A dream is coming true for a new mother in Pennsylvania who thought she would never be able to have kids. Shaneice Felder's journey to motherhood has never been easy, stretching for over a decade.
She always wanted to have children, but for years, she thought her own health would get in the way of her being pregnant. Against all odds, Felder is now living a moment she never thought possible.
Felder told ABC 27 WHTM that she had always dreamed of being a mom, but she experienced kidney failure at the young age of just 20 years old. She said she was nauseous and constantly vomiting and was not feeling well during that time.
Felder given baby hope after second kidney transplant
It was the first in a series of health issues for Felder, including being diagnosed with diabetes and lupus. She also underwent two kidney transplants and years of dialysis to treat her illnesses.
According to Mayo Clinic, lupus is an autoimmune disease wherein a person's immune system attacks their own organs and tissues.
She said that it was just very strenuous on her body and that she was always tired. Felder noted there were periods of depression as she felt like she was missing out on things that most of her friends were experiencing.
There was some light at the end of the tunnel, as doctors told her she could try for a baby one year after her second transplant. That surprised Felder, who thought having a child was impossible, given her multiple health issues.
Felder had almost given up on having children because of those health problems, and she and her partner were not trying to get pregnant. Then, the couple got the news they had been waiting for in December 2021.
Felder remembered she had just found out that she was pregnant, and the baby news was wonderful but scary as well. The pregnancy started well for the pair, but things suddenly changed at 26 weeks.
Felder's baby spent six weeks in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU)
According to Dr. Timothy Canavan, Director of Labor and Delivery at UPMC Harrisburg, Felder's blood pressure escalated out of control. She was immediately brought to the hospital, where Dr. Canavan was part of the expectant mother's medical team.
Canavan said they felt she needed daily surveillance of her baby's wellbeing, blood sugar, and blood pressure. Felder said she needed to be admitted into the hospital until she gave birth.
Felder admitted she was scared, not just because of the concerns about her health but also because she knew Black women like herself have higher maternal mortality rates and are at higher risk of serious complications.
Felder said her medical team remained open to her concerns, reassuring her they would do everything in their power to ensure she and her baby were safe. She would need that reassurance as her baby girl Zara was born more than two months early via an emergency C-section, weighing just two pounds. She spent six weeks in the NICU, but she got discharged early.
