Kylie’s Story: Prematurity, Hypospadias, and the Power of Second Opinions

Have you ever gotten a second opinion that was the complete opposite of what you were initially told? Imagine that, plus you've just given birth, and your baby’s future is hanging in the balance. That was the reality of today's guest.

In this powerful episode, Johanna and Peter sit down with Kylie, a mom from South Carolina whose son Aiden was born at just 31 weeks and weighing under three pounds. Diagnosed with hypospadias and chordee shortly after birth, Kylie and her husband were thrust into a whirlwind of mixed messages, surgical complications, and hard decisions that no parent feels prepared to make.

From the NICU’s conflicting neonatologists — one raising alarms about “ambiguous genitalia” and another saying “he’s peeing, so things are working” — to navigating multiple failed surgeries and finally advocating for a world-renowned specialist, Kylie shares her journey with honesty, grit, and hope.

This is an unfiltered look at what it means to trust your gut, demand better for your child, and keep fighting until you find the right care.

In this episode:

• What it’s like to give birth at 31 weeks with preeclampsia and a 2 lb 15 oz preemie

• How a hypospadias diagnosis unfolded in the NICU with confusing, conflicting provider opinions

• The challenges of hypospadias repair and surgical complications

• Why Kylie says “who’s the top penis surgeon?” became her nightly research project

• The emotional toll of seeing your toddler face multiple operations and preparing for more

• The importance of second (and third) opinions when local surgeons dismiss parent concerns

💬 “We made the decision that we had to make with the information that we had. Now we’re making a different decision because we have it.”

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