Honoring all NICU babies this September

Read the inspiring stories of some of the tiniest and mightiest warriors below.
To share your story, please visit this page.

Sadie was born at 27 weeks, weighing 2.11lbs. She spent 81 days in the NICU, coming home 10 days before her due date! On August 29th, she will be 2 years old!

Our son was born at 34 weeks with a rare condition called hydrops fetalis. Hydrops is classified as multiple fluid pockets in 2 or more parts of the body: ascites, skin edema, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, hydroceles, etc. Our son had pleural effusion, ascites, skin edema and hydroceles and was born with an additional pound of fluid in his body. As new parents to a little baby with something we had never heard of before, we were terrified. Seeing your baby with so many wires and tubes is not something you’ll soon forget. As crazy as it all seemed at the time, we were actually incredibly lucky to only spend 33 days in the NICU. Our care team of incredible doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses were so wonderful and I don’t know what we would have done without them. Our little miracle is about to turn 4 years old in September. Thank you to everyone that we found on our path and never ever lose hope. NICU babies are warriors.

My husband and I had been trying to have another baby for 5+ yrs. I had 2 full term pregnancy with no complications previously. We were so excited about this pregnancy things started out great, but by about 12weeks I ended up on meds for my blood pressure, by 16weeks I felt awful like completly exhausted and my body hurt so bad. At my 20week ultra sound we found out he was another boy, but that he was 5days behind in growth. 3 weeks later I was admitted to the hospital for pre-eclampsia and my baby was now 14days behind. He was born at 24weeks and weighed exactly 1lb and was 11in long. My son was given a 16%chance of survival. He was intubated for almost 3mths. He had rope, cld, a staph infection, lazer eye surgery, 2 hospital transfers for his eyes. My little mirical spent 148days in the nicu. He came home on oxygen and finally at 20mths old we are only on oxygen at night. Hunter also has a gtube for feeding due to silent aspiration. Hunter receives 7 therapys per week; 5 feeding, 1pt, 1speech. Hunter has tracheamalacia and larengimalachia which has contributed to his breathing and feeding troubles. We are thankful everyday for our little miracle that we never thought would survive his first night.

My son was born at 26 weeks due to late diagnosed pre-eclampsia. He spent a long 97 days in the NICU at Riverside Methodist in Columbus, Ohio where they took excellent care of both of us. He was only on the vent for 16 hours after birth and was able to go on CPAP until he developed a pulmonary hemorrhage just 2 weeks later. He remained vented for a few weeks and ended up coming home on Oxygen in February. We spent Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s in the NICU and although it was a long road, we both survived and are thriving! Warren is now 19 months old, no longer on oxygen and running circles around this Mama!

I was pregnant with boy/girl twins and had a smooth pregnancy up until my water broke at 24 weeks. I was on hospital bed rest for 2 weeks until I went into labor and delivered my son (baby a) at 1lb 11oz and my daughter (baby b) at 1lb 13oz. My daughter, Kylee, got septic and passed at 4 days old, my son, Kendrick, got the same infection and was moved to Baylor in Dallas where he survived. He spent 133 days in the NICU and came home on oxygen and a gtube. He’s now 2, and overall has pretty good health! He is failure to thrive and has a pretty significant speech delay but nothing slows him down! He’s a wild, loving and crazy little boy that I will forever be thankful for!!

I was pregnant with boy/girl twins and had a smooth pregnancy up until my water broke at 24 weeks. I was on hospital bed rest for 2 weeks until I went into labor and delivered my son (baby a) at 1lb 11oz and my daughter (baby b) at 1lb 13oz. My daughter, Kylee, got septic and passed at 4 days old, my son, Kendrick, got the same infection and was moved to Baylor in Dallas where he survived. He spent 133 days in the NICU and came home on oxygen and a gtube. He’s now 2, and overall has pretty good health! He is failure to thrive and has a pretty significant speech delay but nothing slows him down! He’s a wild, loving and crazy little boy that I will forever be thankful for!!

Im a NICU nurse and never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have a preemie. My sweet daughter was born at 30 weeks due to me developing preeclampsia with severe features. She came at 1:16 AM in December 11, 2019, and weighed 3 pounds 13 ounces. She stayed in the NICU for 47 days and is now home and thriving. She actually lived her first weeks of life in the NICU I’m a nurse in, and I 100% know she is doing so well from the amazing care and all the love she received those first 47 days.

Our Houston was a micro preemie born at 27.3 weeks in March 2020 due to mama having preeclampsia that progressed very fast. He was just 1lb and 14 oz at birth. He was in NICU for a total of 108 days. He originally was put on CPAP and had to be intubated a week later. The whole journey was a so un imaginably tough with so many emotions. Seeing your only child go through so much was unbearable. He went through so many tests, ultrasounds, studies, shots, blood tests oxygen support, feeding tubes, etc., etc. Due to COVID only one parent was able to be with him at one time which made it so much harder. I didn’t have a shoulder to cry on or a hand to hold until we got in the car to go home. Now our big boy is 5 months old, almost 12 pounds, went home off oxygen COMPLETELY, and all we have is a g-tube button for feeding since he wasn’t able to take a bottle safely. Our NICU journey was not an easy one, no ones ever is but the outcome and how strong and beautiful he is, is something that will forever be in our hearts. We owe our wonderful NICU nurses, doctors, specialist, and therapists everything.

My Chandler will be 21 on Sept 28. He was born with a diag Diafragmatic hernia. All his organs were in his lung space. He had a 50/50 chance to survive. I’m still thankful 21 years later that my boy is still with me.

Jackson was born full term at 39+1 weeks by scheduled c section, weighing 8 lbs 11 oz. He was med flighted to Arkansas Children’s shortly after due to an airway obstruction. Jackson was diagnosed with Pierre Robin Sequence which consists of a small jaw, cleft palate, and tongue falling back causing the airway obstruction. He had jaw surgery at 6 days old where they placed hardware that would be used to move the jaw forward over a 2 week period. After two weeks of jaw distraction and being on the vent, we started bottle feeding. We tried different specialty nipples, thickener, adding reflux medications, everything trick they could think of. We even had to hold him in a certain position to prevent aspiration. We spent 6 weeks on oral feeds but he was too inconsistent and ended up getting a g tube in order to go home. Jackson also has a genetic diagnosis of Stickler Syndrome type 1 which is a genetic disorder affecting connective tissue and is what caused the Pierre Robin Sequence to occur. It also caused Jackson to be nearsighted and at high risk for retinal detachments. He has since had surgeries to remove the hardware from his jaw, repair his cleft palate, and two eye exams under anesthesia to check for weak spots. He’ll have his third eye EUA this October and he continues to be followed closely by ENT and other clinics to determine if he’ll need further surgery related to his jaw and palate

Gracee was born 10 weeks early due to a case of severe preeclampsia. We were so scared for her safety and health, and she spent 8 weeks in the NICU. Over those eight weeks, we found out she had a PDA. In addition, she was diagnosed with a severe sepsis infection 2 weeks after birth that almost took her life. She was also overdosed by the hospital pharmacy on a antibiotic that was 10 times stronger than what she was supposed to receive. This little girl has probably seen more needles and medical equipment than a good part of most adults. She is now 11 years old, and a part of the academic team as well as other elevated academic achievement groups. She dreams to become a Chemical Engineer someday, and make medicine to help other babies just like her. I couldn't be more proud or feel more blessed to have my sweet little girl.

My grandson was in NICU for a week, blessed that he was doing so well after such a scare with him and his mom! HEELP syndrome is a scary thing!! Mom and baby are doing great today Thank you Jesus!!! The nurses, doctors and the entire staff were wonderful to all of us and we couldn't have been more pleased. It is so hard to watch those little ones struggle and I know our situation was no were close to what some people face but God is in control of all of it, just trust in Him!!

Delaney came into this world at 28 weeks 5 days. She was 3 pounds and 15 inches long. Her birth was traumatic and sudden. I went into the hospital for abdominal pain and spent all day there where they tried to find the cause, after blood work, 2 MRI's, ultrasound, and hours of observing me they had no answers. They made me stay for overnight observation. At 10:30 pm my pain had increased and the nurse couldn't find a proper HR on our baby. I was rushed in for a stat c-section. I was put under general anesthesia due to the emergent time. Turns out my uterus ruptured, so basically my daughter was born into my abdominal cavity. We both had less than 10 minutes to live we learned from the doctor. I spent that night in ICU and 3 more days in the hospital. Delaney was in NICU for 53 days, she is now 5 and about to start kindergarten!

my little boy was born at the toledo promedica children’s hospital on september 21st 2017 at 28 weeks. he weighed 2lbs 9oz and stayed for three months. the NICU was an amazing place for my baby to be, they took such good care of him. he’s now a healthy and happy almost 3 year old, the only medical issues he has now is asthma. so beyond thankful for the nurses and doctors that work in the NICU!

My water broke at 25.5 weeks, was put on complete bed rest and two nights later I got very ill and was rushed into an emergency c section. I delivered my twin boys at 26 weeks. They were born at just 2 lbs and spent 4 months in the NICU. They are almost 2 years old, it has been a rollercoaster of emotions especially with motor delays but they are true miracles and thrive every single day!

Harper was born 5 weeks early due to my wife having pre-eclampsia. She spent almost a month in the NICU and Mercy is Des Moines Iowa. While there she dealt with respiratory problems, issues feeding, and a case of jaundice but she triumphed and came out a true champion. We dealt with a couple of hospitalizations due to RSV and pneumonia but she handled it all like the little fighter she is. I’m happy to say that she is a proud big sister and couldn’t be doing better.

Our baby, Landon was born at 29 weeks due to pProm and uterine infection. He weighed 2 lbs 11 oz. He was truly a fighter and his breathing tube was out within 24 hours. They kept warning us of “wimpy white boy syndrome” and that he could take 2 steps back. He never did. He never suffered any deficits. Sometimes I felt guilty with all the other “sick” babies around us, but the nurses were always so encouraging and supportive. Our sweet boy came home only 6 weeks later. Way before his actual due date! I am so grateful to God and for amazing NICU nurses and doctors. My baby is now 12 years old and wants to be a software engineer.

My son, Dean, was born at 26 weeks on September 6, 2016. He weight 1 pound 12 oz and was only 13 inches long. Having spent 106 days in the NICU, which was a rollercoaster ride, he then came home with oxygen and a sleep apnea monitor. Both came off after being home for 5 months. After all the battles, he still he CLD, which he will grow out of. He will soon be 4, and people would never think he was a micropreemie!! He excelling in everything!!! Have hope to whoever is going through this!

