March for Babies 2011

It's that time of year again!  Time to start thinking about walking for healthy babies.  On the first day available, Team Gunner is up and running again!  Below is my letter that will be included in the Family Teams information packet!

January 2011


Dear Family Team Captain-

It is my absolute honor and pleasure to welcome you in joining our fight to make sure every baby gets their healthy start in life! The March for Babies campaign is dedicated to funding the mission of the March of Dimes. This event is so moving and powerful because its heart lies in the family teams comprised of those who have been directly touched by the mission of March of Dimes. I am excited to meet you and hear your story! I encourage you to check out our website at http://www.marchforbabies.org/ and share the information with your team.

My ties to the March of Dimes run deep. It all began long ago when I made my first meager donation to the March for Babies campaign, formerly known as WalkAmerica, while I was a high school student working at one of our corporate sponsors. At that time, there was no way that I would have ever thought that my life would be touched by prematurity. I didn’t even know what the mission of the March of Dimes was.

Now, fully aware of the mission, I know that both of my boys are March of Dimes babies. Obviously, my second, born at 33 weeks benefited from the mission of the March of Dimes. But my first son, who was born healthy at full term also benefited from the research funded by the March of Dimes that guided my prenatal care and newborn screening. We walk for all of the March of Dimes babies in our lives and to help all babies get a healthy start. We fight because babies shouldn’t have to!

It is my job to represent and support you in your effort as a family team. I can help you set a fundraising goal, brainstorm fundraising ideas, and keep aware of all pertinent event information. Enclosed in your packet you will find a lot of tools that will make your job easier, including t-shirt order forms, chocolate order forms and other fundraising ideas including some great March of Dimes merchandise at www.wristbands4awareness.com/mod_individual.

We also have a lot of great online marketing tools including your personal webpage that allows for online donations, an email generator, and a facebook application to help you approach your family and friends for their financial support and sponsorship. Go to http://www.marchforbabies.org/ today and see how easy it has become to help give every baby a healthy start.

How many babies can you help? Consider your total from last year and set a new goal; maybe 10% more than last year. If this is your first year, set some goal. I know I was shocked when I set mine and raised over six times it! It’s amazing how people want to help you be successful.

I hope you will join us at our two March for Babies sites in 2011-- on April 30th at Battle Creek Health Systems and on May 7th at the Celery Flats Historical Site in Portage. I will also be keeping a blog featuring information and pictures of the event at http://www.kalamazoomarchforbabies.blogspot.com/.
Sincerely,



Christi Young

March of Dimes 2011 Ambassador Family Mom

This is the reality of prematurity

Although you will hear me be all sunshine and rainbows about my son (how I love him and I wouldn't change anything about him for the world, which I still wouldn't) here is the reality of prematurity.  I feel amazingly blessed to have a "normal" full term pregnancy before my preterm pregnancy.  However, having that wonderful nearly uneventful pregnancy also made me painfully aware of everything that I missed and was robbed of during my preterm pregnancy. 

The photo you see above was the last picture taken of my pregnant with Gunner.  I was 28 weeks along.  28 weeks, that is 12 weeks before my due date.  This was the morning of the day that my water broke.  Later that afternoon I was admitted to the hospital, not to be discharged until I had a baby, which at that point, they thought was imminent.  One of the things I missed was taking a weekly picture of my belly to see how it grew or having professional pictures taken, like I did with Greyson. Yes, I know, in comparison to my son breathing, this is very very petty.

 This picture again, we are all smiles.  It was Mother's Day 2009.  A day we should be celebrating, especially with an upcoming birth (that was supposed to be 2 months away) The reality of this is, I was stuck in a hospital bed over an hour from my home with infrequent visitors and a lot of solitude.  Solitude and worry that drove a person who is generally positive and optimistic to be worried, unsettled, and depressed.  Depressed to the point that at the 4 week mark, my mental health state required medication and monitoring.

I love my baby boy.  He was a giant considering the other babies he was near in the NICU.  A giant at 4 lbs.  My full term baby was described to me by many as "the smallest baby I have ever seen" well, now I had one upped that, with an even smaller baby.  I have very few pictures of Gunner with all of his wires and tubes, simply because I didn't want to remember it.  But the reality is, if I don't remember it, no one else will either.  If I don't remember and share this experience, there will be even more babies like Gunner.  Babies born too soon because the general perception of a preemie is a "small baby" who will be "fine" after awhile.  While that is generally true, it certianly doesn't reflect the reality of the day in and day out life of a preemie parent .

