Prematurity Awareness Day

Last year, I celebrated prematurity awareness for the first time, by posting Gunner's birth story.   A story that I took days to write, months to come to term with, and an event to share.  You may ask, why I say celebrated?  I think it is because although I wish I had a full term, uneventful pregnancy, I have to say I know why I didn't.

I didn't have a perfect pregnancy because:

The experiencing of prematurity inspired me to do my first March for Babies.  Our amazing team raised over $3000 to help fund research to fight prematurity and support families like mine.

The loss and helplessness I felt when visiting my son in the NICU has pushed me to support other families in that situation.  I have celebrated special nurses (nurse's day), special moms (gift bags to mommies with babies in the NICU) and a special hospital.  We did the Bronson's Children Hospital walk and facilitated a lovie drive, where we made over 50 tag blankets for children who need comfort in emergency situations.

I was able to help other preemie babies at our NICU and their moms by donating over 16 gallons of breast milk, including 300 oz of preterm milk.  This means less NEC, more weight gain, and anitbodies you just can't get in formula.

Due to the emotions and stress of prematurity, I have reached out to an amazing support network of moms who have walked a month or three in my NICU shoes.  They are amazing and though I have not met but one in real life, I consider them my friends and support network.

So I know, that even though I did everything right and this wasn't supposed to happen because of that, it did because it was meant to be.  I was meant to make a difference.