Parents of Preemies Day

(Cross posted on the boys' blog)

Today is a special day. This day has been set aside for the first Parents of Preemies Day!

Nearly 13 million babies, or about 10% of total worldwide births, are born prematurely each year. Nearly one million infants die each year as a result of pre-term birth, or about 28% of all deaths that occur within the first month of life.

When a baby is born extremely premature, parents find their world turned upside down, sometimes faced with life and death decisions, while facing an uncertain future for their baby. Experts are just beginning to understand the intense psychological effects that a premature birth has on the parents.

We are launching the first-ever Parents of Preemies Day to continue to build support for parents by recognizing the courage and commitment it takes to stay strong and resilient when premature birth turns a family's world upside down.
http://parentsofpreemiesday.org/main.html

Prematurity does turn a family's world upside down. It spins it, tosses it in the air, and then stomps on it if you really want to know the truth. You face each day with the belief that your children will have a better day than the last. Many days that happens. There are often just as many days when it doesn't. Still, you focus on each success as getting your kids that much closer to the goal--home in your arms. You do it every day...not because you want to. No one wants to have their children born too soon. You do it because you have to. You stay strong because there is no other option. You face each day because there are little people who need you.

Many of you were with us in spirit while we struggled through life in the NICU. You saw the challenges we faced. You cheered us on. You sent us love. You kept us in your prayers. It is humbling to think about how much we were cared for then and now.

With your support, we were able to conquer the NICU!

Life in the NICU, however, doesn't come without a cost. As a parent, especially when you've had a NICU stay as long as we did, it's easy to leave the experience bruised and battered. I know I was. (Hell I was broken. In some ways, even after all this time I'm still putting myself back together.) After an experience such as ours, healing isn't just something for the preemies themselves. Healing must come for everyone in the family.

I am so glad that this day has been created to celebrate Parents of Preemies. Acknowledging that the NICU experience is one of the most difficult experiences a family can face can make that healing just a little bit easier.

Visit the Parents of Preemies Facebook page to show your support. While you're there, read some of the preemie stories of hope that are posted on their wall. You'll be blown away.

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Our boys are strong, resilient, and amazing! Through living with them, parenting them, learning from them...they make me a better person.

They remind me every day how blessed we truly are.