Karina Richardson wasn’t supposed to give birth until March, so when her water broke a few weeks ago, it was a bit of a surprise.
Richardson was subsequently put on bed rest at Schneider Regional Medical Center, and she said Saturday that she was hoping to hold out another month before the baby was born.
But her daughter had other plans. Richardson went into labor around 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, and gave birth a few minutes after midnight, making her child, K’myra Stapleton, the first baby born in the territory for 2010.
"We were hoping to get to 32 weeks," Richardson said Saturday from her room in the maternity ward at the hospital. "But she came early, when I was only 30 weeks pregnant."
But the story doesn’t end there. When doctors discovered that the baby was breech, the decision was made to perform a caesarean section. In her room Saturday, Richardson said she was still in some pain, but was cheerful when she relayed the news that K’myra — a three pound seven ounce preemie — was doing well.
"She’s breathing on her own now," Richardson said. "But she can’t leave the hospital yet because she’s premature."
The new mom said the pair have had no shortage of visitors over the past couple days.
"Everyone’s been taking pictures," she laughed, straightening up for another shot. At the side of Richardson’s bed were bags filled with baby gifts given to the family Friday by the Business and Professional Women’s Association, which has been at the bedside of each first baby born at Schneider Regional for at least the past two decades.
"Everyone’s been so nice," Richardson said, adding how "excited" her two sons, ages 6 and 2, are now that they have a new baby sister.
"I was hoping this one would be a girl," she said, smiling.
