Hudson’s Journey

The Surprise That Changed Everything

On the 7th of July 2024, my partner and I found out we were pregnant. It was a happy accident—just like Hudson’s three big sisters had been. At the time, our youngest daughter was only nine months old, delivered by my second c-section. We hesitated, unsure if this was the right time. My BMI classified me as overweight, and I was already considered high-risk due to APS (anti-phospholipid syndrome).

After much back and forth, we decided to continue with the pregnancy. We had done this three times before—we thought we knew what we were doing. Looking back, I feel guilty that not having Hudson was ever a discussion, not knowing what the future held.

Announcing Our Baby Boy

We told close family and friends early on and shared the news with the world on the 24th of September. I didn’t have the smoothest pregnancy. I frequently felt faint and lightheaded, often needing to sit down to avoid passing out. I brought it up at every midwife appointment but was always reassured that it was “just pregnancy” or “just anxiety.” Over time, I became so anxious that I avoided leaving the house unless absolutely necessary, like for school runs.

On the 16th of November 2024, we found out we were having a little boy. After three girls, my partner and I were in shock—we even asked the sonographer to double-check! We were overjoyed. We shared the news with our daughters through a balloon pop, and they were thrilled to be getting a baby brother.

Our eldest daughter made it a tradition to kiss my tummy every night and say, “Goodnight baby brother.” Once we’d chosen his name, she’d say, “Goodnight baby Hudson.”

Choosing His Name

Choosing his name was a journey in itself. Our original boy name had always been Carter, but when we found out Hudson was a boy, it didn’t feel quite right. We went through thousands of names—Roman, Austin, Luca, Bailey, Riley—none of which we agreed on. Finally, I came across the name Hudson and sent it to my partner. He loved it. We locked it in on the 18th of January 2025, just a few weeks before his birth.

I started making little personalised items for him—his name plaque, dummy clips, and decorating his nappy caddy.

Preparing for His Arrival

We had saved all of our baby girl clothes, but because Hudson was a boy, he needed everything new. Thankfully, a friend of my partner’s was having her first girl after three boys, so we swapped everything. Looking back, not buying Hudson’s clothes ourselves helped ease the emotional burden later—we didn’t have that attachment.

On the 3rd of February, I felt like a new person. It was the first day in months that I didn’t feel faint, sick, or tired. I had so much energy that I even deep-cleaned the house. I now wonder if that sudden burst of energy was the beginning of the end—maybe Hudson had taken all of my strength to grow.