The story is about my grandson. Tommy was born in end-stage kidney disease. He had underdeveloped lungs and many other health issues when he was born. He spent several months in the NICU. During that time, He endured several surgeries. He had a PD catheter placed for home dialysis as well as a feeding tube. Children's Hospital saved my grandson's life. And he is currently getting ready for a kidney transplant. There is a lot more to Tommy's story. But we are forever thankful for children's hospital and the NICU staff and doctors.

My name is Maria Hernandez I'm 28 years old. At the age of 27 at only 23 weeks(5months) into my pregnacy I gave birth to my first born Luis Emmanuel, my NICU Miracle. He weighted 1 pound, and 3 Ounces, and was 12.99 inches. Before he was out of my tummy the Dr. Said to me "I'm sorry we did our best but the baby didn't make it" those words brought my entire world and heart to pieces, I was screaming thinking it was over, but a few minutes into my pain God's hand came into action, and he changed everything, and brought him back to life. After a few more hours I finally gave birth to my baby boy on October 4 2019 around 5:30pm. And through out his stay in the hospital He had 6 surgeries done, and after 6 long months of being in the NICU, he finally was discharged from the hospital on April 2 of 2020. He is now 10 months old, and will be one year old on October 4 2020, he is currently on oxygen, but that dosen't stop him from being super energetic, and strong!He's my little warrior, my Miracle from God, and I'm forever thankful!

My son Nicholas was born at 26 weeks at the homerton hospital on 24/09/09 and he weighed 1.2 lbs. we were told for his gestation he should of been about 859g but he was only 530. They said that he had only an 80% chance of being born alive and that if he made no effort to breath at birth then they wouldn’t make any efforts to revive him. He came out kicking and screaming and spent 4 1/2 months growing in the nicu at the homerton and also Pembury in Kent where we live. Nicholas is now 10 and whilst he has autistism and development delay he has not had any other medical issues since he came home. He loves school and running, Donald Duck And sausages and mash!!!

Some says NICU is just for preemie but no it's not, even full term do have NICU journeys too. Just like mine, my lil one was born 38 weeks, but have to go through month of ups and downs. He was diagnosed of RDS secondary to PPHN. Got infection, pneumonia, was intubated and got blood transfusion and supposedly will undergo operation due to NEC. Imagine, those are something unsual for a full term- a proof that in NICU all stories of survival and fights are possible. Praise be to God that now he is a healthy 19 months old NICU warrior. NICU exists and NICU will always have a place in our heart and in the heart of every parents who once witness miracles in such place.

Our daughter Annsley was stillborn for 8 and a half minutes. She was transferred to Huntsville and placed on a cooling blanket. We expected to stay there a while but was only there 10 days and no signs of any damage due to hypoxia. Thank you to all of the nurses who took amazing care of our daughter.

My grandson, Tyler, was born on April 23 2017. My daughters water broke at 21 weeks. She held on until 29 weeks. It was touch and go for many months. He was on a ventilator for 6 weeks. The doctors and nurses were absolutely wonderful. I went to the nicu everyday to be with him. My daughter had three other children at home and came at night to visit with him. He came home after 109 days in the nicu. When he was 18 months it was discovered he did not have any hip sockets (he was walking with the sockets). He had to undergo two major hip surgeries and was in a body cast for almost six months. Tyler is 3 now and is progressing amazingly. He is walking, running and climbing. He has no cognitive deficits. Thank you to the nicu staff for all you did for him.

At twelve weeks gestation we found out that our baby had an "omphalocele", meaning his liver and some bowel was inside his umbilical cord rather than inside his stomach. At thirty-six weeks pregnant, my husband and I, along with our two and a half year old daughter travelled down to Brisbane from our home in Mackay to await the arrival of our baby. On the 17th of January 2020 our beautiful boy Charlie (fifth generation Charlie) was delivered at Mater Mothers Brisbane via an emergency c-section. He was taken straight to NICU and operated on that night to repair his abdominal wall. He surprised everyone involved and recovered much quicker than anticipated. He spent a mere week in NICU. Although our time in NICU was short, we have such admiration and the upmost respect for all of the nurses and doctors that assisted us during one of the most challenging times of our lives. Their knowledge, expertise and compassion was second to none. Both my husband and I are so thankful that our little boy is happy and healthy, he wouldn't be where he is today without the incredible support that we received from the staff in NICU.

Our little peanut came early at 27.5 weeks d/t Hellp syndrome. Weighing 1lbs 13 oz. the amount of worry was unimaginable. We had a great team at UC Nicu we done 97 days before getting released. The staff became family more so. The lactation department was amazing as well. The amount of compassion given to us will never be forgotten. Until a parent sits in the NICU watching their child fight for their life they just don’t understand but nicu family does we’ve all been there. I’ll always be grateful for everything they done to help make our stay manageable. It’s amazing how far they come so fast. It’s like yesterday I was wondering the outcome of everything and here we are today he’s 20 months 17 corrected and happy and healthy as can be!

Isaac was born at 37 weeks with Type C EA/TEF and we had no idea until the day after his birth! After his repair he had multiple lung collapses and yet, without the amazing nurses and doctors of the NICU we would have never been able to take our baby home just 17 days after he was born. The outstanding care that was provided to him and our family in the NICU makes us forever grateful for the attention to detail, emotional support and lifelong friendships that were made!

Im a labor and delivery/high risk OB nurse. I was admitted into the hospital after my water broke at 28 weeks. After Oligohydramnios, Placenta previa, PPROM, preterm labor, and finally placental abruption, my son was born just a few weeks later at 31 weeks and 5 days. We spent 28 days in the NICU. The hardest part of it all was the very first time leaving the hospital after I had already stayed there for over a month while my son stayed behind in the NICU. Watching your baby grow in an incubator when you have to ask for help just to hold them is not what you imagine your first few weeks of your child's life to be. It is already such a difficult thing to navigate the post partum hormones; but when you have a baby in the NICU it really adds a new layer of complexity. Being a NICU mom is like being part of a club that you never wanted to be a part of... but you are really fortunate that you got to be. The NICU staff gave my child love and attention and did everything they could to support my family every day. While it is the hardest thing I ever had to do, the greatest joy in my life is my perfect tiny human. He is strong and healthy more than a year later thanks to the care and compassion I received every day in the NICU.

Aubrey has been our miracle from the beginning. After two boys and multiple losses in between them, I didnt think I would have any more children let alone a daughter. She was a happy accident and I was ecstatic to find out she would be a girl. At 7/8 weeks, I thought I was facing another loss as I started to bleed. Ultrasound showed her to be very active though. At 23 weeks, she tried very hard to share her brother's 1 year birthday but fortunately we were able to stop labor. The doctor told me I probably wouldn't make it past 28 weeks. We made it to 29 weeks 6 days. My first feeling of joy was to hear her cry. I knew everything would be ok. Even at 10 weeks early and only 3 lbs, she was doing great, breathing on her own and engaging with her surroundings like a typical newborn. We spent 32 days in NICU as she did the famous preemie dance often. Now she is 4.5 yrs and advanced for her age

My nicu miracle was born at 37 weeks. Was put on slight bed rest at 35 weeks. He weighed 7 lbs 4 oz but his lungs were underdeveloped. Every time they tried to take him off oxygen he would start turning blue. We were lifeflighted to childrens where he spent 3 weeks in the nicu. Had to have a picc line put in to gets nutrients cause he was on the vent. Now we are 7 and you wouldnt believe that this child had a rocky start

Waking up to gush of water I didn’t know what to expect. My husband was away for work, and I was home with our other two children and 2 dogs! In the hospital I talked to many doctors and talked with my husband we made the choice that we were going to keep our baby and we are going to let God have the final say. I was transferred to Lankenau hospital and days later on Aug 20 at 5:55am I gave birth to my baby boy Evan Eijaz Stallings. He was 1lb 3.5oz. The NICU was his home for 4 months. Going in the NICU seeing the nurses love on him as if he was their own baby made me feel so good inside because they made me feel like I was home. The smell of the NICU is something I would never forget, it’s a smell that I feel like that won’t ever leave me but it brings me joy because of my baby boy! Our stay was long but my baby didn’t have any serious complications only eye surgery! The doctors and nurses were so amazed with Evan but in reality I was more amazed with all they did with babies the babies in the NICU! It was a hard experience but an experience I’m glad I got to go through because the NICU really shows you how strong you are, even when you don’t want too! The support and love from the nurses were always on time and they were always there no matter what!

Admitted into the hospital at 27weeks with Vasa Previa. 7 Week Stay and delivered my VP twins at exactly 34 weeks. Twin A was 4lbs 2oz, had 2 seperate cases of necrotizing enterocolitis. Twin B was 4lbs 7oz, had 1 case of necrotizing enterocolitis. Twin B came home after 33 days, but her brother decided to have a apena episode that morning so he came home 5 days later. While in the NICU twin A was diagnosed with Late Onset Pompe Disease. They are now 7 months old.

I had a rought pregnancy. I was in hospital 4 months on complete bed rest. My daughter was born at 25 weeks she was 1lb 4oz. Our NICU team was amazing. She was in there for 3 months. She is now 17 and to look at her you would never know she was that small. God has big plans for her!!

My daughter Paisley was born at 24 weeks weighing 1 pound 7 ounces. The day I had her will be a day that I will never ever forget. What i thought was just Braxton Hicks turned out to be me being in labor for just 3 short hours and as I walked into the hospital I had Paisley shortly after. I woke up from surgery not knowing if my baby was even here with me. The first time I met her was such a blur because of all of the emotions & medications I was on. But there is one thing I will never forget : how beautiful my little girl was. We were told she would never be able to walk, talk, eat, etc. due to her stage 3 and 4 brain bleeds. From that day forward she has taught me so much about life. That no matter how small you are or what life throws your way, you can get through it. She is now 3 years old and you would never be able to tell that she was a micro preemie. She is so loving, spunky, and full of sass and we all wouldn’t have her any other way. God is truly amazing and he works wonders! We love you so much sissy!

