Editor’s note: We believe that all birth stories and all birth experiences matter. This post is part of our ongoing series of birth stories featuring a diverse range of women and their birth experiences.
When Ebony’s water broke at 26 weeks, she had no idea she’d be visiting her baby boy in the NICU less than 29 hours later. She would later turn her story into a children’s book, The Mighty 1.
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My DJ was born on Thursday, December 15, 2016. I remember like it was just yesterday. It’s an experience I’ll never forget. My water broke at about 6:00 on Wednesday morning. I was rushed to our local hospital, then transported to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, North Carolina. I was only 26 weeks, so I had reason to be alarmed. I was bedridden and given Procardia to prevent the pre-term labor, but none of it worked.
At 7:00 am on Thursday morning, the labor pains commenced. I could hardly stand it as I frantically paged the nurse. The doctor was called. She checked my cervix. It was time! The delivery was quick yet traumatic. Due to my heart condition, an emergency c-section was scheduled but my baby boy couldn’t wait.
With oxygen on my face and a needle in my spine, I began to push while sitting upright on the edge of the delivery table. The doctor could see his tiny head crowning and immediately laid me back, asking me to give her one more big push. As I was pushing I went completely numb from the spinal anesthesia, but I did it! DJ was born at 10:26 am. They held him up for me to see as I cried tears of joy and worry.
He wasn’t crying at all, but his little eyes were wide open as he looked right at me. He was so small and frail, but the most beautiful angel I’ve ever seen. My first child at the age of 40 had arrived and I felt so blessed. After cleaning him up, they allowed me one kiss before placing his tiny body into an incubator and moving him to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). My parents caught a glimpse of him in the hallway and smiled with glee to meet their newest grandchild. Meanwhile, I was sent to recovery and wouldn’t see my bundle of joy again for several hours.
After signing in at the front desk of the NICU, washing our hands (of course), my then husband wheeled me to Pod B where our beloved was waiting. There he was all swaddled up with his sweet little face covered by the ventilator helping him breathe. He weighed only 790 grams (1 lb, 12 oz) and measured 13 inches long, but he was strong! As I watched our son fighting for his life, I cried and cried. Why did this happen?
I assumed it was my gestational diabetes or the stress I was under due to a trying and later failed marriage. However, I read that while there are known risk factors for being born early, such as infection, placental problems or genetic problems, in many cases the cause is unknown. An estimated 15 million babies are born preterm every year. That is more than 1 in 10 babies. Wow!
I couldn’t imagine the arduous journey ahead for us. All the tests, diagnoses, procedures, bradycardias and near fatal incidences that caused such an emotional roller coaster. Without God, DJ wouldn’t have made it, and I wouldn’t have made it through my postpartum period. DJ spent four months and one week at James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital. I never left his side – not one single day. I thank God for the tremendous support of so many in our corner, including the awesome hospital staff and The Ronald McDonald House of Eastern North Carolina.
After leaving the hospital, I became a stay-at-home mom taking care of DJ full-time because he was considered disabled and unable to enroll into daycare. I’m so blessed to be here for every waking moment, watching my son continue to thrive despite his near fatal illnesses and hospitalizations.
I even made the time to self-publish my first children’s book entitled, The Mighty 1, dedicated to my baby. It’s a poetic tale about a brave soul who is tiny but mighty.
DJ is now two years strong, weighing 29 lbs and 33 inches long. My little soldier is so amazing and I’m beyond stoked to be his mommy.
Ebony Moore is the author/illustrator of her first children’s book, The Mighty 1. It’s dedicated to her son, DJ, who was born prematurely at just 26 weeks. Ebony’s mission for creating The Mighty 1 is to uplift NICU families and inspire miracle babies everywhere. Her artwork is uniquely hand drawn with bright colorful ink. Follow her on Instagram or learn more on Ebony’s Amazon Author page.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
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Ebony’s journey highlights how unpredictable and powerful early motherhood can be, especially when every resource and support system matters. Access to reliable medical guidance and supplies can make a real difference, and information like Medicom customer service number can be helpful for families looking into trusted healthcare products. Stories like this remind readers how important preparation and support are during pregnancy and delivery.
What a powerful and emotional story Ebony’s strength through such an unexpected journey is really inspiring. On a lighter note, when I need a little break after reading something intense, I like playing Stickman Hook since the swinging action is simple and surprisingly fun.
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Wow, what an incredible journey of strength and faith. It truly shows how powerful a parent’s love can be. Your story reminds me of some challenging levels in Geometry Dash – you face so many obstacles, but with perseverance and support, you can overcome them and reach an amazing sense of accomplishment.
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What an incredible, powerful story! Ebony’s strength shines through every word. The image of her pushing through that incredibly difficult delivery, even with a heart condition, is truly inspiring. It makes you realize the profound journey a mother undertakes, a true Snow rider navigating the storms of life for her little one.
This story about Ebony’s strength and her baby’s fight is incredibly moving. It really puts things into perspective, highlighting how unpredictable life can be, like a really intense Pokerogue game where you’re just hoping for the best draw. What an amazing journey for them both.
This is such a heartwarming story! It’s amazing to see how Ebony channeled such a personal experience into something so beautiful and impactful for other families. Her dedication to her son and the NICU community really shines through. Speaking of things that take dedication, I’ve been spending a surprising amount of time lately trying to master levels in Drive Mad – it’s deceptively simple but so addictive! I can only imagine the meticulous detail that went into hand-drawing all the illustrations for “The Mighty 1.” How long do you think a typical illustration for a children’s book like this takes to complete?
What a powerful story about Ebony’s baby boy and her beautiful book, The Mighty 1. It’s amazing how creativity can bloom from such challenges.
Ebony’s account of DJ arriving at 26 weeks and spending four months in the NICU is deeply moving, especially the detail of his wide-open eyes and the steady support surrounding their family. Turning that experience into The Mighty 1 also shows how personal stories can become meaningful creative work for others. For readers who enjoy interactive storytelling and planning character-driven choices, Date Everything Guide offers practical English resources for routes, locations, and endings.
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What an incredibly moving story. The raw honesty about the fear, the pain, and the sheer determination during those early moments is something many parents can relate to. It’s amazing how a tiny 1 lb 12 oz fighter can teach us so much about resilience and love. Thank you for sharing your journey and for giving hope to other families facing a similar path.
This story beautifully captures the raw intensity and emotional weight of a premature birth. Ebony’s strength through such a traumatic delivery is truly inspiring, and it is heartwarming to see how she transformed her experience into a meaningful children’s book for others.
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Ebony’s story, from her water breaking at 26 weeks to visiting her baby in the NICU less than 29 hours later, is incredibly moving. I also love that she transformed DJ’s journey into The Mighty 1; for parents creating short-form clips about meaningful family stories, Viewmax Alternative — Make Short-Form Clips Free, Without a could be a useful resource.
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It’s striking that even with bed rest and medication, the preterm labor couldn’t be stopped — a reminder of how unpredictable birth can be. The fact that so many preterm births have no known cause, as the author notes, really puts into perspective how common DJ’s story is, with more than 1 in 10 babies born early.
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