Moment to Moment Everything can change in an instant during a NICU stay. One minute your baby can be doing fine, while in the next, alarms are going off everywhere, and things are critical. You learn to cherish the quiet moment, the uneventful hours, and the days where there are glimmers that your baby may eventually go home. But, there are those other moments that make you … [Read more...]
True Hero: Taylor, Megan, and Stephanie’s Story
True Hero Every Monday, I share with you amazing, miraculous fighters. Micro preemies are the smallest, and often sickest, babies, but they prove again and again how strong they are. However, there is usually at least one other true hero in each story. The siblings of the tiny little miracles are also miraculous themselves. I often think back to our time in the NICU, and … [Read more...]
Premature Mother’s Guilt: Merrick’s Story
Premature Mother's Guilt All mother's experience guilt at one time or another, but a premature mother's guilt can be overwhelming. Not only is there guilt about "normal" parenting decisions (like the guilt from choosing one feeding method over another, for example,) but there is guilt about the actual prematurity. Not being able to carry a baby to full-term can really play … [Read more...]
NICU Life: The Unexpected Emotions
NICU Life NICU life is hard. Even if you have no idea what to expect, fear and sadness are not surprising feelings to have. Your sweet baby is fighting for their life, so it seems completely normal to be scared and upset. But sometimes, the other emotions that NICU life brings can be unexpected. I remember walking into that hallway, after being buzzed in, scrubbing my hands … [Read more...]
23 weeker on Micro Preemie Monday: Jaxon’s Story
23 weeker Most hospitals consider 24 weeks the age of viability. Luckily, as medicine advances, other hospitals are willing to help babies that are born even earlier. I'm so happy to be able to introduce you to a 23 weeker today that has beaten all the odds. I remember being on bed rest, and having a calendar out in front of me. I marked off the days until I would be 24 … [Read more...]