“I kept my pregnancy secret till I went to the doctors to confirm it: I was eight weeks along. I reached out to the father and he wanted no part of it, wanted to pay for an abortion. I had no one else to talk to or confide in.”
The mother of her then 11-year-old son, Daylen, went on to detail her internal struggle. She explained the situation, listing her three options for her pre-teen son to help her choose: abortion, adoption, or to keep the baby. Daylen responded to his mother, saying:
“Mom we got this. I always wanted a sibling. If that guy wants no part, he’s a coward. It’s his loss,” he said. “I will be there, Mom, don’t worry.”
Holmes went on to say how her pregnancy was bittersweet, especially after finding out she was having a girl (something she had always wanted). But Daylen put on a brave face for his mother, in turn, giving her hope throughout the process.
“Daylen came to majority of my appointments and sat in the waiting room just to be supportive. He wanted to see his sister any chance he could, so he was allowed to come into the ultrasound appointments and his face would brighten up every time when he saw her on the screen. The technician would always print him his own picture and he would put it in his school folder to show his guidance counselor and friends.”
Daylen even used his allowance to purchase his sister shoes, bibs and socks once Christmas came around. Holmes felt like she had everything she needed.
As Holmes continued on, she was informed at 34 weeks how she had gestational diabetes and was urged she change her diet. Then, at 38 weeks, she was told to schedule a C-section as her amino fluids were low.
But Holmes refused, saying she would leave it in the hands of a higher power as Daylen had a traumatic emergency C-section.
Above all else, Holmes wanted Daylen to experience of a natural birth with her as well.
“I wanted Daylen to learn and experience it with me as well. From that day on, I tried natural ways to go into labor. I took supplements, made natural drinks, and ate differently. Daylen would go to the store for me and get whatever I needed. At this point I was tired all the time and on bed rest. He noticed the stress I was under and would insists on rubbing my feet or my back just so that I felt a little better.”
Holmes continued, revealing what happened when her water broke.
“Days before my due date, I decided to go out and run some errands — I wanted to make sure I had everything I would need when the baby got home. I didn’t want to bother Daylen, as I felt he was already doing so much. Well, my water broke in the supermarket parking lot. I went home, waited for Daylen to get home from school, and drove us to the hospital.”
What happened next was a moment both Holmes and her son would never forget.
“Through the whole labor, Daylen didn’t leave my side. He rubbed my back when the contractions would come, and sat up all night with me just to make sure everything was going smoothly. Went to get me water and crackers when I needed. He was so hands on and I was proud! Over 30 hours in labor and both of us were exhausted.”
She later had to have a C-section but soon after, the pair welcomed Ava who weighed 5 pounds and 9 ounces.
“I wouldn’t change it for the world. This experience had its ups and downs but in the end I wouldn’t change it. It’s been three months since Ava was born and the unbreakable bond of a big brother and little sister is priceless. The life of a single mother is sometimes so hard and you want to give up, but then you look at the little people you created and everything just seems to make sense.”
