Carla Collazo always wanted to be a mum. However, after being diagnosed with PCOS at the young age of 12, she was well aware that the journey to have a baby would be a hard one.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that affects a woman’s hormone levels making it harder for them to get pregnant.
Carla, from Delaware USA and her boyfriend, had been together for 13 years and had been trying to fall pregnant for at least three of those years. Every month she would receive the same result from the pregnancy test – not pregnant.
I kept thinking that when the time is right, my body would let me know. And even though my body kept letting me down, I would just remind myself that the time must not be right yet,” Carla shares with Love What Matters.
‘I lost all hope’
Carla and her partner consulted with a doctor who explained that her body was producing more male hormones than female ones. He also told her that due to her PCOS, she may never fall pregnant.
I assumed that at 37 years old, with PCOS, and never having been able to get pregnant, I never would. I started to give up on myself and lost all hope. I even sold my house because I knew I didn’t need the room.”
Two months after Carla sold her home, she experienced a bleed at her boyfriend’s house. Carla assumed she got her period, as you do, changed her clothes, and started packing her stained clothes to take to the laundromat.
‘I heard a baby fall into the toilet’
However, she then started to experience cramps. They got more and more intense. Even with Tylenol (Paracetamol), the pain kept coming. Carla’s boyfriend suggested they go to the hospital but she didn’t think there was any need. Instead, she asked him to drop her off at her sister-in-law, Alexandra’s house.
The pain continued to worsen and Carla agreed she should go to the hospital. She had a quick shower and went to the bathroom.
From the intense pain, I thought maybe I had an ovarian cyst or a blood clot, so I thought I’d try to push it out. With the first push, my water broke, but I didn’t know. The thought never crossed my mind.
I pushed again and felt pressure this time. Not thinking about it, I put my hand down and felt what I now know was a head. I immediately screamed for my sister-in-law and knew something was coming out of me.
The pushing and what happened next are a blur. But I pushed again and then I heard a baby fall into the toilet.”
Moments later Carla pushed again and had a placenta in her hand.
None of it felt real. It was all happening so fast, and I didn’t know what to do. I had the placenta in my hand and a baby in the toilet. I was just absolutely terrified.”
And understandably so. One minute, Carla assumed she had a blood clot. The next minute, she has a baby. However, the baby wasn’t making a sound. Carla feared her baby had been born still.
‘Get the baby out of the toilet’
However, then she heard the cries of a newborn.
This miracle newborn was okay! [Emergency services] instructed my SIL over the phone to get the baby out of the toilet, sit me down with the baby on my chest, and to keep us warm with clean towels.
I felt fine immediately after the delivery and even had a boost of energy. They then had her cut the cord with shoelaces, which she had handy for a dress, and it all happened extremely fast.”
Carla called her boyfriend to meet her at the hospital and shared the news that he was a dad. Carla hadn’t even checked the baby’s gender yet – but discovered she had a baby girl.
Born around 34 weeks. And perfectly healthy. Carla named her Amoura Rose.
Incredibly enough, Amoura was breathing on her own and perfectly healthy when she was born. She remained in the NICU for just over a month while Carla quickly prepared for her daughter’s unexpected arrival home.
‘Zero symptoms’
Looking back, she still cannot believe she is now a mum.
I honestly had no idea I was pregnant and had zero symptoms. I even took pregnancy tests on two occasions while I was unknowingly pregnant with Amoura but they came back negative. The most recent test was in June, just weeks before her August delivery.
I hadn’t gained any weight, still got my period, and the only movement I felt was at night, which I attributed to gas. That was it, nothing else.”
Carla and her partner are now settled into parenthood and Carla admits that Amoura’s unexpected birth was the biggest blessing of her life.
This past year I’d let myself give up on everything before she came, but not anymore. To others struggling with PCOS or the ability to conceive, just don’t give up.”
