Every Baby Has a Story
by Denise

Every Baby Has a Story is the latest online offering from the March of Dimes. (Remember Share Your Story last year?)



March of Dimes set out on a road trip to gather stories from around the country and they also encouraged people to submit their stories online. Look at this map. That's a lot of baby stories. And... there's a contest. Cast your vote for your favorite story - but I warn you now - it's easy to lose your day watching these.






November is prematurity awareness month.

Prematurity has been escalating steadily and alarmingly over the past two decades. One out of eight babies is born prematurely in the United States. Preterm delivery can happen to any pregnant woman.



Shaken Mamma worries she will deliver prematurely:

I'm still paranoid about this pregnancy every moment. Tonight at about 10pm, I felt something kind of "shift" in there. What the heck was it? The baby's still moving, but now I'm convinced that the baby is, yet again, in imminent peril, and we will be forced to mourn yet another baby. Then last night, I started getting worred that the baby would be born very prematurely -- based on nothing but a "hunch." Egads, can someone turn my brain off?



Momma's Diary has a history of miscarriage so she's concerned about the chance of preterm labor.

Having suffered a history of miscarriage 2 years ago, there’s a lingering concern that my baby would be born prematurely. My OB was especially careful with me due to my condition. I was told having had a miscarriage would not usually cause preterm labour if I take care of myself well. There are far more babies born late than early.



Day By Day shares her perspective, as a mom of a preemie.

Since becoming the mom of a preemie I have found that at times other preemie moms have a different outlook on what it is like raising a preemie…I will be the first to admit that it’s not easy at times, the NICU is one of the scariest places I have ever been, and since leaving there I have found that at times I am still on the rollercoaster, yes of course I have more up days than down, but some days are still hard….I don’t see Kellars life as anything other than a true blessing..



Do you know a "preemie"? Have you been helped by the March of Dimes? Do you have any questions about peterm labor that you'd like to ask?


~Denise
Flamingo House Happenings and Fast Times @ Homeschool High

Submitted by Denise (view blog) on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 13:38

Comments

 

Made It

I'm 37 weeks today. We celebrated yesterday by commemorating it with a picture, just like last time. My pregnancies are high risk and quite complicated because of a health condition related to my kidneys. When we make it to full term, we're SUPER excited!

We walk with March of Dimes WalkAmerica every year. In 2006, I was the #2 walker in my county. We realize, too well, how important research is for children that are or may be early.

Great post. :)
-
Jenna
Family Living; Hatfield Style
Birth/First Parent Blog
The Chronicles of Munchkin Land

Submitted by JennaHatfield on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 15:39
 

Congratulations Jenna

I actually thought you had a couple weeks left to go before you hit week 37. I'm glad I was wrong, and you've made it.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Fast Times @ Homeschool High & Flamingo House Happenings

Submitted by Denise on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 16:15
 

Proud Walker

While I am not a mom, I am a god mother and aunt. My family has been very lucky and both children were born with no complications. I walk for the March of Dimes fund raiser every year. I think that it is amazing how courageous these stories are. I can't imagine the strength it takes to get through such a challenging and emotional time.

It is truly inspirational!

Submitted by sbeth055 on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 18:18
 

It does take strength

I can only imagine the challenges.

Thanks for posting - and walking.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Fast Times @ Homeschool High & Flamingo House Happenings

Submitted by Denise on Fri, 11/16/2007 - 08:06
 

Preemie Parent Too!

I'm a Mom to 5 beautiful children. My youngest 2 being identical twins born premautrely. Having 3 healthy children already the thought of having a baby prematurely rarely crossed my mind. It has changed my life! Everything in life that you have ever taken for granted has new meaning. When you watch your babies in the fight of their lives, for their lives. There are no words you can say and nothing you can do. For the first time in my life I felt helpless for my babies. I wear those days-weeks on my sleeve. Anyone who is not a preemie parent cannot possibly understand, but for me I cannot and will not forget. I have chosen to embrace my sons struggle and take all that fear and feelings of helplessness to make me a strong voice for Preemies/Parents/families. I formed a team for March of Dimes, March for Babies (formerly WalkAmerica) and am a volunteer mom for the event . We campaign hard and raise money. I attend every MOD event I can. I have been blessed to have my boys who by the way have come from their traumatic start HEALTHY. We refer to them as "Our Smallest Super Heroes". They are "Super Heroes" for themselves and for Preemies everywhere, just as every Preemie born is. This is the way I look at it...Their Fight has not been lost on me. If they can fight so hard for life before it has barely begun, then I must fight for all preemies lives, so that they have the chance to fight for themselves. They key to that is getting all babies to the 9 months. And it is through the March of Dimes that this will someday happen.

Crissy

Submitted by 7gallens on Thu, 11/15/2007 - 22:35
 

Feeling helpless

That's the idea that scares me. I was always a confident mom, even with the first one. I had very few questions or problems. Having a preemie, I'm sure I would have felt helpless and that's the most frightening thing in the world for me - helpless as a mom.

Thanks for sharing your smallest super heroes with us.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Fast Times @ Homeschool High & Flamingo House Happenings

Submitted by Denise on Fri, 11/16/2007 - 08:08
 

My Big Ol' Preemie

I just shared our story yesterday. It's so strange to think of my son as a preemie when at six months he feels so .. big. But he's not. He still is at risk for RSV and other lung issues that might not hit as hard to a full term baby.

And i'm one of the lucky ones.

Thank you for sharing this. I never realized how not alone I was until I was in the middle of the NICU waiting to bring O home. It's one of those times I'm thankful for blogging. Community in times like that couldn't mean more.

Submitted by mrsflinger on Thu, 11/15/2007 - 23:41
 

I love "big ol' preemies"!

I've seen a lot of people talk about how tinyyyyyy babies are and seen the looks on parents' faces when that happens. Those babies are tiny, but they are big, too - they come so far and often only parents (and treatment teams) can see that.

Congratulations and may he just keep getting bigger!

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Fast Times @ Homeschool High & Flamingo House Happenings

Submitted by Denise on Fri, 11/16/2007 - 08:09