As I said, I was blessed with a relatively uncomplicated pregnancy before Gunner's birth.  I was blessed to have a baby that could room in with me, nurse for hours on end, to change a diaper without assistance, to have my only worry be if and when I may get some sleep again.  As you can see above, the parenting of a preemie is very different.  You are a visitor instead of a parent.  There is no 24-hour responsibility, because you just can't be there the whole time.  Especially if you are balancing the care of a 2 year old with that.

You have to wash for 30 seconds just to go in (with soap that if I smell now still takes me back)  You have to take a temperature every care session.  That is the only time you feed or diaper the baby, or you might overstimulate them to the point that they have spells where their heart rate drops or they forget to breathe.  You can't just nurse them, you have to see what they can handle at that moment.  You see progress and then the next time you are there you see regression.  You feel that the only thing you can do to really help them is to be up at all hours of the day and night pumping.  Wow.  That was verbal diarreah.  But the reality comes through; the parenting of a premature child is not an easy road.  This is parenting with a child who was able to breathe on his own.  I cannot imagine having a baby born so soon he couldn't breathe or touch as his skin is so sensitive it may rub off with a gentle touch.

All of that being said, I am reminded of my committment to the March of Dimes.  I am so firmly committed because this organization works tirelessly to help raise the funds necessary to research all of the things that can help end prematurity and help the babies born too soon.  So today, remember all of the babies born too soon, like Gunner.  But also remember and cherish your own children as well, because chances are they are all March of Dimes babies. 

What, you didn't have a preemie, so the MOD didn't have anything to do with your pregnancy or child?  If you refrained from drinking (1970's) or smoking (1970's) or took a prenatal vitamin daily (1990's) your child is a March of Dimes baby.  The years in ()'s are the years in which the March of Dimes' funded research told us not to drink, smoke, and to get daily folic acid in our diet.  So I have two March of Dimes babies.  A full-termer and a preemie.

Reborn Gunner

Ok, I may be crazy, but hey. I was searching online for preemie quotes, stats and books to use for Prematurity Awareness Month. When I googled, I stumbled upon an ebay auction for a “reborn” preemie doll. It hauntingly reminded me of Gunner. It was about .4 oz heavier and about an inch shorter, but it held a very strong resembelence to newly born preemie Gunner.


I contacted the maker. She is the mother of twin 33-weekers. She gets me and what I went through and may even understand why I would want a doll to remind me of the hell that I went through. Call me oblivious to be able to almost reflect on my experience with prematurity as something that was supposed to happen, but I sort of feel that it was. I look at my life now and cannot see anything I wouldn’t want to be doing. I have a healthy child, I am being very fulfilled through my advocacy with the March of Dimes, and I feel that I am truly making a small difference in the life of another person.

So I have decided to have Gunner reborn. The baby will be of similar weight and length to Gunner’s birth size. The baby will accompany Gunner and I to all of our March of Dimes events as a measure of how far he has come. The picture pales in comparison to what the finished product will be, but here is why I have to get this doll.

Yes, I am a grown woman who wants a doll for Christmas.

I'm a statistic

Did you know that between 1997 and 2007, the rate of infants born preterm in Michigan increased nearly 11%. Two thoughts, wow, that is scary and oh boy, I am a statistic!  That is 1 in 8 babies or over 12% of all of the live births in Michigan.  As a state, we get a D in the status of premature birth.  Of course that resonates with me, because I am an educator.  I wouldn't want a nurse who got a D in a class or a teacher who got a D in class teaching my children.  But that is where we, as a state, fall.

In An Average Week in Michigan

• 301 babies are born preterm  (this would be Gunner)
• 52 babies are born very preterm
• 202 babies are born low birthweight (this would be Gunner and borderline Greyson)
• 40 babies are born very low birthweight

Despite the fact that the March of Dimes is doing research, moms are seeking prenatal care (most of them) and following the advice of their OB's (again most of them) prematurity is still effecting our state and possibly babies you know and love.  It is way to scary to be a preemie parent and though I wouldn't change it for the world, I also wouldn't wish the experience on my worst enemy.

I am a perfect example of doing everything right and still having a preemie.  I teach human development; I know what you are supposed to do, I did what you are supposed to do.   (No smoking, drinking, take vita mins, get good prenatal care) I still had a full term baby who was lower birthweigth (5lbs 12 oz, down to 5lbs 4oz before leaving hospital) and a preterm baby.  I am one of the types of statistics the March of Dimes funds research for.

