As some of you may or may not know my best friend Anna unexpectedly went into labor with her son at 27 weeks - it was extremely scary and Lincoln has a long road ahead of him, but I know God has BIG plans for this little guy. His due date was Oct. 15th, 2022, but his birthday was July 17th, 2022. I have created this platform to allow those who love and support this family to help offset some of the financial burdens that the Goodson's will surely face in the next few months. Baby Lincoln will remain in the NICU with the hopes Anna and Joe can bring him home when he is 35 weeks old. Below is Anna's story of how Lincoln came into this world - anxious to meet his amazing parent's and share the same birth month as his incredible momma.

Baby Lincoln's Birth Story

July 14th 2022 was like any other day, I grabbed a coffee and headed to my normal day to day job as a home health physical therapist. Little did I know July 14th would be a day that changed mine and Joe’s life forever. I was working with my 2nd to last patient around 2:30 PM when I started noticing fluids leaking out of me, and within 30 minutes it got progressively worst and worst. In my head I was thinking wow, I am having some serious bladder leakage. Subconsciously I knew something was seriously wrong, so I called my husband and headed to my doctors office in Hickory immediately. By the time I got there my car seat was soaked, I was soaked.

My doctor came in to see me and immediately took one look at me and was like I’ve been doing this for over 20 years, and I believe your water has broke but I need to check to see if you’re dilated. Immediately, I went into internal panic mode. “MY SON, Lincoln Bryant Goodson IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE BORN UNTIL OCTOBER 15th.” Sure enough I was 4 cm dilated. I was sent to the hospital immediately.

And let the water works begin… I could barely see through the tears as I drove myself to the hospital. Thursday was one BIG blur. But there’s one thing for sure I was terrified for my child and what was to come.

My husband, the greatest man on earth, I think I scared him to death. When he showed up in my hospital room he was out of breath because he had ran to my room.

They immediately started me on magnesium to slow my contractions, and bed rest with the hopes that I could make it 48 hours without giving birth in order to allow for 2 steroid injections to help my baby Lincoln’s lungs.

By the grace of God, I made it 48 hours. Saturday evening around 6 PM they stopped the magnesium drip (I don’t wish this on anyone btw.. that was miserable). By Sunday around 10AM I started having contractions again but spaced apart. Around 11AM they progressively got worst and worst and closer together. Sure enough the doctor came in and checked me and I was 6 cm dilated. This baby was coming, READY OR NOT!

On July 17th, at around 2:30 PM baby Lincoln Bryant Goodson made his entry into this world.

They had forewarned me if he came out crying I could hold him for a second before the NICU team grabbed him up and took him up stairs to intubate. Sure enough the little guy came out with the cord wrapped around his neck twice but he was crying. I was able to hold him for what felt like 2 seconds but it was the greatest 2 seconds of my life. All I can remember thinking is WOAH this little boy has some massive hands, just like his daddy. He was so cute!

Lincoln weighed 2.4 pounds at birth and approximately 15 inches long. Lincoln was born at 27 weeks old.

Nothing about our pregnancy has been traditional, nor his birth. God had a hand in all of this. Lincoln was not a planned pregnancy, and he was definitely not a planned birth. We wanted to wait 2 years after getting married to start a family but God had other plans for Joe and I.

This little boy is SO loved by so many already! I truly believe that God has used Lincoln in my life as a testimony of his goodness and his faithfulness. God has truly brought me to my knees. I believe God has been fighting and chasing after me. It took Lincoln being born 13 weeks early to open my eyes that I can’t do this on my own.

Lincoln is a strong little boy but he has a long road ahead of him, as do Joe and I. We ask that you continue praying for him and pray he continues to grow and remain stable so he can heal.

Lincoln will remain in the NICU until his original due date, October 15th 2022 unless he makes some serious strides. At best we would be able to take him home at 35 weeks.