Hurricane Harvey was responsible for bringing so much destruction to our city, but one thing we didn’t expect it to bring was new life.
Several hospitals reported increased number of births during Harvey, but it doesn’t seem clear if there is an actual scientific connection.
However, one new mother says there’s no doubt in her mind.
It was love at first sight for the first time parents, who had no idea the first few seconds of little Cayden’s life was just the beginning of a whirlwind of a ride.
“OK, he’s coming whether I'm ready or not," new mom Heather McCutcheon said.
Still a month out from her Sept. 20 due date, you could say McCutcheon was more than surprised when her water broke.
“I think it was atmospheric pulls, like something, because my body was absolutely not ready, absolutely not ready. He hadn’t even dropped," McCutcheon said.
It just so happened to be right around the time Hurricane Harvey made landfall.
“After you see the drop in barometric pressure, then the bag of water breaks or there is rupture of membranes," said Dr. Kelli Burroughs, OBGYN Department Chairman with Memorial Hermann Sugar Land.
Dr. Burroughs says even though the research hasn’t verified the connection, it is a common belief among many doctors.
“Just from their private practice experience, that there is this association," Burroughs said.
Even though her water broke, McCutcheon says her body wasn’t ready to go into labor so doctors induced, and hours later, out comes Cayden.
“It was a surprise, and it was crazy, but he’s got a very good story, that’s for sure," McCutcheon said.
But their story doesn’t end there. Mom got discharged, but the early arrival sent Cayden to the NICU at a hospital that then had to be evacuated.
“We may not be able to get there until the water goes down," NICU nurse Kim said.
Separated from their newborn, Cayden’s nurses kept mom and dad in the loop the entire time. Tuesday, they met again for the first time since.
That adorable tiny NICU baby today is a chunky little monkey who's now six months old with a big story to one day tell.
“He was surrounded by nurses that were loving on him and there every second so he was safe. It meant the world," McCutcheon said.
Memorial Hermann doesn't have the exact numbers yet, but say they saw more than 500 births during Harvey, and some campuses had double the amount of births they would normally have when there isn't a hurricane.