All stats are from the MOD website

2011 Ambassador Family

The greatest honor that I can think of (short of being the mother of a preemie) is to tell his story.  Our family has been asked by the Kalamazoo chapter of the March of Dimes to be 2011's Ambassador Family.

What does this mean?  It simply means, I get to tell Gunner's Story.  I get to tell it at the March for Babies event, Signature Chef's Auction, and Prematurity Awareness Events.  The hope is that his story will motivate and inspire people to help the March of Dimes in their mission to help every baby get their full 9 months.

Honestly, my first thought was "are we the best choice?"  Do we deserve such an honor?  Is there another family that had a more inspiring  story (read:  harder NICU road and developmental struggles)?  Really, Gunner is a 33 weeker.  He was for the most part a feeder/grower.  But then I have to remind myself, I will **never discount anyone's experience with prematurity** including my own.

I was quickly reminded that even though Gunner didn't have the hardest road to travel, there were reasons why we may be a great choice:

• I first gave to the MOD when I was 17.  I was working at KMart and March for Babies was called WalkAmerica, I was young and didn't know what the mission was, but it was promoted as a good thing.  I donated in the form of payroll deduction.
• We embody the mission of the March of Dimes, from following to Dr's advice given in routine prenatal care (based on research funded by the March of Dimes) to learning about the possibility that my preterm baby may need surfactant to help his lungs stay inflated (More MOD research at work)
• Gunner could have been a 28 weeker...but I rested in the hospital for 6 weeks, letting him bake longer AND it was MOD research that aided in the treatment of my pPROM
• I planned on doing a walk with each of my pregnancies, because by then March for Babies had a personal meaning.  With Greyson I missed it because of graduation, with Gunner, I missed it because my water broke (more than 3 months too soon)
• As a mom who has been there and an educator who has to talk to people daily, I can do the job, which is speaking from the heart and inspiring forward movement of the mission.

The Mission of the March of Dimes is to make sure every baby has his/her full 9 months.  There is not a day in the womb that is not needed, whether it be an earlier term day or a later term day, every baby needs every day.  Some of the latest research is looking at the consequences of 39 week c-sections.  (39 WEEKS, what I wouldn't have done to get to 39 weeks with Gunner!)  But, again, those last seven days are needed.  So again I remind myself, prematurity is devastating regardless of the gestational age (even though 37 weeks is considered "full term") of the baby.  Any mom who has to leave a baby in the hospital knows that.

Special days

October 15th and  Novemeber 17th are special days to me.  Special to the mission of the March of Dimes and to me as a parent.  October 15th is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Rememberance Day and November 17th is Prematurity Awareness Day.

These days touch my heart as I cannot imagine a greater loss than that of a child, regardless of age or gestation and I cannot imagine a struggle more bittersweet than that of parenting a baby born prematurely.  So, on Friday night I lit a single candle to remember all who have loved and lost as my private celebration of the moment.

As we approach November 17th, I will be attempting to raise awareness for the day that truly touches my heart and that of my son.  If you should want to join me, please do.  I took the following from the Blogger's Unite website, but all is true of my own situation.


Every year, 20 million babies are born too soon, too small and very sick-half a million of them in the U.S. November 17th is when we fight!

Do you know a baby who was born too soon, too small, unable to breathe or nurse on their own? With 1 in every 8 babies born prematurely, you probably do. While medical advances give some babies a chance of survival, for many babies premature birth is a life-or-death condition. Babies who survive can face serious health challenges and risk lifelong disabilities. 

If you are reading this blog, you do.  My son Gunner, born at 33 weeks.  He is the picture of health now, but 16 months ago, he too was fighting for something...his life.  He too was unable to eat on his own or able to control his temperature.  He had to be monitored 24 hours a day, just in case he forgot to breathe on his own.

The rate of premature birth has risen more than 30 percent since 1981. In half the cases, we simply don’t understand what went wrong. The March of Dimes is leading the fight for answers. And, ultimately, preventions.

This is our situation.  We have no idea why my water broke at 28 weeks.  I did everything right, I teach devlopment, I know what to do and what not to do.  But it still happened.  The March of Dimes funds research to help figure that out, so that maybe another mom won't know the undue stress that having a baby too soon brings.
November 17 is dedicated to raising awareness of the crisis. Take 3 steps to help fight premature birth:

1. Visit marchofdimes.com/fight.

2. Put a badge on your blog to help spread the word.

3. On November 17, blog for a baby you love and to help others.

We need to fight ― because babies shouldn’t have to.