According to the experts, being pregnant is a major milestone in a woman’s life. There are positive steps you can take to make your pregnancy a wonderful experience for you. When talking about their experiences of pregnancy, most people described it as life-changing, and discussed both its physical and emotional aspects. You don’t need to wait until your baby is born to bond with them. Pregnancy can be the perfect time to start forming an attachment with your baby, which is very important for their development once your baby has actually arrived.

During an interview, Amber reportedly said that there had been no issues during her pregnancy and she had a C-section delivering baby Halle into the world three weeks early. The mother had to wait four hours before she could see her baby again and doctors delivered news that left her shocked and confused. “Doctors didn’t know what it was at first,” Amber told PEOPLE. “They told me she had really low-set ears and that her head was cone-shaped. They started feeling around and realized it was her skull. Then they said they were pretty sure it’s Pfeiffer syndrome.” Pfeiffer syndrome is a rare, genetic disorder in which some skull bones fuse together and grow abnormally, according to the National Institute of Health.

It also affects bones in the hands and feet and more than half of all children with the condition have hearing loss. According to Amber, the condition is so rare that doctors never checked for this during her pregnancy. Amber was “in shock” when she heard about the diagnosis. But the 27-year-old mom took one look at her baby Halle and felt everything was okay with the world. “When I saw her, [her appearance] didn’t change my mind about anything. I just held her and she was just the cutest little baby,” Amber told PEOPLE. “When I first saw her and held her, she was my perfect little baby so I tried to block out any negative things. I said, ‘There’s nothing wrong with her.’ I didn’t want to believe she had that.” When Halle was five weeks old, she had to have dangerous surgery to remove her skull and reduce swelling. Amber couldn’t believe how well Halle did.

“There she was, I could see our perfect little angel lying on her bed. She was still very sleepy from the anesthesia. But she was doing great and she was so beautiful, the difference in her head was just amazing,” she said. “As I was looking at her, I thought: ‘This girl is the strongest person I have ever met, and she was only 5 weeks old.’ I was so proud to be her momma, and couldn’t wait to hold her. She looked so peaceful.” Halle still had many more surgeries ahead of her but the family continues to do well and have become closer as a result. The family has been adjusting well to life with Halle, according to Amber. Proud mom Amber shares pictures of her sweet baby girl on social media to help raise awareness. She continues to spoken openly about Halle’s condition, and she never hesitates to share photos of her beloved daughter online.