My NICU journey started when my water broke suddenly and my son, Edison Keith was born 6 weeks premature. I remember the NICU team prepping me for what to expect once he was born. “He’s either going to come out crying and we will lay him in your chest for a brief moment or he won’t come out crying and we will have to take him right away.” I was so scared. So excited to meet my boy. I am a single mom by choice so I was in for this journey without a partner. So unsure of what was to come. Crying. He came out crying. I held him for a brief moment and then he was taken to be checked over and to get some oxygen. 5 pounds 13 oz and 19 inches long. They then let me kiss him goodbye before he was whisked away for the NICU and I was left to recover a bit before going to visit him. I remember being wheeled into the NICU room and seeing my sweet baby laying there with tubes and wires attached to machines and his little body. I remember hearing the beeping of the monitors and hearing him struggle to breathe. I remember the neonatologist’s words say, “we may need to intubate him. I will give him a chance for a little longer.” Come in Edison. You can do it. I held his hand. I put my hand on his back. And then a little later I got the news that he was doing better. I finally got to hold him almost 12 hours after he was born. I couldn’t stop kissing his head. It was the best moment of my life. He was on CPAP for 3 days and then switched to high flow oxygen for another couple of days. They were having a hard time getting an IV in his hands and feet so I was called in the night to sign a consent form so he could have an IV through a picc line in his belly button. That wasn’t successful so I was called again to be told he would get an IV into his forehead. That was successful but meant I wouldn’t be able to hold him for a couple of days because it was too high of a risk if it fell out to have to put it back in again. Finally once he didn’t need his IV I was able to hold him whenever I wanted. I remember visiting him at all hours of the day and night. Once I finally got to see his face without oxygen and tubes and an IV I fall in love with his little features. He spent a few days on Billie lights due to high jaundice levels. And then I was discharged from the hospital without my baby. I had to walk out of the hospital at the same time as a family who had their little baby all wrapped up in his car seat ready to go home together. One of the hardest moments of my life. I then visited my baby every single day all day for the remainder of his time in the NICU. He was moved to his own room after a week. We worked on his feeding for weeks. The nurses let me change his diapers and get him dressed. They helped me give him baths. There were so many days of growth and many days of setbacks. My heart was always set on breastfeeding but he was better at bottle feeding. I pumped every 3 hours to be able to feed him my milk. I was exhausted. I wasn’t sleeping. My anxiety was so high. I spent many nights crying in my car in the driveway when I got home late at night only to wake up and do it all again. I’ll never forget the day the nurse told me he finished his first bottle. I got home that evening and burst into tears prayed to God that this meant he was close to going home. The next couple of days he was on a “eat when he wants” schedule and he was finishing more and more bottles. I came in one morning and the nurse told me he had passed his car seat test! I was so excited and hoped that meant he would be coming home soon. Finally, after what felt like a lifetime of 23 days, the doctor looked at me and said, “are you ready to take him home today?” What! Today? Was I really ready? That day went so fast. Talking to all of the doctors, nurse, speech language pathologist all prepping me for life at home with my baby. Finally I was putting him in his car seat and walking out of the hospital. I couldn’t believe it. We were going HOME. The NICU experience changed me. It taught me to be stronger than I ever could have imagined. It taught me to appreciate and recognize all of the people who check in on you and sit with you during a hard time. It made me fall so deeply in love with my baby. It taught me that my son is a fighter. I’ll never forget the 23 days I spent in the NICU or the amazing nurses and doctors I spent my days with. You hear about people having babies in the NICU and you think, “oh that must be so hard. I feel so bad for them.” But you don’t truly understand how hard it hurts you until you have to sit next to your baby and watch them fight for their life. My heart goes out to everyone who has been a NICU parent or who is currently undergoing the NICU experience.

I was pregnant with twins. I delivered at 32 weeks and 6 days. They came out good and health but little did we know our baby boy would have underlying health issues. Day 2 we found out that our sweet Cooper was born with pneumothorax. He had to get a chest tube. He was in their for a long 46 days eventually he got to come home on oxygen. He is finally off of oxygen after 3 months!! Your sweet Oaklynn was a champ the whole time step up and done everything on time. Towards the end she had a few drops in the heart rate and oxygen level she stayed 27 days in the NICU. They are finally both home and doing amazing they will be 4 months old August 2,2020!!

What makes our NICU story unique is that our baby wasn't a preemie. I didn't have complications during pregnancy. She was born vaginally, unmedicated, on her due date & in a birth center, but she had a double nuchal & shoulder dystocia. After she was born, she didn't breathe. She didn't cry. The midwives began PPV. She took 13 minutes to breathe on her own. We transferred (a few hours later) by ambulance to a hospital. They sent us home. The next day, she began having seizures & we went to the Children's hospital & she was admitted to the NICU with a vent, an EEG & a cocktail of anti-convulsants. We were very worried about hypoxia. She had an MRI at 4 days old & was diagnosed with a perinatal stroke that damaged her parietal lobe. After 10 days, we were able to bring her home, with an NG & anti-seizure meds. At 3 mos old, we were able to wean her from the meds & so far, she is a thriving 7 month old! We are so grateful to the NICU doctors, nurses & staff at Phoenix Children's. I want to share our story so that people realize that they need to advocate for themselves & their baby. I trusted professionals instead of my gut. Whether in a birth center or a hospital, the doctors & even midwives don't always have your best interests in mind. Sometimes it is about business. I want to prevent what happened to us from happening to another family. Ellie's stroke may not have been prevented, but what transpired in the hours after she was born certainly was not in her best interest.

I developed HELLP syndrome and delivered my son through emergency csection at 32 weeks. He was born at 3lbs 9oz and spent 54 days in the NICU. We are celebrating his 1st birthday next week, and he is thriving!! He is our miracle baby, tiny but mighty and loved beyond measure!

My daughter is 2 years old and she was born 33 and 1. We spent almost 2 months in the NICU and two weeks prior on bed rest. Not only was my daughter premature she also became septic during her stay. I feel as though I was a shell of a human being and the only thing I could do was sit next to my daughter her entire stay. I was scared for my daughters life and I was afraid of the kind of person I would become if she didn’t survive. She did survive and so did I and that’s thanks to her nurses. They went above and beyond not only to take care of my daughter but to check in with me and remind me to take a walk or eat or drink something. One nurse in particular Courtney, would check on Madilynn even if it wasn’t her patient or bring me a drink and a snack and tell me I have to keep my strength up. Courtney was always positive and willing to explain any of my questions and put my family at ease. Nurse Debbie had my daughter the night she became septic, she noticed something wasn’t right notified the correct people and Madilynn was rushed to the ICU to be intubated and started on antibiotics. She saved my daughter without her fast action Madilynn wouldn’t have responded as well as she did. Nurse Jen had Madilynn the days she was intubated and those were rough days. Madilynn Hated every minute and was very difficult and Jen never once lost her patience, she was extremely professional. Nurse Rene was my saving grace. She was in the step down unit and took care of Madilynn the most and when she wasn’t there I missed her. She help me grow confidence in taking care of Madilynn changing, bathing and feeding her. She always gave hugs when some days were harder than others. It was hard to say good bye to these nurses when Madilynn was discharged. They were apart of our lives for a couple of months and now in my memories forever. They saved my daughter and they also saved me and I am forever grateful!

30 weeks 1 day I was admitted to the hospital for water leaking. No contractions or pain, just leaking water. So now to try and wait it out for 4 weeks while in the hospital on bed rest. Emotional and scared for my baby and emotional for my big 5 year old at home that I missed her birthday party. 31 weeks 3 days, I woke up and went to the bathroom and the toilet filled with blood. Told my nurse, did my normal 1 hour long monitoring of him, then went to the bathroom again and it happened. The doctor came to check me, said I was abrupting and we were going in for emergency c section, called my fiancé and mom, 45 minutes later Hendrix was born weighing 4.2 lbs. he had a 7 week NICU stay and came home on New Year’s Day!

After a double failed induction, laboring over 50 hours and baby being under stress, I delivered via emergency c section. Everything appeared to go smoothly and we were taken up to mother baby. An amazing nurse noticed something was off about his breathing and recommended we have him sent to NICU “just to be safe.” I am so thankful because it took everything to keep him alive those few nights. Turns out he had severe pulmonary hypertension. He was almost flown downtown Chicago to be cared for if our doctor couldn’t get him stabilized. Fortunately, Dr. Greenwood at CDH was at his side all night and got him stable. He was in critical condition for a good week or so before he started heading in the right direction. He was in the NICU for 17 days. With the help of the incredible nurses and lactation consultants, we were able to start the hard transition to breastfeeding when I was finally able to hold him on day 9. This experience is something I’ll never forget. You definitely come out stronger and full of gratitude. Our second was also in the NICU. This time right in the middle of the pandemic. He was in the NICU for 5 days for low glucose levels. Both challenging stays in their own way.

my baby boy was a full term pregnancy. I had a prolapsed cord and he went 22 minutes with little to no oxygen. After an emergency C-section he was rushed to our local NICU where he was put under a 72 hour cold cap treatment to help with the brain damage and swelling. He was NOT expected to make it through the night. We were told every horrible scenario of everything that could be wrong with him if he survived. They told us he would be there for months if he survived. Our baby boy woke right and had positive brain activity. We left the NICU after 14 days with a mostly healthy baby boy. He met all of his milestones on time and he is now entering the 4th grade. Our medical miracle is a happy, healthy almost 9 year old. They always tell you what is wrong and can go wrong with your child. They never tell you what could go RIGHT! All you need is faith, love and prayers.

I have a NICU miracle and her name is Emmalynn. She was born at 24 weeks, weighing 1 lb 7oz. She got a blood infection called Enterococcus, a Bowel Perforation, Septum injury, another infection, PDA and Chronic Lung Disease. We spent 16 weeks in the NICU. Emmalynn defeated all the odds against her. She is now 18 months old weighing 18 lbs 11 oz! She is doing amazing; you cant tell she was born at 24 weeks. Emmalynn is my strong, sassy, feisty, bossy rainbow baby. She is the center of her daddy and mines world□

I had my son at 23 weeks gestation and he only weighted 1.3 lb , he was in the NICU for 6 months, doctors were telling me that he only had a 20% of possibility that my son could make it, it was very difficult moments because every day was a New day for my son, he had a heart surgery when he was in the nicu he was only one month old During the surgery my son started to lose he’s pulse they were trying to bring him back a life, and thank God, nurses and doctors my son recovered, I’m very thankful with all the NICU hero’s Dr and nurses did the best for my son and now he’s here 5 year now he’s doing great.

