The baby’s heartbeat was reassuring at that moment, but there were no guarantees about what might happen next.

They would continue to monitor us and decide what care we needed based on how we responded.

I kept asking the same question.

“Is she alive?”

The doctor answered each time without sounding annoyed.

“Right now, her heartbeat is present.

We’re watching closely.”

We had not known whether the baby was a boy or a girl.