Early Life and Family Background

• 👶 Aaron Weber, originally from Montgomery, Alabama, is the middle of four siblings and comes from a large Catholic family with approximately 48 first cousins.
• 👨‍🏫 His father was a high school principal and his mother was a teacher; they met at a Catholic high school where his father taught for nearly 30 years.
• ✈️ Weber moved to Nashville, Tennessee, during his high school years and remains there, while his siblings have spread across the country.

Navigating Pregnancy and Birth Complications

• ⚠️ During a routine ultrasound near the end of his wife Lucy's pregnancy, the baby was not moving, leading to an emergency delivery at Vanderbilt Hospital.
• 🩺 Complications included gestational diabetes and polyhydramnios (excess amniotic fluid), which necessitated delivery at a specialized hospital.
• 🏥 The birth process was challenging, with the baby's heartbeat intermittently lost on monitors, leading to a C-section after nearly 30 hours of labor.

NICU Stay and Daughter's Health

• 💙 The newborn daughter was admitted to the NICU due to hypotonia (low muscle tone), making it difficult for her to feed.
• 🩺 She required an NG tube for feeding and remained in the NICU for 23 days before being able to go home.
• 🧬 The underlying cause of her health issues remains unknown, with ongoing genetic testing and therapies including physical, occupational, and speech therapy.
• 🍽️ A G-tube was surgically implanted for feeding, with the goal of eventually transitioning to bottle feeding and removing the tube.

Parenting and Personal Reflections

• 🚗 The experience of leaving the hospital without their baby was profoundly difficult, marked by constant worry and frequent trips back to the NICU.
• 🤝 Weber reflects on the immense strength and resilience of his wife throughout the pregnancy and birth process.
• 🧠 He shares a personal genetic diagnosis of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and Factor V Leiden, raising concerns about passing these to his daughter.
• 💡 Advice for his 16-year-old self includes not being afraid to take things seriously and focusing more on relationships over achievement.
• 👨‍👩‍👧 The couple is still processing the journey and has not yet considered having another child, focusing on their daughter's current needs.