Pat McAfee says wife had emergency C-section to deliver 2nd child
Pat McAfee says his wife Samantha McAfee underwent an emergency cesarean section last week to deliver the couple's second child, a baby boy named Midas.
The "ESPN College GameDay" analyst and host of "The Pat McAfee Show" announced Midas' birth in an Instagram post on Monday, revealing that the family welcomed the infant just a few days earlier, on Friday.
"Due to Samantha having a high risk pregnancy and severe preeclampsia, the decision was made to have an emergency C-Section Friday night," McAfee wrote in part in the Instagram post. "Baby boy entered the world on May 22nd at 10:42PM as a 6lb 6oz screaming young legend... 10 Toes, 10 Fingers, full head of hair."
Preeclampsia is a type of pregnancy complication in which a person can suddenly develop high blood pressure and protein in the urine after 20 weeks gestation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In some cases, preeclampsia can progress to a severe headache, vision changes, and signs of liver or kidney injury on laboratory tests, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states.
Medline Plus notes that researchers do not yet know what causes preeclampsia, but it may occur in about 3% to 7% of all births and can also develop postpartum, within 48 hours after giving birth.
Treatment for preeclampsia can include early delivery of a baby via C-section, according to Medline Plus.
McAfee wrote in his Instagram post Monday that his wife has been recovering from the surgery since Midas' birth. The newborn, who McAfee said was born at 36 weeks, is now out of the neonatal intensive care unit after a two-day stay.
According to McAfee, while in the NICU, doctors "put a CPAP on [Midas], a feeding tube, & put him in a heated pod" in order to "help [him] transition from womb to world."
"Watching Samantha battle thru her recovery has been nothing short of inspiring,," he added. "WE APPRECIATE YOU @mrsmcafeeshow, I will be sure that our kids will know how much you went thru for them."
McAfee also shared several photos of him and and his wife with Midas, as well as snapshots of Midas swaddled and resting in a bassinet.
"We're looking to get home to our 3 yr old baby girl today or tomorrow," he wrote in the caption. "We can't wait for her to meet her brother."
According to McAfee, Midas is named after King Midas, who in Greek and Roman mythology had the ability to turn anything he touched into gold. He added that the baby's middle name, "Robert," is a tribute to Samantha McAfee's late father.
"Midas will know his grandfather thru our stories and pictures... and we know Bob will be looking out for Midas for all of time," he wrote.
The McAfees are already parents to daughter Mackenzie Lynn McAfee, who was born in May 2023.
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