My son was born at 24 weeks gestation. He was 14 ounces. He is currently still in the nicu. 4 months later he is 4 pounds and 8 ounces. We have had one major surgery, and some eye injections. We are waiting for one more surgery before we can focus on things to go home. It's not for the faint of heart but I am blessed with the Toledo nicu nurses we have

My son was born full term at 39 weeks 2 days. He was born with a rate of 260bpm.. we did not know he had a heart problem before he was born. He got sent straight to NICU. He was the biggest baby in NICU at the time weighing 8lbs 6oz! We found out he has a rare arrythmia called JET. He also got sepsis and spent 6 weeks total in NICU for the JET and sepsis.

I spontaneously went into labor and had my identical twin girls at 24 weeks. Unfortunately not all stories have the ending you imagined, my older twin got bilateral brain bleeds so bad she had no healthy tissue left, we never got to take her home...as for our surviving twin after 131 days she came home. No oxygen, no g tube, no medication. It was as if I had just gave birth and got to bring a full term healthy baby home. She went from 1lb 9oz to 11lbs at almost 2 months corrected❤️ Without her fantastic doctors and nurses I have no idea where we would be. Valentina you will always be my miracle baby, mommy loves you so so much and happy almost 2 months corrected ❤️

Camila-Rae was born six weeks prematurely. She was delivered through an emergency cesarean. She weighed 5lb 5 oz. She was undiagnosed prenatally and had a right sided congenital hernia and club foot. They rushed her to NICU and was intubated to start her 63 day journey in the hospital. She was a fighter from the beginning!! We have seen some hard days but we made it through. Stay strong fellow NICU mommas! ♡

Evelyn was born at 37 weeks she was 4lbs 15 oz and was unresponsive. Healthcare workers began to resuscitate her and finally got a heart beat after a long 10 minutes. She was immediately taken to NICU to be put in a cooling blanket to prevent any brain damage due to lack of oxygen to the brain. Thanks to all the staff in NICU who took great care of our precious little girl. Evelyn is now 11 months old and so far has had no set backs and is perfectly healthy!

I have my beautiful premies My first child born 28 weeks she weighed 1 pound 15 oz she spent 3 months at NICU when they discharged from NICU she came to home with apnea monitor,oxygen and pulse monitor it was like 1 month she learned to breath with out the oxygen machine now she’s 9 years old and she’s healthy and tall. My second child born 25 weeks he weighed 1 pound 8 oz he spent 4 months at NICU he was so strong boy he came to home with out oxygen and apnea machine but he has speech delay because he born extremely premature now he speaks a lot and he’s 6 years old ! Thank god they’re healthy

I'm a full term NICU momma!! Liam was born at 39 weeks. He was 10 lbs 2 oz and 22 inches long. He was so big in my stomach and so scrunched,that is lungs didn't develop like they were suppose to. (We believe my OB missed gestational diabetes) When he was taking his first breath, he used up all of his surfactant and couldn't breathe properly. He developed PPH and had to be transferred after having to be resuscitated one day. ECHMO was our last option but luckily he didn't need it! He was the biggest baby in the NICU at the time and the nurses absolutely loved him!! After 2.5 weeks in the NICU, he came home and is now a healthy, roundly almost 8 yr old!!

At 19 weeks 2 days my waters spontaneously broke, I was rushed to my local hospital where I was dismissed and told to go home 1 hour later I didn't feel okay and took myself back 1am the next day my membranes fully ruptured, I was given 48 hours to birth my daughter but she held on. 24 weeks 6 days my sweet Evanna was born weighing just 700g/1lb 5oz. She quickly developed chronic lung disease and it was a very uncertain time, she was incredibly sick so we prepared for the worse. 100 days in NICU and we were transferred back to our local hospital where we found a hole in her heart that was too big to close on its own. We were sent home too early and ended up having to return and stay longer to have complications taken care of. She has now turned 1, still monitoring her heart and accumulated 200 plus days with admissions but shes thriving!

We went in for an induction when I was 40weeks pregnant. Alijah was born at 40wks 1 day and suffered a brain injury called HIE. He was in distress during labor and had to be delivered via c section. He went without a heartbeat for almost 30 minutes. He wasn’t expected to live past a few days. He was transferred to a higher level NICU, placed on a cooling blanket and eventually discharged 35 days later. Today he is almost 2 years old. Not all NICU babies are preemies, our miracle was full term.

Grayson was born at 40+3, after an awful and traumatic L&D experience. He was rushed to the NICU after brith with meconium aspiration, respiratory distress and sepsis. He spent 10 days in the NICU undergoing CPAP, endless tests and procedures and imagine to rule out sources of infection. We were unable to hold our sweet boy for days after his birth. No one prepares you for your term baby to go to the NICU. And it’s so hard to find support. We now have a happy & healthy almost 2 year old! You would never know he was a NICU baby

Our miracle baby, Christian was born 13 weeks (almost 3.5 months) early weighing 2lbs 5oz and was 14.5 inches long. He spent over 2.5 months in the NICU; the NICU was an experience in itself. There is no clear answer as to why I went in labor early, there’s no answer why my baby had to suffer and have tubes and machines constantly going off. Countless nights I was terrified to call the hospital to check on him, afraid of a nightmare. Countless days and nights he would have numerous heart rate drops to no heart beat and we feared he would need the ventilator. It was an emotional roller coaster that I don’t wish on anyone. I never had nor will have the experience of holding my baby right away or taking him home with me. I wasn’t able to hold him for a month and a half nor touch him but 3 times in a 24-hour period. I left the hospital every night in tears because it was my fault he had to suffer because my body wouldn’t carry him. Then I endured the guilt of not wanting to go see him due to my fear of the NICU. So many milestones have been achieved in his short little 11 years of life and I thank God daily for what he brought my Christian through and the battle he fought to survive! We still have minor issues today, but, by the good Lord, we are thriving! I went into work one morning feeling great. I discovered that I had started bleeding and called my midwife right away. She reassured me that everything was okay, but to come in and get checked out. I left work telling my coworkers I would be back soon, only to find myself returning to work 6 months later. I was admitted into the hospital, being placed on strict bed rest. This is where is all began…. I was hospitalized 5 weeks prior to delivering my son. I was not contracting but I was dilating and my cervix was effaced 75%. There was no clear answer as to what happened or why it happened. One Saturday morning upon waking, I was in a lot of pain, but I always have suffered from kidney stones so at the time we all thought I was experiencing a stone only because the contractions were not showing up on the report. I was given medication to stop the contractions and once I came off of the medication my water broke. I spiked a fever and my doctor was called in. She discovered that I was dilated 4 cm and needed to be induced at this time. My son was born weighing 2 lbs 5 oz., He needed assistance breathing so that he would not tire out. He had to be on a feeding tube with nothing by mouth. He experienced daily brady’s (bradycardia) and these occured numerous times through out the day and night so much that our biggest fear was placing him on the ventilator. Fortunately we did not have to face those challenges. Today he is 11 years old, going into middle school and I could not be more grateful for the NICU and it’s team that became a part of our family!

My first NICU baby was in 2014 where I developed severe pre eclampsia and HELLP syndrome resulting in my girl being born at 29weeks 3.3lb. In 2019 I was back with my baby boy, after pre eclampsia being controlled better this time round I got to 30weeks and my waters broke but a few days later my placenta completely abrupted resulting in a very traumatic and quick delivery of my baby boy arriving at 31 weeks weighing 4lb.

Evie was born 17/12/2019 at 34+5 weeks weighing 4lb14oz She was looked after in SCBU for the first couple of weeks of her life, then the day she was due to be discharged she took very ill with bronchitis and was later that day ventilated, things changed very quickly she went from being a baby ready to go home to a baby who was fighting to make it home. Evie had undergone many tests, needles, tubes and scans, but she fought her way through it all. She is now eight months old and is doing fantastic. We are forever grateful for the care she was given.

Our miracle baby, Fredryk Dale, was born at 33 weeks. I was having contractions and cramping when I drove myself to the hospital. After arriving at the hospital and waiting for the ultrasound Tech, I was given magnesium and steroid shots to develop the babies lungs and brain. Once the Tech arrived and started the ultrasound it was immediately determined my uterus had ruptured and baby boy's hands were hanging out of my uterus. We were immediately rushed for an emergency c-section. Fredryk Dale was born 7/30/16 at 8:51pm weighing 5lbs 1oz and 17 1/4 inches long. He was having trouble breathing so he was immediately sent to the NICU. We spent a month in the NICU before being able to go home to his 5 brothers and sisters. He now is a healthy, sweet and very loving 4 year old. We were SO very blessed by all of the staff at the NICU and can't thank them enough for all they did for our Fredryk. Fredryk is our NICU Miracle.

Abel was born at 34 weeks. He had been breech pretty well my entire pregnancy, so it was no surprise when the ultrasound showed he was still breech after my water broke, and would need a c-section. As if being cut open weren’t scary enough, my sweet little baby was born with a triple nucal cord, and had to be resuscitated, which took a total of 7 minutes. Once he started breathing, he was immediately transported to St. Louis Children’s Hospital, where he underwent a cooling treatment. We didn’t get to hold him for 5 horribly long days. After a two week stay in the NICU, we were finally discharged, and ready to go home! He will be two in October, and has shown no repercussions due to oxygen deprivation thus far. We are SO blessed to have our little miracle here today! #preemiestrong

I went in for a scheduled C-Section at 37 weeks . My amniotic fluid was low and my son was breech. My doctors assured me many times that the baby was fine. Jaxon was born at 6lbs 5oz not breathing and with a pneumothorax . They got him stabilized , I said hi to him and touched him for maybe 20 seconds before he needed to be rushed to the NICU immediately where he ended up with a chest tube, intubated on a oscillator for severe underdeveloped lungs ,on paralytics and pain medication. He spent a total of 65 days in the NICU and came home on oxygen and with a gtube for feeding difficulties. Our journey is far from over but Jaxon is striving and we’re so proud how far he has come !

Our beautiful boy was born June 1 not breathing for over 7 minutes, he had a shoulder dysplasia which caused bilateral clavicle breaks and a left humerus break. He was in NICU for awhile but after 5 long days we finally got to hold him ❤️ He’s now 15 months and thriving!

Thielen was born at 39 weeks, after a healthy pregnancy. He was immediately taken to our tiny NICU at our local hospital. Where he was diagnosed with PPHN and taken to a bigger and better equipped NICU about 80 miles away from our home. Once he made it, he was intubated and treated. Roughly a week later he was off the vent, and in room-air. Unfortunately his NICU journey didn't end there. He presented with rare symptoms of diseases that were even more rare. He left the hospital after 71 days with multiple diagnoses and on several medications. His fight isn't over yet, he'll have these medical issues for his entire life, but he is such a strong and amazing baby, who is making amazing strides at his own pace. I am so thankful for the amazing doctors, nurses, techs, RTs and therapists who worked so hard to save his life. I was able to room with him during his stay and I witnessed firsthand the research, work, and dedication they put in to saving my child's life. They are his superheroes, and I tell him about them all, every day.

