The lovely Jennifer Lacy with her son Kamden (2). Jennifer also has a daughter, Alex (18). She got pregnant for the first time at 16 and decided that the best thing for their baby was to place her for adoption. When she was about 6 months along, they flew to California to meet a couple they'd been connected with via word of mouth who had been able unable to conceive on their own. Their daughter's adoptive parents were in the hospital room as Alex was born which she knows was very special for them. The adoption was open so Jennifer was able to see Alex at least once a year. Unfortunately when her daughter was 4, the adoptive parents divorced and things became much more complicated. When Alex was 12 her adoptive mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and passed away just a few years later. The silver lining was that they moved closer and Jennifer was able to build a much stronger relationship with her daughter and welcome her into their extended family. After Alex's adoptive mother passed, her guardian had agreed to allow her to live with Jennifer but she didn't uphold the promise which was devastating to her. Finally on Alex's 15th birthday, at the exact time she was born, she moved home.
Two months prior to Alex's homecoming Jennifer had lost a baby to an ectopic pregnancy. It was horrible and she felt like that was her punishment for giving up her daughter. Alex came home in March and Jennifer learned she was pregnant again in July. She was thrilled and excited that she'd finally be able to enjoy and celebrate a pregnancy but it was too much for her daughter and she left home again. They are currently estranged, and though upsetting, Jennifer trusts that her daughter knows she loves her and is welcome back any time. At 11 weeks along with Kamdem, Jennifer started bleeding heavily. She went to ER and they told her she was actively miscarrying. She continued to bleed until she was about 18 weeks and it was determined that her placenta had separated from her uterine wall. Jennifer was able to listen to Kamden's heartbeat every morning via doppler and when she was 24 weeks along decided that she was going to enjoy the moments and appreciate that whatever happened, even if he didn't make it, he had been loved.
In her third trimester Jennifer had begun exhibiting signs of preeclampsia so she was heavily monitored. Things continued to go well but she went into the doctor for a routine checkup on her lunch break one day and was given an unexpected non-stress test. Within moments, there were doctors and nurses in her room and she was wheeled to labor and delivery for long term monitoring. No one ever really told her what was happening and she was alone as she watched his heart dip low time and again. At 35 weeks she was initially told she would be kept in hospital until she delivered, which they hoped would be at least a week or two later but it was soon determined she needed to deliver via cesarean right away. Jennifer had about an hour to prepare and was told to that once born her son would go until the NICU for at least two weeks because that what all 35 weekers did. Kamden was born crying and brought to Jennifer right away. He was healthy and strong and able to stay with her, with no NICU stay at all. Breastfeeding was challenging to Jennifer at first and under threat of her son being labelled failure to thrive she gave him formula to get out of the hospital. She was fully supported though and able to work through the struggles to nurse to 15 months.
Jennifer wants women who have overcome abuse and trauma to know that they are worthy. She seeks to support and encourage other women and wanted to participate as a means of sharing her story and starting with herself.