Irini Orihuela is an Editor at Love What Matters. She graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in journalism. In her free time, she enjoys photography and hikes.
‘My friend sent an adoption story as a pregnancy test sat in the cabinet. My chances were 1%.’: Woman births healthy miracle baby through endometriosis, placental tumor
“Out of habit, I took the test. The faintest second line appeared. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? Was this for real? I stood in the bathroom staring at the test for what felt like forever. After 4 years, we really were pregnant! No medication, no monitoring.”
‘One night my husband sat me down. ‘Would you love me no matter what?’ He took out an envelope with analysis results.’: Couple battling endometriosis, male infertility share emotional fight for pregnancy
“While I would never have imagined that 7 years later, we would still be here without a baby, I am grateful for who I have grown to become and the lessons this journey has taught me.”
‘No mama, you don’t cry. Just me.’: Mom shares daughter’s brave journey with leukemia
“Channeling my anger and pain into making a difference has shown Macie the bad things that happen to us don’t have to define us. We get to decide that.”
‘As they laid him on my chest, I let out the exhale I was holding onto for 12 months. I could finally breathe again.’: Mom details emotional journey to 2 angel babies, 1 rainbow baby
“I KNEW in my bones I was meant to be a mom to a baby here on earth.”
‘This is a harrowing battle I’d never wish on anyone. We begin the (hopefully) last chapter.’: Grandma shares heartbreaking story of 7-week-old granddaughter’s cancer diagnosis
“The memories of this day with Avery will forever haunt me for a hundred reasons, but one of the biggest being I feel like I failed my children.”
‘Nick went from the world’s best husband to the world’s best infertility med administrator. As my faith wavered, his positivity never faltered.’: PCOS warrior candidly shares infertility journey
“We were two high schoolers sitting in the front seat of a pick-up, planning for the future. Falling in love at 17, we made plans for where we’d live, what we’d do, who we’d be together. We joked about names for our future babies, who they’d look like. Never in a million years did we realize our journey to becoming parents would look like this.”
‘She looks 7 months pregnant.’ Only 14, my stomach was so big and hard. I knew something wasn’t right.’: Woman candidly details battle with childhood ovarian cancer, infertility journey
“‘You’re fine. I’ll call the doctor, but it’s probably nothing.’ They pulled mother aside and asked if she was sure I wasn’t pregnant. ‘99% sure.’ When the test came back negative, we were told, ‘All your daughter’s organs are covered with a huge mass.'”
‘Hi, this is your OB calling. I have your genetic results.’ Tears flowing, I realized my ‘pregnancy hormones’ were actually a premonition.’: Mom to son with Down syndrome vows to spend rest of life ‘shouting his worth’
“‘We will do this. This is our baby and we will love him no matter what.’ As we exited the car, I saw parents holding the hands of their little girl. She turned around and smiled at us and I saw SHE had it too. Tears flooded my eyes as I realized God was already showing up for us.”
‘Charlie strangely complained of headaches and started vomiting randomly at 6 a.m. with no other symptoms.’: Mom of 3 shares candid reality of childhood cancer after daughter’s diagnosis
“I was about 36 weeks pregnant, bringing another life earth side while fighting for my other child’s life.”
‘I cried, ‘I can’t do this. I want to stop.’ I had to deliver my daughter knowing I’d never hear her cry.’: Woman delivers rainbow baby sister after losing daughter to Mosaic Trisomy 15
“The silence was deafening. I felt the weight of her as they placed her in my arms. She was a little over 4 pounds. She was beautiful. We held her and had pictures taken with her. Then a couple of days later, we left the hospital with a box instead of our daughter.”