When you find out you are having triplets you figure nothing can ever prepare you for what’s to come from there. Life will always be unexpected. Each of my babies spent a different amount of time in their NICU and the staff was everything this first time mom needed to get through. I’m so grateful for them all.

My little guy was born at 39 weeks right as my state went into lockdown due to covid. After a quick delivery my baby was born struggling to breathe and was not responding well. He was then intubated and transferred to a different hospital where there was a NICU and there he was treated for HIE and went through the hypothermic cooling process. Due to the ongoing pandemic there were many restrictions in the NICU but thankfully one parent was always allowed to visit him whenever we wanted to. After 2 weeks of many up as downs Lukas came home where he has been growing and thriving!

I gave birth to my miracle baby Evelyn Rose on March 12, 2019 after being admitted the day prior with severe preeclampsia & IUGR resulting in an emergency C-section. She was only 2 lbs 11oz and 15 3/4" long. I was belong terrified & not mentally ready to deliver but we k ow it was her best chance at survival. From her 1st day here on Earth, she showed us how much of a fighter she was. She was on BIPAP for a bit before nasal O2, PICC line for 2 weeks while still receiving my milk & receiving excellent care. My husband & I lived about 75-90 min from the hospital so we were down there almost daily to see her & spend as much time as we could. I was terrified as a 1st time mom at the age of 36 after undergoing fertility treatments & dealing with post-delivery complications. Evelyn did better than we could have ever imagined & we instantly fell in love with her. She has always been our tiny but mighty baby! She did well during her NICU stay thankfully due to the excellent care she received at Lehigh Valley Hospital Cedar Crest in Allentown, PA & after 35 days, she graduated at 3 lbs 12oz. We have a healthy 17 month old girl who finally broke the 20 lb mark & who is my entire world & I am forever thankful to EVERYONE who cared for us & helped us through this difficult & scary time in our lives. Unfortunately due to COVID we have been unable to visit for a follow up in the actual NICU but hope to soon. They are ALL true miracle workers ❤❤

I was hospitalized due to premature ruptured membranes at 22 weeks gestation. The doctors said that 50% of women give birth within 24 hours. If that happened our son would have had a very small chance of survival and a list of complications. The Antepartum nurses printed out calendars for me, and every day upon arising I would cross a day off and looked forward to listening to my boy. I was determined to fight for my son. It was just me and my son in that room but God was with us. Our prayer was for God to save our son, but we trusted in His will no matter the outcome. My son stayed put another 4 weeks and was born at 26 weeks and 4 days at 2.99 lbs. Somehow, to the surprise of the doctors he flipped on his own with barely any fluid. He worked his way throughout the course of a day when I felt more movement than usual and asked to be checked. “Oh my gosh” the Doctor said- “He flipped!” She pulled up his previous scan just to confirm and sure enough somehow he did it! He was already showing mom how much fight he had in him! I avoided a C-section with his flip and David Andrew was born on September 18, 2019. My son spent 3 months in the NICU and came home on Christmas day with oxygen. We said goodbye to our oxygen equipment last month and now we are approaching his first birthday! What a year it has been, but how grateful we are for our miracle and the wonderful care from Antepartum, NICU, and Delivery. He is the greatest gift and our little miracle.

Finley was born with bilateral choanal atresia. He was operated on shortly after being born he spent a short time in the nicu before being transferred to a respiratory unit. Choanal atresia is a congenital narrowing of the back of the nasal cavity that causes difficulty breathing. It is rare, occurring in approximately 1 in 7,000 live births, and is seen more often in females than in males. Choanal atresia is often associated with other developmental anomalies Sharing this photo of my son I hope i raise some awareness of Choanal atresia as I know a lot of people won’t of heard of this

We have 3 NICU babies! Shout-out to Riverside Hospital NICU for the care for our eldest in 2014 and then big thumbs up to Akron Children's Hospital NICU who cared for our second and fourth babes. The NICU can be overwhelming! We are so thankful for the amazing staff. They truly love these little ones! Our oldest came in 2014 at 34 weeks. She needed isolette, temp control and bili lights. Second babe was our scariest, she was born full term in 2015 but she stopped breathing at one day old , coded in the ER and was rushed to NICU. Our youngest was hypothermic at 35 weeks in 2020 and needed isolette for a month before we were allowed to hold her for longer than a few minutes. It took her a month to gain an ounce. All three are thriving now! We are truly grateful for the NICU care!

Our daughter Morgan was born on December 21st 2018 at 26 weeks and 1 day. I had her emergency c section due to preeclampsia and HELLP She was 1pound 3.4oz. Morgan was on life support for 41 days, respiratory support for 66 days. After 132 days in the NICU and almost loosing Morgan multiple times we were able to be discharged. Morgan is now a healthy, sassy, and smart little girl who will be turning two this year. We couldn't ask for better staff who took care of her while she was in the NICU. We will forever be grateful for them and our NICU journey.

I have two nicu babies, they were born with almost the same condition, did not cry and were swallowed by amniotic fluid. 2018, my first nicu baby lasted only three weeks, he died in the nicu room, he returned to heaven. 2019, my second baby Nicu alhamdulillah only one week in Nicu, he is healthy and now is 10 months old. Support from me to all babies and parents of Nicu, there will always be many lessons, wonders and goodness there.

Our son Toby was born at 38 weeks with the rare condition VACTERL association, each letter stood for a part of the body that hadn’t formed properly in the womb. We found out at 32 weeks pregnant that our baby was going to be born quite unwell and required a number of surgeries to correct/fix what hadn’t formed properly. On the day he was born a team of neonatal doctors/surgeons and nurses stayed in the room until he entered the world. Shortly after his arrival his neonatal journey began. Toby has to undergo 10 hours of surgery the day after he was born to fix his tracheo oesophageal fistula and to have a atoms created as he had anorectal malformation, his rectum hadn’t formed and there was no opening for him to pass faeces. After a week Toby had an episode of super ventricular tachycardia, our most scariest experience throughout. The neonatal staff were absolutely amazing and saved our baby. Although we knew he had a heart condition, this wasn’t expected and completely shocked us and the team of doctors looking after him. We were in neonatal care for 6 weeks, without having this available I don’t know what would have happened. Not enough words can show how eternally grateful we will be for their love, support and care they showed us. What was an extremely worrying time for us as parents, was made that little bit easier with the help from every staff member. We will never forget our journey at John Radcliffe Neonatal unit.

I was a premature baby born 3 months early. Due to some complications of being a premature baby I needed treatment on my lungs as they had not developed properly yet and I had to have the help of a ventilator to breathe and fed through tubes in my incubator. These were some of the issues I faced and I wasn't expected to survive. Thankfully I did and I will always be greatful to the amazing NICU staff who looked after me. I am happy to be able to share awareness for babies in Neonatal Intensive care and for their families and NICU employees

I am a NICU mom who has a survivor and a success story □ so I was going on 31 weeks went to my checkup hoping for good news(the pregnancy was an up and down field battle) well my blood pressure was high so they admitted me into the hospital on a Thursday well I was getting hooked up they started to monitor me and the baby turned out I had preeclampsia. I was doing okay kind of nervous and worried as I was going to be a first time mother! Well then out of nowhere my water had broke □ they gave me steroids trying to stop my labor it worked but they was constantly checking my blood pressure it was going up and down I was getting so tired of it I was just so tired and couldn’t stand hospitals. They kept checking her weight daily well a few days had past and my blood pressure was just not doing so great so they gave me medicine to keep it under control well then Sunday came and my life changed forever the baby needed to get out NOW due to my blood pressure spiking really high I had to have an emergency c-section I was so nervous but I didn’t let it show. After she was born they immediately took her into the incubator and took her to the nicu while they worked on me. She was so tiny only 2lbs □ but my daughter is a FIGHTER she was in the nicu for over a month she was doing so good and overcame every single thing she got sent home only weighing 3lb 7.8oz she is NOW 4 and has overcame so much she is definitely my miracle I really didn’t think me or her would make it but here we are □

My miracle Flynn was born at 26 weeks weighing a tiny 1lb 9oz what a journey, he has been through the unimaginable. Here he is now 3 years old and living with Diplegia cerebral palsy. He takes everything in his stride and never let's anything hold him back he is my inspiration and real life super hero❤

I found out at 24 weeks that my baby wasn’t growing like he should and found out I had placenta issues. The blood flow to my baby was not very good. I had to go to the doctor twice a week to do Doppler Ultrasounds. At 25 weeks I was admitted to the hospital because the blood flow was greeting worse. I was on the antepartum floor for 2 and half weeks. At exactly 28 weeks at midnight, I had an emergency C-section. The scariest night of my life turned into one of the happiest. My baby boy came out crying only weighing 1 pound and 10 ounces. We had some very scary days but awesome days. Blake had a gtube placed and was sent home on oxygen. After 114 days in the NICU, we are now home and thriving. Blake is off of oxygen during the day and is eating like a champ! We love our 28 weeker miracle! God is good!

Maverick is our only surviving triplet born at 25 weeks on 9.3.18. At 2 wks old, weighing 1lb 8oz he had surgery for an intestinal perforation due to NEC. During his 105 day NICU stay he had 8 blood transfusions, a colonostomy bag,multiple surgeries, and procedures, and battled group b strep twice. Our boy was a fighter and still continues to be a warrior. He is now almost 2, weighing in at 22lbs and thriving.

My water broke at 24 weeks and 5 days. I was hospitalized until 28 weeks and 3 days. He was 3 lbs and 15 inches long. He came out crying! He is my miracle and my warrior. He will be 32 weeks old tomorrow, 25 days adjusted. His due date was October 23rd 20. He chose to be born August 3rd 20!

Gave birth to my beautiful daughter at 34weeks, she weighed 4lbs 7ozs and spent one month in NICU she is now 8yrs old and doing great!!

