days because her blood pressure was rising—even with medication. On her first half-day, she went for an ultrasound and the doctor told her she was struggling to get good blood flow through the umbilical cord. Dr. Aultman said, “You know you need to be admitted.” “I know,” Julie replied. She was 31 weeks pregnant. THE ARRIVAL OF BABY WINSTON That night in the hospital, Julie prayed. She prayed for her baby’s safety, for his little lungs, for her own safety, and for the safety of her husband and daughter. She relished every moment and every movement because she knew her pregnancy was drawing to an end. She was scheduled for a C-section the following day. It was a difficult night. The next day at 1 p.m., baby Winston entered the world. Julie’s partners prayed for her before and after the procedure. Winston weighed 2 pounds 6 ounces. Julie and Craig were shocked at how tiny their baby boy was, but they agreed his first cries were the sweetest sound in the world. “My c-section was smooth, the staff were my friends, and the nurses were comforting and kind,” Julie says. “I can’t imagine delivering anywhere else but at my home hospital. They were fantastic.” 63 DAYS IN THE NICU Winston was here, but the Taylors’ journey was just beginning. Their time in the NICU at the Women’s Center at Brookwood Medical Center, Julie says, was “scary and humbling.” Julie soaked up the knowledge and leaned on the neonatologists for support. His vital signs are OK became her mantra. “The NICU was my safe place,” she says. “They took such good care of us.” At one point, Winston developed an infection in his leg from an IV line that required a visit to Children’s of Alabama. It was nerve-racking leaving their home hospital for a less familiar facility, but Julie was grateful when she realized the nurse at Children’s was actually one of her patients. “I almost cried when I recognized her,” Julie says. She also saw a Brookwood nursepractitioner at Children’s who was already familiar with Winston’s care. When they returned to Brookwood, Winston continued to grow stronger and bigger and less dependent on tubes every single day. “It was a miracle to watch,” Julie says. To preserve some of her maternity leave to spend at home with Winston, Julie went back to work. She spent the evenings with Craig and Cady Riley, and she spent early mornings, lunchtime, and any other spare moments with baby Winston. A SONG WITH SPECIAL MEANING Though the NICU can be a scary place for some families, the Taylors took the experience in stride. It helped that they were surrounded by people who loved them. “Some of my senior partners prayed over Winston in the NICU daily,” Julie recalls. “We were surrounded by prayer. My family and friends were amazing, from calls to texts. We never once felt we were alone in all of this.” The song “Jesus, You Alone” took on a special meaning for the Taylor family. Julie and Craig sang it while they prayed over Winston both at Brookwood and at Children’s, and Julie played the song the first time she held her baby boy. “It was so comforting to know that the Lord was with us and in total control,” Julie says. “This has continued to be a special song, and I think of God’s faithfulness and what a miracle Winston is every time I hear it.” LIFE WITH WINSTON And then it was time to bring Winston home. The feeling, Julie says, “was like a big sigh of relief. Like such a big weight was lifted off us.” Cady Riley was thrilled to have her baby brother and her mommy and daddy home as a family. The four settled into normal family life. Winston is now a happy 1-year-old who crawls and cruises everywhere. He and Cady Riley have a sweet sibling relationship, and their parents love watching their bond strengthen. “He’s a happy baby, and for all the time he spent in the NICU, you can’t tell he was a preemie!” Julie says. He’s had follow-up appointments and passed all his visits with flying colors. He does wear a helmet due to a flat area of his head from the long NICU stay, but it’s temporary. Julie and Craig are so grateful for the health of baby Winston. “I know that not every mom gets a truly healthy baby,” Julie says. “I know that pregnancy is easy for some and hard for others. But God is faithful and hopefully, through our journey, someone else has hope and comfort from someone who faced the same struggle.” Another silver lining? While preeclampsia was certainly a challenge, Julie realized early on that the experience would make her a better doctor. “I knew that God was allowing some of these experiences,” she says, “so that I could hopefully be able to bless someone else that was going through something similar.” 34 <strong>Babypalooza</strong>.comalooza.com
While preeclampsia was certainly a challenge, Julie realized early on that the experience would make her a better doctor. “I knew that God was allowing some of these experiences,” she says, “so that I could hopefully be able to bless someone else that was going through something similar.” 35
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