Category: Preemie
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A Special Valentine Arrival
It seems as though an entire season of laughter, tears, and gratitude has elapsed between February 1 and today. It’s hard to believe that it’s already the middle of March. Last month, our dear friends welcomed a precious little boy into their lives. He was born at 33 weeks exactly. This type of news is…
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World Prematurity Awareness Day
November 17th is World Prematurity Awareness Day. The March of Dimes currently states that 1 out of 9 women will deliver prematurely in the United States. I am now part of that statistic. Today, I’m thinking of all the sweet babies that are literally fighting to breathe and grow as quickly as they can. I’m…
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Thoughts on Motherhood
While we were in Washington DC, my sister-in-law shared some words of wisdom from her mother. I’m going to remember these words: “The troubles are little when they’re little.” Such a simple little statement packed with a powerful punch. Now, neither she or I are trying to downplay some of the very critical issues that…
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Thanking Our NICU Nurses
This saying is SO true. Having to leave Olivia in the hospital was one of the absolute hardest things I’ve ever had to do. It is so incredibly humbling to be put into a situation where strangers know more about your baby’s needs than you do. A team of dedicated nurses became intimately familiar with…
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Pumping Breast Milk for a Preemie
As I mentioned HERE, pumping for your baby can be extremely challenging, tiring, overwhelming, and incredibly rewarding. While I absolutely HATED the actual process of expressing breast milk, I loved that I was able to give Olivia a nutritious blend of my protective immune cells and all the necessary ingredients to GROW. I have very…
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Marking 33 Weeks and 4 Days.
I was pregnant for exactly 33 weeks and 4 days. Today, Olivia is 33 weeks and 4 days old. So many mixed emotions running through my mind today… Olivia has been outside as long as she was safely tucked away inside my tummy. It’s crazy how quickly this much time has passed…although I can still…
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Inspirational Words for Mamas with Preemies
For the second time in less than 2 months, a status on my Facebook wall has popped up about a friend (or a friend of a friend) delivering early… like really early. 26 or 28 weeks early. When these updates appear, I actually have a physical reaction. A rush comes over me- knowing what we…
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A Typical Day in the Early Weeks
We were blessed in countless ways during the first couple weeks after my early delivery and Olivia’s release from the hospital. That being said, the beginning weeks were hard, especially since I was attempting to balance a pumping schedule with Olivia’s care. To establish my milk supply, I diligently tried to pump between 8 and…
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10 Ways to Help a New Mom of a Preemie
I was overwhelmed by the love and support given to us after Olivia’s early arrival. So many people wanted to know how to help our family during this difficult transition. Asking and receiving help, especially when you are still processing so many raw emotions and your mind feels scattered, is complicated. On the one hand,…