I gave birth in late January 2016 to my 885g daughter at 25+2 weeks. She had followed two miscarriages and her early delivery was unexplained. I was devastated. Mothers day where I live was March 6th that year, and she was exactly 5 weeks old or 30 weeks corrected gestational age. She'd been on the vent for the first day and I hadn't really looked at her properly as I was too much in shock, and on day 2 she transitioned to cpap and spent the next 5 weeks on that. The cpap mask and hat completely covers their face and along with the feeding tube I had no idea what she looked like for that whole month. I held her for the first time at exactly 2 weeks on valentines day 2016 but struggled to connect with her as she was so tiny and was just drowned in all the equipment. I held her every day for skin to skin contact, but the fact I didn't know what her face was like truly felt surreal and I never felt like a mother at all. In fact the feelings I had were similar to the feelings i had after each of my miscarriages that this was another pregnancy 'gone wrong' and I was so angry at my body for letting me down again just at the point in the pregnancy that i had started to relax. However I arrived into the NICU that mothers day and oh my god the cpap was gone!!! In its place was a tiny nasal prong and at long last I could see my baby's face. And I will never forget that days kangaroo care...she looked into my eyes and it was the first time I got a sense she could 'see' me just as I 'saw' her for the first time. Tears slid down my cheeks as I looked at her tiny little face. She was my daughter, not a 'pregnancy gone wrong' again. I finally saw that! I have a video of this moment that my partner made and over 4 years later I cry every time I watch it. There are no words to explain it. Mothers day 2016 I finally became, and most importantly felt like a mother after 5 long weeks of cuddling a baby in a mask. I treasure that moment and am so happy we caught it on video. Nowadays I often watch my daughter sleeping and relish looking at her sweet now very chubby face....just because I can :)

My 27 week twins were born at 1.3 and 1.13 pounds with severe IUGR. We had a total of a 92 and 324 day nicu stay. Twin A has a trach and gtube

Where to begin? My little warrior decided it was time to come into this world as I was out of state for my job. My legs and feet started to swell really bad and as the pain started to increase I decided it was time to go to an urgent care. Once I got there, my blood pressure was over 200 and they immediately told me I needed to go to the hospital. Being alone and this being my first child, I was terrified! I was in tears the whole time. Went into the hospital in Louisville, KY(from Ohio) on a Friday and my blood pressure would not go down. At that point the doctors said that we would be having our little one within the next few days. I was put on magnesium to help my blood pressure and so that he could stay in there a bit longer in order to give steroid shots to help his lungs develop. 4 days after entering the hospital, on Tuesday May 24th at 24 weeks and 4 days, our 1 lb 2 oz baby boy made is entrance. By my surprise he even let out a cry □. The road to where we are now, for me personally, has been emotional. I still tear up when talking about our journey. I am so happy to say that Jalen is 4 years old now and we spent 136 days in the NICU in Kentucky. I am very blessed with an amazing healthy boy.

Our little fighter, Alexander, was born at 32 weeks. 4 lbs and 10 oz. Due to me having several complications. Complete placenta previa, placenta accreta which turned into a placenta increta, and high blood pressure. On the day he was born, I had a cesarean hysterectomy. I had to have a reconstructed bladder. He spent 43 days in the NICU due to having premature lungs. We are grateful for the staff at our NICU. They treated all the babies like they were their own. When he got to come home, he was on a heart monitor and caffeine for 2 months. 6 days before Christmas, we got the news that he no longer needed it. He never had any developmental delays, he was thriving!! He is now 27 lbs and will turn 2 on August 31st.

Charlie was born at 24 weeks due to preeclampsia & HELLP syndrome. He was 1lb 2oz at birth & immediately needed to be intubated. While in the NICU, he had some complications, several procedures, x rays, blood transfusions and labs...the whole nine yards! He had a PDA ligation, surgery for ROP, and chronic lung disease. Then around his due date, he got surgery for a g tube, trach, and hernia repair. We also found out he had atrophy of the left kidney. Our NICU staff was absolutely amazing. They let parents be involved & hands on with cares. Kangaroo care, bath & reading times were our favorite times. He was able to come home after 191 days in the NICU. Since then he got his trach removed, but still has his g tube. He just recently turned 4 years old in August. His CLD is improving & now his left kidney is completely gone. He has a global developmental delay, sensory processing disorder, and velopharyngeal insufficiency. He has defeated all of the odds that have been stacked against him & he is progressing every day! Charlie is such a happy, smart & outgoing kid. He is truly an inspiration to everyone. We hope that sharing his journey can help spread awareness & inspiration for being in the NICU.

My twin sons were born 6 weeks early my oldest twin was 4pds my youngest 3pds he had jaundice and his ear canal was small they stayed about a week and half my oldest came home first the next day they call me and told me come and pick him cause he missed his twin and his lungs were strong enough and he was 4pds of course i had to be careful with him well that was 17 yrs old ago and they are seniors in high school class of 2021

A new Mom, planning day by day how to set up a crib, which stroller to order, outfits to buy, not knowing that I would deliver spontaneously at 28 weeks. I went into the hospital at 26 weeks for extremely light spotting, not knowing I was already 1cm dilated. Excited and unsure of our future, I was transported to a level 3 hospital. With bed rest, and staring at the wall all day, I delivered at 28 weeks. With a quick cough, my 1lb 8oz baby slid out, causing the nurse to call code pink! Within seconds, doctors came running in. It was a confusion I had never see before. Aria spent 56 in the NICU, with no health complications. She came home 4lb on the dot. 3 years later and the NICU has never left me, I still heart the sounds of the monitor and reminisce about how tiny she used to fit on my chest. She is my real life miracle.

My sweet miracle arrived 35 weeks weighing in at 5lb and 11 oz. He was in nicu for 32 days. The Nicu journey was such a rollercoaster and very grateful for our family and friends that helped us get through the rough time. We spent 32 days in the NICU. We are blessed to have great care from each and every nurse.

oscar was born at 36 weeks and spent 3days in nicu i was in hospital from 32 weeks, he had a little battle but is fighting fit these days

We had Brayden at 24 wks 6 days. He was 1 lb 13 oz and 13 inches long. He had quite a few ups and downs like most NICU starts that early. He had a PDA ligation just a week after he was born due to it being so big and not closing with medicines and his oxygen use being pretty rough. The week following the PDA ligation, Brayden swelled up and got really sick. They had him at the highest setting on the oscillator vent and had the nitric oxide as high as they could give it. It was very hard seeing this, but he recovered, then got NEC, and it was luckily caught quickly and we didn’t have any issues with that other than his eyes went bad. Went from a level 0 to 4+ with retinopathy of the premature eye. Had laser surgery and now he is good with glasses. He came home on oxygen support, had a few hospital stays and a few more surgeries, but today he is a healthy 8 yr old 3rd grader!! He’s been through a lot, but all we have now is ADHD and eyes which are manageable!! The NICU experience was tough, long and hard but the nurses and care were exceptional! God is Good!

My daughter was born at 24 weeks 2 days. She spent 117 days in the NICU and came home on oxygen, an apnea monitor, and a pulseox monitor.

my son, Jasper, was born at 37 weeks. I got to do skin to.skin with him for an hour before they had to take him for breathing issues. Over a week he was weened off the bi-pap, and also had a few days of phototherapy. I am so grateful to the nicu nurses who allowed my mom to see my son in the first 24 hours when I couldn't. He is now 7 months old and my greatest blessing

During week 30 preeclampsia was suspected. My little girl was 3 weeks behind in growth according to the last ultrasound I’d had. Hit week 31 and was hospitalized with severe preeclampsia so spent 3 nights getting my baby ready for birth. Born at 31+4 she was just under 3 lbs. dropped to 2.7 spent 42 days in NICU. She just turned 5.

My son was born on February 26th, 2020. I had no problems with my pregnancy up until the day I had him at 32+3. I was actually told that I had a "boring pregnancy", just 2 days before I had him. He was born after 11 hours of labor, weighing 4 lbs, 12 oz. He spent 29 days in the NICU. I will NEVER forget watching the transport team wheel him out of my hospital room to be taken an hour away from my hospital without me. He had a relatively easy stay (thank God). He had a UVC for calcium, and high flow rolm air for 7 days. We got to hold him at that point. He had some Brady spells, but his main issue was learning to eat. He couldn't figure it out! He finally got it at about 34 weeks, and he hasnt stopped since then! He is a very healthy 17 pounds at 6 months old now. He is our world, and we would never have him any other way.

My beautiful baby girl was born on the 30th April 2019 via cat 1 emergency csection, Following a 5 day failed induction, she became stuck in my pelvis, she was born not breathing, taking the doctors 22 minutes to get her to breathe on her own, she had a large amount of swelling to her head and started having seizures at 2 hours old, while on route to another hospital. Where she was sent for 72 hour theraputic cooling, she was diagnosed with HIE grade 2 and stayed in NICU for 1 month. Avas NICU nurses and doctors became like part of our family and i will never forget about them, they will always have a place in mt heart. Ava is now 16 months old and is proving all the doctors wrong, we were told she would never walk, she smashed that mile stone at 11 months

I went into labour at 33 weeks pregnant I gave birth to my son denny-luke who weighed 5lbs 3oz he spent 19 days in scbu he's been on rollicoster of a journey since but here he is today he has diplegia cerebral palsy but that doesn't stop him.

My daughter was born at 27+4 due to little amniotic fluid from 16 weeks. Many doctors doubted her and told me there was no hope. After my emergency c section she was rushed to the nicu for 68 days . It was a battle and a very tough road but she’s a fighter and is now almost 17 months with no medical conditions and the happiest of smiles !

Shea James born at 24 weeks + 5 days and born out of hospital in a cottage in Carlingford, there was just me and his dad there we had to keep him alive until we met the ambulance at the border. He was brought to Daisy Hill then straight to the Royal maternity. Shea spent 4 and a half months in the Royal neonatal unit. Most of the time he was in intensive care, he had a grade 4 bleed in his brain, Necrotizing enterocolitis, a had a stoma put in and then reversed. During his first operation he had a cardiac arrest, his lung collapsed and he also has had laser surgery and injections on his eyes as he suffered from ROP, which we hope is getting better. Shea also had feeding problems but we have finally got his feeding tube out. He is now 1 year old and if he didn't have the scars you wouldn't think anything had happened to him, he is the most happiest bubbly baby who loves to torture us and loves to listen to the birds tweeting.

I just got finished with a day at work and my water broke on the toilet! We rushed to the hospital and they checked me out for about 5 minutes and then rushed me to Children's in Minneapolis. They tried to stop my labor, but I was having contractions without feeling them. They were able to stop them for a day. So at 29 weeks gestation my twin boys made their appearance! 3lb 4oz and 2lb 15oz. We spent 58 days with baby B and 85 days with baby A in the NICU. We came home with oxygen for a little over a month. Now they are almost 2 1/2 years!

