It was a typical Tuesday morning on October 5, 2010 as I got ready for work, dropped off my oldest son Javier and made my way into the office. Little did I or my family know that it was going to be the last time I go home for the next 7 weeks. I was having a great morning at work, nothing out of the ordinary from any other day. We were getting ready to go have lunch at one of the new restaurants in town. I was feeling great and excited because it was the first time in a while that I didn’t have morning sickness and was going to eat some good food. Before leaving I stopped by the restroom, and I realized something was very wrong. I started to bleed and I had no idea why. I immediately called my doctor and he instructed me to go to the emergency room right away. I was 38 years old and 24 weeks pregnant and as I drove I just kept replaying the morning in my head to see what I could have done wrong to cause me to start bleeding. As I arrived at the hospital and was seen, they informed me I was dilated to 5cm and contracting every 1 ½ - 2 minutes in preterm labor. After that, everything was a blur and I began trembling uncontrollably as tears just ran down my face. I remember one nurse asking me if I could feel the contractions and I said no. Three doctors from the NICU came over and started telling me what was about to happen and that they will need to deliver my baby soon. They said he had a 50/50 chance of survival at 24 weeks depending how developed he is and what complications he will have. I honestly can’t remember how much more was said as things became a blur and my trembling continued. Another person came into the room for a sonogram and that’s when we found out we were having a boy. At this time Dr. Sandra Noriega came into the room with such a calmness to her as she spoke to me and asked questions to calm me down. She gave me Magnesium Sulfate to stop the contractions and laid me in the Trendelenburg position, which allowed my feet to be raised higher than my head to relieve some pressure. She also gave me a steroid to improve Brayden’s chances of doing well. She was positive she was going to deliver him within 24 hours. The next 24 hours took a turn in our favor. My contractions stopped, my amniotic fluid stopped leaking and we were literally at a standstill. That is when I get the news from my Dr. that I will have to remain in the hospital on bed rest until as close to my due date as possible, which was January 28, 2011. Although we were happy to know Brayden and I were stable, my world came to a halt for Javier who now had to understand why Mom can’t come home for the next 3 months. Beginning October 6th, I was at the mercy of the nursing staff, doctors and modern medication to help me get as far along as I could for Brayden to be delivered healthy. Every 1 day in my womb, will save Brayden 3 days less in the NICU. Week after week we remained stable and he was growing and kicking and doing everything he should be doing. Thanks to family, friends and the amazing staff at Bay Area Hospital, I was as comfortable and sane as I could be for Brayden’s sake. Then on November 22nd, things took a change. I began to slowly leak amniotic fluid again. Immediately I was taken into another room to be closely monitored. The doctor wanted to hold off as long as possible before we had no choice to deliver. But after 24 hours, I started feeling a pain on my left side with a slight fever and Dr. Noriega said it was time to deliver right away. She gave me 3 different anti-biotics and other medication to ensure my infection would not transfer to Brayden. After taking me into surgery, at 11:23 a.m. on 11/23/10, Brayden was born by cesarean at 31 weeks weighing 3lbs 6oz. I remembered hearing him cry before he was taken away to the NICU. The sound of his cry was such a blessing to hear and he sounded so upset to be taken out. I was able to finally visit him 12 hours later in the NICU and after a couple of days, he was taken off oxygen and any other tubes he had with the exception of his feeding tube. He just had to learn to swallow and drink from a bottle. Every day that we visited the nurses informed us of how well he was doing. His lungs, heart, digestive system, eyes, ears and brain development was 2 weeks advanced for his gestation age. Four weeks later on December 20, we got the call that he was able to come home. He weighed 4lbs and 6oz and was healthy as can be. I truly believe that Brayden is our miracle baby because of the March of Dimes mission. The research in medications and causes of premature birth made a lifesaving impact to our lives and Brayden was able to have a healthy birth. March of Dimes plays a vital role in improving maternal and child health and Brayden and I are living proof of that. As 2018 March of Dimes Ambassador Family, we share our story with you to help the community realize how important this mission means to us and the difference y