“I see two heartbeats.” In October of 2009, those were the scariest words I had ever heard. Had I heard the sonographer correctly? Were there really two babies? Yes. Twins. Identical twins. I panicked. Were we ready for this?
My...
Jacksonville mom Chalonda Hill nervously listened to the news that her newborn son, Priest, would need to be admitted to the NICU at UF Health Jacksonville just minutes after delivery. Priest was Chalonda’s first child born premature, and he...
One of my biggest fears, each and every pregnancy, was that I would be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. And each pregnancy, I managed to escape. I may have had any number of other high-risk issues pop up — pre-eclampsia,...
Is it appropriate to take your toddler to your doctor's appointment? I say absolutely! I struggled with this at the beginning of my pregnancy with so many OB appointments. My doctor wanted me to see him every three weeks,...
From the moment I latched my first bundle of joy to this very moment as I nurse my third child, my breastfeeding journey has been a rollercoaster, to say the least. World Breastfeeding Week and National Breastfeeding Month are...
Infertility is a path walked by many but discussed by few. It’s not a title anyone wants associated with their family planning, but it affects one out of eight couples. What is talked about even less is life after infertility....
Children can be rather particular tiny humans, and what interests them one day can completely change the next. Whether your mini-me prefers balls over blocks or trains over toy trucks, child-led play (giving children a choice and following their lead...
Confession: While my husband and I are expecting our first child next month, I haven't necessarily been "hashtag blessed" with oodles of excitement over our upcoming bundle of supposed joy. Don't get me wrong — at the ripe, geriatric age of...
At UF Health North, expectant mothers have greater options when it comes to delivering their babies. The campus is home to the region’s newest, most advanced hospital that includes a Labor and Delivery Unit. Located in the outpatient medical...
The March of Dimes was created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938 in order to raise money to fight polio. The foundation funded research for the polio vaccine, which effectively ended epidemic polio in the United States. With...
I was 18 weeks pregnant when my high-risk OB (advanced maternal age and conceived by IVF) saw it on the ultrasound. He pointed to the screen and said, “This thumb appears to be wider than the other one. It’s...
Sitting in my car in the hot, dirty parking garage, hands shaking, I looked down at my phone and pressed my husband's number. He answered immediately.
"Well, how was it? Was there a heartbeat?"
"Um. Yes. Yes, there was. There were two."
"I'm...