My first child, Owen, was born at 34 weeks via c- section. I was hospitalized at 32 weeks for Vasa Previa. Vasa Previa is very rare and it is often fatal to the infant if not detected. Owen is a miracle baby! We tried for 5 years to conceive him. I endured three IUIs, six fresh IVF cycles, 3 frozen cycles, four miscarriages and one ectopic. I transferred the last two frozen embryos we had and there were no fresh IVF cycles left that insurance would pay for. While my husband watched, our son Owen had to be resuscitated at birth because he had underdeveloped lungs. To say this was traumatic birth and pregnancy experience is an understatement! Despite all that, Owen only spent 17 days in the NICU. He is now a happy, healthy and wild 3.5 year old! It’s crazy to think back that I could not hold him, change his diaper, or even feed him myself right away. However, we had such amazing nurses, doctors and staff not only caring for our little miracle but also for us. There are not enough thank you’ s or words of how thankful, grateful and lucky we were to have these individuals with us every step of the way.

Raven was born on time but no one ever expects their 38 weeker to end up in the NICU. My Ultrasound at 37 weeks showed she measured a week behind when she'd measured ahead the entire pregnancy. She was a healthy 6 lbs 8 oz and 18 3/4 inches long though so they didn't see anything wrong. 10 hours after she was born she went for her hearing test when she stopped breathing. She wouldn't take a bottle other than the first initial one an hour after birth. They woke me up at 4 am to tell me to love my baby because she's headed to the NICU. I went there the next morning to find my baby with a feeding tube. She'd still been refusing to eat. Took her 2 hrs to get down only 11 ml and it all came back up. The doctors switched her to Nutramigen which she sputtered, gagged, and choked on the entire time. Turned purple during these episodes. They switched back to the previous formula and she suddenly made a turn around up until her bilirubin shot so high they kept her another day and went home with a bili blanket. She spent only a measly 4 days compared to other babies but again no one ever tells you that your baby will end up in the NICU.

Our daughter, Ariah Grace-Rose, was born at 29 weeks gestation (11 weeks early) and journeyed 43 days through the NICU. Thankfully, she did not have any difficulties, but as many NICU parents can attest, the NICU experience is a traumatic one nonetheless. Since Ariah was discharged we have been advocating for NICU families in every way possible, and though unplanned, we are grateful to be a part of the loving NICU community.

Nixen arrived unexpectedly on 11/28/19 (Thanksgiving). My pregnancy had been perfect and then “boom” I was having contractions. This is my first, so I didn’t know I was in labor. After Thanksgiving dinner at at sister’s I had back pain I couldn’t shake. I called the on-call doc and he advised me to go in to be “cleared.” Two hours later, my son was born without any complications at 4 lbs 14 oz- but for being 7 Weeks early. He spent 5 weeks in the NICU feeding and growing and it was the scariest time of my life. But now he’s big and on track and I can’t believe he was early!!! I still keep in touch with other NICU moms because the experience was so stressful. So grateful my little man is thriving at 9 months!

I was a 28 weeker. 2lbs 10oz 09/14/06 I had the umbilical cord wrapped around my neck and it was suffocating me. I was on a ventilator for two weeks then had to go back on it. Went home the day before Thanksgiving 2006 with a feeding tube and heart monitor. It has been a long road but I am almost 14 now! □ I have goals and dreams to work in the NICU! I am very close to my Neonatologist.

I went into labor when my water broke at 34 weeks and 5 days, my son was breech so they performed a c-section and whisked him away to the nicu. There were quite a few scary times where as his undeveloped lungs were fighting, his O2 levels dropped quite a bit. We went from a cpap, to high flow oxygen, and by week 3 off it completely! 26 days in the nicu and he’s a strong 14 month old soaring past all his milestones!

I had placenta previa and PPROM and was hospitalised from 23wks.At 29wks baby had poor heartrate and redused movements so was delivered by emergency section. He was taken straight away to NICU where he spent the first 9wks of his life. He contracted MRSA but was unaffected by it. Brodie is now a hapoy healthy 2year old!

I was scheduled for my 24 week appointment a little early at just over 23 weeks. I didn’t feel right that day. I let my doctor know and she confirmed I was in labor. I was sent to the hospital and got magnesium and 2 steroid shots (thankfully) and Reese was born at 23 weeks, 6 days weighing 1 pound, 6 ounces. We spent 98 days in the NICU. She underwent a PDA ligation, many transfusions and lots of ups and down but we came home two weeks before her due date on just a little oxygen. She’s now a happy and bright 5 year old who just started kindergarten and wants to be a doctor to help people the way she was helped as a baby.

Oliva and Olive are twin baby girls born prematurely on 11/2/2019. I was on bedrest in the hospital for a month before the girls were born.I had preeclampsia which led to the delivery of the girls at 30weeks. Oliva weighed 2lb 7.9oz and Olive weighed 1lb 13oz. Both girls were very small for their gestation age due to the fact that they shared one placenta. While they were in the NICU,they battled several obstacles such as Mild Respiratory distress syndrome, Gastroesophageal reflux,Secundum atrial septal defect,supraventricular tachycardia & Neutropenia. Oliva spent 54 days in the NICU and olive 64 days. Olive and oliva never let their obstacles defeat them. Today, they are healthy soon to be one year olds. We cannot think about the girls NICU journey without thinking about the NICU staffs who dedicated their time to take care of our daughters. We are so thankful for all the love, cares and support we got from each one of them.

My full term little boys breathing was compromised in the middle of the night when he was 24hrs old. When I saw him in the high dependancy unit the following morning it felt as if the world was crashing down around me. It was the worst experience that I have ever been through. We left the hospital together 2 weeks later & I must admit that those couple of weeks made me the strong person that I am today. I’m so thankful to the entire neonatal team at RPH for saving my sons life & I now have a sweet & healthy 3 year old little boy. I’ll be eternally grateful to the nicu x

During labour I suffered an amniotic fluid embolism, resulting in me having a brain seizure, cardiac arrest and I lost almost 4L of blood. Bea was still inside me during all that, she was delivered with forceps in theatre whilst I was under general. She was born HIE grade 3 and taken straight to a hospital across the city for cooling treatment. I was taken to ICU and also discovered to have multiple pulmonary embolisms in my lungs. I woke up in icu and my baby was gone from my stomach. I met Bea 4 days later when I was transferred to the same hospital, we were told she may never walk/talk/eat/smile but now she’s an incredible 2 year old proving everyone wrong!

My Second baby was born extremely premature 25 weeks he spent 4 weeks at NICU he weighed 1 pound 8 oz he’s super friendly, right now he’s talking to much,he’s healthy and he’s 6 years old

November 24th at approximately 9:30 am, my world was turned upside down. My sweet, sweet boy was born via emergency c-section. But something was wrong. The delivery room fell silent as nurses and doctors started rushing around the room in weird hushed tones as I laid on the surgery table concerned to what was happening. They took my boy to another room without telling me what was happening and wheeled me, post surgery back to my labor room by myself. It was a very long hour of sitting there by myself, my thoughts racing and my palms sweating. And then finally, a doctor comes in and asks me and my family sit down. His lung is collapsed, he said. He needs to be brought to cardinal glennon. Oh. Everything after that was a slow blur. The transport team came up with my son in an incubator, hooked up to a million machines and on some pain killers for his 3 hour old lung. My heart drops. I can’t hold him, they said, just touch his head. So here I am, in a hospital crowded by people watching me in silence, watching my every move, as I finally meet the baby that I’ve been growing for 9 months. After a short 10 minutes, they take him and transport him to Cardinal Glennon. And I was to wait by myself in my own hospital. Not able to see my baby. Not able to hold my baby. Finally after 2 days of painful waiting I can see my baby! I’m discharged and brought to his hospital. I remembering the nervousness I felt as I checked in the front. They asked who I was and I proudly smiled and said “I’m MOM”. I practically ran up to his nicu, scrubbed my hands and arms, and finally get to his room. There he is laying peacefully, still attached to a million machines, still quiet from having to take pain medicine. But he was beautiful. For 4 days and 4 nights I stayed by his side. Had our thanksgiving dinner two rooms over from him. Listened to him scream as they did X-rays, and blood work, and poking and prodding. Our time was short compared to others, but it’s life changing. Erik is now 9 months and is 2 months ahead of his developmental stones and completely makes our world everyday.

I was ecstatic to learn I was pregnant and even more so when I learned it was a boy! I did everything I could during my pregnancy to make sure both of us were healthy. I ate super well, exercised... I even went as far as to hold my breath when walking by anyone who was smoking. At my 32 week ultrasound, the tech immediately got quiet. I knew right there something was wrong but tried to keep my cool for my wife’s sake. We had to wait to see the doctor and she hooked me up to a stress test. Afterwards, she told us to go right to the hospital- the baby was very small and not moving much. As soon as I sat in the car, I told myself I was having this baby today. I just knew it. At the hospital, the baby’s heart rate continued to decel. Off to an emergency c-section we went. I remember being in recovery afterwards begging the nurse to tell me how he was. She told me he was very small- 1 pound 12 ounces. I was terrified thinking of how tiny he would be and wondered what I had done wrong. We stayed in the NICU for 85 long days. Going between breathing and eating on our own, to needing assistance. I cannot say enough good things about the staff at the hospital. We remain in touch with many of them today. They were like our family. Ryan today is a healthy, funny and ridiculously smart little boy. We always say this isn’t the path we imagine when having a child, but we are so thankful for it. Not only were we a lucky family who got to bring their baby home, but the experience taught us so much about compassion, love and a lot more.

