an experience He wanted me to have. He also said that I would have all the help I needed with my children.
In July 2011, Chris decided it was time to move back to Pennsylvania in order to be closer to our families since pregnancy could be difficult due to bipolar disorder. Once settled, we started trying for a child. I had another major manic episode in 2014. My new psychiatrist determined I’d been on the wrong drug all along. She switched me to a “gold standard” drug for bipolar. It took me until mid-2015 to feel normal. |
I longed for a baby. My arms felt bare. In the fall, we attended a Bible study on prayer. We were encouraged to focus on a request. I began to pray for my baby. The only thing I wanted for Christmas was a baby. In January 2016, I experienced strange sensations in my body. There was a lot of soreness without it being my time of the month. My family doctor thought it was nothing; however he administered a pregnancy test. It was positive! At 35 years old, I was finally pregnant.
As I climbed in my car, I had concerns about my medications. I had recently progressed from the insulin resistance caused by PCOS to full-blown diabetes. In an instant, I felt a peace wash over me. The Lord told me everything would be ok. There were challenges managing diabetes. I don’t like needles, and I had to take insulin and follow a strict diet. The baby needed special prenatal tests to make sure the medications weren’t harming his development. Because I was over 35, I was already considered a high risk pregnancy; diabetes and the mental health medications required me to be monitored closely. I had to be induced a few weeks early because the doctors were concerned about my son. I really didn’t want surgery, but I needed a cesarean.
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I never had any issues with my mental health during or after pregnancy. Both post-partum depression and post-partum mania are a legitimate concern for bipolar moms. God was faithful to His word. The Lord granted the desire of my heart for my firstborn to be a boy. Today, I have a beautiful two year old. As a cherry on top, the Lord gave me a little boy who reminds me of my late father, my best friend. Every now and again, my mother looks at me and says that my son Adam was worth the wait.