Helping Out Another Preemie Mama Blogger

We've been featured in another great blog by one of the preemie mamas I met in the online forums!  You can read our post here!  While you're reading, check out the other preemie posts, and peruse the hydrobabies blog to learn more about prematurity and hydrocephalus.

World Prematurity Day

Today is World Prematurity Day, a day to honor all preemies around the world who are growing and thriving in their own way, and a day to remember all of the precious babies who lost their fight.  We wore purple in honor of Judith and all of our preemie friends!

I've met some incredible preemie parents over the last 23 1/2 months, most of them through the online forum I'm active in.  Their strength, determination, and support for one another is amazing.  Their babies are true miracles and fighters, and it is so heartwarming to see the progress they make and to watch them grow!

It's days like today when I can take a step back and really be thankful for how well Judith has done, and how much of a fighter she really is.  Granted I can do that every day, but sometimes I get lost in the daily routines and problems of that day and don't realize how far she's truly come.  I think this year has more mixed emotions than last year, because we are about to head into uncharted territory: in a little more than 2 weeks, we'll no longer adjust Judith's age, and the vast majority of her "preemie-ness" will be behind us.  She's almost completely caught up to her actual age.  It will be nice to not have to worry about so many anticipated delays, to be able to focus more on her CF and keeping her healthy, and allow this chapter of her life to come to a close.  I know it's not going to be an instantaneous process, but it still feels kind of strange since it's been such a big part of our lives over the last 2 years.  We certainly won't stop celebrating future World Prematurity Days - being a preemie is part of Judith's identity, and as she grows I want to help her understand that while she had a rough start with many complications, she overcame that and thrived.

It's So True!

I was checking out my newsfeed on Facebook this morning, and ran across this status update from "It's A Preemie Thing":

Having a preemie means your venture into parenting will not be "normal". You will learn words that many people will never even hear (and thankfully so). You will learn patience you didn't know you were capable of, you will learn true fear and faith. You will learn more about your insurance than you ever cared to know. You will be able to change a diaper standing sideways at an isolette, while avoiding wires, tubes, and I.V.s. My husband still can't change a diaper unless he's on the side of our son. ;)

You learn that the journey doesn't stop once they leave the NICU. Your childs pediatrician will become like family because you feel that you are at their office as much as you are home. You will learn that all the books you read on "what to expect" didn't teach you anything that YOU needed to expect, and you are forced to learn as you go. 

Not all preemies meet goals like "termies" do, although some exceed them! Find out all that is available to you while in the NICU, such as Early Intervention, WIC, etc. If you're social worker isn't proactive...bug them or ask to speak to another one if available.

The most valuable lesson that I learned was just how precious life is, and how fragile it can be. 17 NOV is World Prematurity Day...wear purple!

For the record, neither John or I can change Judith's diaper unless we're on her side!

November is Prematurity Awareness Month

As my post title states, November is the month set aside for prematurity awareness.  Even though CF has become the more dominant issue Judith's facing, it doesn't replace the fact that she was still born about 11 weeks early.  On November 17th, World Prematurity Day, we'll wear purple in honor and in memory of all of the babies born too soon.

This month, a lot of my friends and fellow preemie mamas are doing special entries and features on their blogs.  We have the honor of being featured on a blog from a good friend whose twins were born in February 2011, 2 days before my original due date with Judith.  Hop on over to Our Valentine's Day Surprise and check it out!

World Prematurity Day (Part 2)

As World Prematurity Day comes to an end, I'd like to share some "Then & Now" pictures of Judith.  I'm opting not to post her birth story today because you will get the full story starting in a week and a half (so stop by on the 29th for the first installment!).

We are so blessed that she has come so far, and is doing as well as she is today!  So without further ado, here are the pictures of our little 29 week miracle:

Judith under the bililight. 1 day old

Judith sitting tall - beautiful baby girl!  11 months old

I would also like to take a moment to express our gratitude to the neonatologists, nurse practitioners, nurses, and the physical therapist at St. Luke's: without them and their care, we would not be where we are today.  The NICU staff is truly wonderful, and we are so thankful for all of the excellent care they provide, and for the neverending support they offer to the parents of the little miracles that pass through the NICU doors!  Thank you, and God bless each one of you!

World Prematurity Day

Today is World Prematurity Day.  It's a day to help bring awareness to premature birth and the struggles these little miracles encounter.  It's a day of honor and remembrance.

Every year, 1 million preemies die worldwide, and 12 million preemies worldwide struggle to survive.

So many complications can plague these tiny, fragile lives.  Some of these complications will have a lifelong impact on the child, others will dissipate over time and with intervention.

I feel blessed that Judith is a survivor.  Things could've turned out differently for us.  I have an additional blessing in my niece, who was also a preemie - things could have been very different for her too.  But through God's grace, both Judith and my niece are doing well today.

There are mothers whom I met on the message boards that have lost their babies that were born too soon.  Today is a day to remember them.

Over the last 11 months, I've had the honor of meeting and getting to know a great group of other preemie mothers, both in the NICU and on the message boards.  It feels wonderful knowing that there are friends who have similar experiences and understand what you go through that you can share your frustrations, joys, and care tips with.  Today is a day to honor these babies.

Help us bring awareness to prematurity.  Share our stories with others.

Prematurity Awareness Month - What Not to Say

The Bump finally posted a great article with feedback from fellow preemie moms on the board. You can find the article here.

Many times, people will say something to a preemie mama and to them it's totally innocent.  But to us, it can be a low blow and sting badly.  I know in the past, I've heard some of these comments, and while I would either laugh or ignore them, they still stuck in my mind and hurt.

Hopefully the article will make people more aware of what it's like to be a preemie mama, and people will think twice before making comments like these in the future.

November is Prematurity Awareness Month

A happy couple receives the exciting news that they are going to be parents.  They will probably worry about the health of their baby and the health of the mother, but will be looking forward to meeting their goal of delivering a healthy, happy, term baby.  They probably don't think a lot about what would happen if they don't meet that goal.  They're not focused on preparing for anything other than a term baby.  They're not prepared for a preemie.  But they may end up as a statistic, 1 of 8 births.

We are the face of the 1 in 8.

We certainly weren't prepared for a preemie, or for the roller coaster ride of the NICU.

So many different factors contribute to a premature birth: sometimes the cause is known, as it was in our case (severe pre-e and IUGR), sometimes the cause is unknown (some women experience unexplained preterm labor, and their delivery cannot be stopped).  Sometimes the cause is preventable.

The March of Dimes is working to help bring awareness to prematurity, and is helping to try to lower the rate of premature birth in this country.  On their website, they state, "Premature birth costs society more than $26 billion a year and takes a high toll on families.  Babies born just a few weeks early are at risk of severe health problems and lifelong disabilities.  Premature birth is the number 1 killer of newborns." (www.marchofdimes.com)

We know all too well about the emotional and physical toll that comes with having a preemie.  We're still waiting to see what lasting effects and/or complications Judith may have because of her very early arrival.  We are very fortunate that, so far, she is doing as well as she is - not all preemies are as lucky as she is.

We, and all families of preemies, need your help.  We need you to help spread the word about prematurity.  On November 17, World Prematurity Day, talk to people about the statistics.  Advocate for all preemies.  You can also donate to the March of Dimes at this page on their website.

Our story is one of the over 1400 stories that happen every year.  My prayer is that this number will decrease significantly, and no family will ever have to go through the hell of having their baby arrive too soon.