Before you formed them in my womb
You knew them through and through
You gave them to be mine
Please don’t take them away.

Once you formed them in my womb
I knew them through and through
I knew them to be mine
heavenly gifts from you divine
Please now, don’t take them away.

Each day they spend in my womb
I feel them to be mine
Beating in unison with my heart
Blood of my blood, flesh of my flesh
Please don’t now take them away

Each week they spend in my womb
Their souls are blended with mine
My spirit and theirs are one
Their suffering and pain, I feel
I feel them fighting for their lives
Clinging to hopes, last strands
So how can I give up on them
Please don’t take my babies away.

Each month they’ve spent in my womb
Their lives have become mine
I love them with all my heart
I love them more than life itself
Now I’m asked to choose
Between my life and theirs
Don’t make me choose
between my daughter or son
Please don’t take them away
I’ll give up my life for them
So please don’t take my babies away from me …

Each minute they’ve spent in my womb
I hear them cry out these days
“Mummy help us!, Mummy don’t let go!”
Never my darlings! I say
As long as you fight for your lives
I fight for you with all my life
So I implore you Father, Creator give them back life
I implore you Jesus, give them strength,
I implore you Holy Spirit, renew their weak bodies and blood
Keep my organs vital and well
That I do not have to choose
between my life and theirs
Please keep my blood pressure stable
Preserve my brain, kidneys, liver, lungs and heart
from the ill demons of preeclampsia
from the toxins of their ill placenta
Channel the blood away from any obstacles,
so it can get to be anew
To fill them, heal them and save them
Please don’t take them away

Each second they spend in my womb
I hear their cries all day long in my head
Mummy don’t give up on us!
Never, my darlings! How can I when I feel you move?
How can I when every day I hear
your Doppler heart beats, strong and purposeful
How can I when I see you squirm
Kick and roll over in the ultrasound.
Glimpses that bring such joy to my soul.
I’ll never give up on you, my babies
Each second you’re in my womb fighting for your lives.
So please Father, preserve us three
And don’t take my babies away from me.

March 3, 2007, Baltimore, MD written while hospitalized for high risk pregnancy complications.