My oldest son Joo was born at exactly 25 weeks! He was 1 lb 9 0z and 12 1/2 ". My miracle spent 97 days in the NICU, he fought NEC, had PDA surgery, and over came ROP just to list a few things. He just turned 5 in July and is a healthy 3' 11" tall and 58 lbs □

Our twins, Logan and Lennon, were born at 34 weeks. Their NICU stay was the hardest thing I've ever had to go through. Having to leave the hospital without them was heartbreaking. The hospital was 45 minutes away from our house and we have 2 older kids who were 3 and 2 at the time. Everyday we all trekked to the hospital for our NICU vists. My husband and I would take turns between spending time with our twins and staying in the waiting area with our older two kids. It was rough but they were doing great and were released after just 9 days. Unfortunately, that was not the end of our NICU journey. Within 48 hours of being home I noticed a change in Lennon. It was subtle but I knew something was wrong. And soon I could see his face swelling up. I rushed him to our pediatrician who was baffled by what he saw. He called a colleague for a second opinion who turned out to be our neonatal doctor that just discharged us a couple days prior. He told us to get back to the NICU immediately! By the time we got there he had swelled up so much that they had to insert a breathing tube. It was terrifying. All I could think was that we were going to lose him. But the amazing staff basically picked me up off the floor and got to work on our baby quickly. They soon figured out that he had a massive infection, which turned out to be MRSA, in something called a brachial cleft cyst. After a few days of antibiotics the doctors still weren't happy with his recovery. He would require a surgery and ended up being in the NICU another 3 weeks. But he finally made a full recovery and today he and his twin brother are wild and crazy 4 year olds! I will be forever grateful for the amazing staff that cared for our boys in the NICU.

Ella was born at 24 weeks, weighing 1 pound, 9 ounces. She was a twin, but lost her twin during pregnancy, which led to her pre-term birth. Ella had heart surgery and laser eye surgery during her 104-day NICU stay. Ella is now a healthy 5 year old starting school this month!

September is NICU Awareness Month I was pregnant with my 4th boy. It was an unplanned pregnancy, but I wasn’t new to this expecting Momma thing. Each pregnancy had offered different obstacles and challenges, but this was the only baby I delivered via cesarean. Let’s back up a bit. My first 2 boys were over 9 lbs and had to be coerced to come out. As a matter of fact, I was induced on 3 different occasions to get my first son to join us out here in the world! I didn’t even know that could happen. I mean, you hear all the time about people being induced and then they bring the baby home. Easy, right?! It was so hard to come home from the hospital after being in pitocin induced “labor” on 2 different occasions without a baby! Oh dear, naive new Momma. The things you didn’t know! I treasure the memories of that sweet little innocent. When I finally had that 1st precious baby, nearly all of our family was there to see him and snuggle him and take Polaroid Shapshots to share because of course there was no Facebook or Instagram. All people could share via text message was that Colten Jacob Gore had arrived and he was a whopping 9 lbs and 1/2 oz. Yes, Baby and Mom were doing fine. And 24 hours later we were heading home. We even stopped at the Burger King on the way home to show him off to Pastor Syfert and then we stopped at the Beauty Shop where I worked to show off this beautiful new plump baby to my co-workers and any clients that happened to be there. We were proud new parents. We were even wearing our Embroidered Mommy and Daddy sweatshirts (I swear I am not making that up)! We had so many visitors when we finally made it home and we let ALL of them hold this new baby. No hand sanitizer required. Did they even have that 18 years ago?! I certainly don’t know! A little over 2 years later, this process repeated except that I only had to be induced one time, this second boy was 9 lbs 2 oz and his Big Brother got to meet him and hold him almost immediately. That is exactly how it is supposed to go, isn’t it? This vision all second, third, forth time, etc Moms have. You hand your newest blessing over to grandparents and siblings and all the family who gather in your crowded hospital room. Again, 48 hours later this time as they knew a Momma with a two year old at home needed an extra night in the hospital, we took our new baby home. Once we arrived home, all of our friends and family came to see the new Gore boy who surprisingly didn’t look much like his older brother! Again, all kinds of people snuggling this baby and NO hand sanitizer. I have to tell you, there was quite a break before we decided to go for Baby Gore Number 3! 9 years to be exact. We were expecting another Baby Boy and of course, we knew how this pregnancy would go. Except we didn’t. Around 35 weeks, I was diagnosed with borderline preeclampsia and put on bedrest at home. While I followed the doctors orders (mostly), we honestly didn’t realize the seriousness of this condition. An enormous kidney stone threw me into labor 2 weeks later and I delivered this boy at 37 weeks. He was 7 lbs 11 oz, had tons of dark hair and no health concerns so he came right home. Again, we handed him to his big brothers within hours of his birth. Such a beautiful moment that I will always treasure and pictures that were documented immediately on Facebook this time! We had lots and lots of visitors. But this time, it was January and despite the hand-washing and use of hand sanitizer, at 3 weeks old, he got RSV and spent the week in the hospital barely escaping the need to be Medevaced to a higher level pediatric unit. It was the scariest week of my life.......................................... Until my 4th pregnancy that is. At 26 weeks and 4 days, I went in for bloodwork because I wasn’t feeling well and my blood pressure was running kind of high. Correction - it was running off the charts high. They sent me by ambulance to another hospital because I had severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome and they knew I was going to need a high level NICU! What?! No, you have made a mistake. I have enormous healthy babies. Babies who have to be forced to make their exit from my body. As miserable as this pregnancy was, I was in no way willing to evict this itty-bitty person (who was estimated to weight 2 lbs) from the safest environment for him. But it wasn’t safe for him or for me. The Doctors and Nurses kept coming into my room to talk to me about 26 week preemies. I was having none of it. I was polite of course. I listened, but inside I was screaming “YOU HAVE IT ALL WRONG! I am not the kind of person to have a preemie. I am healthy. I am strong. I don’t smoke, for goodness sakes. I may not have planned this baby, but I was completely in love with him and he was desperately wanted!” I was so confused. I just wanted them to get out of my room. I want to go home. Bedrest on my couch at home no longer sounded like a terrible option. They knew I wasn’t going home. They told me I would be there until I delivered. Still, I hoped and I prayed that I still had weeks to wait to meet him. Despite all of the efforts of the medical staff, all of the medical interventions available and all of the prayers, this baby had to be delivered by emergency cesarean section at only 27 weeks 2 days. The arrival of this baby and the agonizing weeks that followed were more nightmare than fairy tale. This was not the way I had planned to welcome this newest member of our family. This was not part of my birth plan. This is not part of anyone’s birth plan. Cross was delivered in an emergency surgery that was performed to save both of our lives. Because of my previous back surgery and all of my lower back problems, they decided that I would have to be completely under anesthesia for the surgery. However, because he was so extremely premature and fragile, they could not put me under until the moment they were ready to open me up. Translate that to mean, I was awake and alert in the OR while they prepared for the procedure. I wasn’t able to speak to or see my husband before our lives were forever changed. In fact, my husband barely made it to the hospital before they took this way too tiny baby out of me and placed him in a sandwich bag and hooked him up to all of these machines. Machines that were required for him to breathe. Machines that kept him alive. A tiny baby that was too small to even cry. He was rushed off to the NICU where he would stay for 109 days. To an incubator where nobody could touch him or hold him. The cesarean was extremely painful. I woke up from the procedure before they had given me any pain medication. The nurse said they were trying to decide what to give me since I had told them I didn’t do well with Morphine (the chosen medication for this kind of pain). It was barely tolerable once they did administer the pain medication. So much pain, but it was nothing compared to the emotional torture of having your baby off in another room fighting for his life as you lay there fighting for yours. My incredible nurse, Rachel kept telling me that they were going to take me to see my baby. For several hours after his birth, I could only peek at him on my husband’s tiny phone screen during the moments I could wake enough to ask to see him. Thank goodness for technology and the tiny camera that was pointed at my precious angel during most of his NICU stay. You can’t begin to imagine what peace it brought me to be able to see him when I couldn’t be with him during those excruciating months. Even though my husband kept telling me that there was no way they were taking me to see my baby since I couldn’t even sit up in the bed, that special nurse was true to her word. She moved me in my hospital bed on the elevator to the floor where my baby was. I could barely lift my head to see the tiny baby snuggled in his new home, a heated incubator. She will never know how much that moment meant to me. I honestly don’t know how long it was before I was able to sit up or even get out of bed. I vaguely remember my mother-in-law bringing my 3 other boys to see me the next day. I looked so awful that Carter was actually afraid to come over and hug me. I was extremely sick. Once I was able to sit up and move to a wheelchair, Jason pushed me down to the NICU to see him again. We peered in at him. He was so petite. So fragile. So beautiful. We were terrified to even put our hands inside the incubator through the small holes when they first told us we could. What if we hurt him or somehow made his condition worse? The messages from friends and family were not those of congratulations but those assuring us that they were praying for us and asking if they could do anything to help. We didn’t know what we needed other than prayers. We wouldn’t be handing this newborn baby off to his brothers or grandparents. There were no picture perfect moments. There was no celebration. Only prayers. So many prayers. This is painful to write. It is painful to remember. Some of this I have never shared before because we tried to keep the updates we shared positive. Some of it I never shared because it was happening so fast that we couldn’t see past the storm we were trapped in. I am a Christian and I knew God was in control. The Bible tells us over and over to not be afraid. Yet, I was too terrified to even admit that I was afraid. I trusted God completely, but I was afraid. My husband and I NEVER spoke those fears out loud. We just took everything moment by moment. We focused on each difficult scenario and decision at a time. I had complete faith that everything would work out according to God’s plan, but I also knew this painful truth which is that the outcome might not be the one I wanted. Thy will be done. Thy will not mine. No parent ever expects to end up in the NICU and the first experiences in there are overwhelming and terrifying. During our first couple of visits to his isolette, Jason and I just stood there in awe. We were too scared to even put our hands inside his temperature controlled habitat. After lots of coaxing, we slowly began assisting with his care and changing his tiny diapers. Diapers that were even smaller than the overpriced diapers I used to put on my Baby Dolls. Some of these pictures are ones I have never shared before. You can see how tiny he was compared to the size of our hands. I had never seen a baby that miniature before. As scary as he looked to others, he was still our baby. He was ours to protect and care for. The NICU is a place where you barely even know exists until you need it. It is a place that you never expect to need. I am eternally grateful to those who have dedicated their lives to caring for the tiniest of patients and their families. They witness God’s miracles every single day even when things do not work out the way we want them to. #NICUawareness The devil whispers "you cannot withstand the storm". The warrior replies "I am the storm".

□Today is September 1st, Today is also the start of NICU Awareness Month, for all the little baby fighters. Aiden Apollo was born February 27, 2020 at 5:23am. We got to spend all day with him. At 10pm that night he was taken to the CHOC NICU, and me being a new mom and josh being a new dad..we didn’t understand why this was happening. The nurse told us “you can’t go you have to stay here”. Me being me said “like hell am I staying here I’m going”. So we went. A CHOC doctor came to us and told us that Aiden had a severe case of jaundice being that he has a different blood type than I do and that a little bit of my blood cells got into his blood stream and are fighting his blood cells. Being that it was happening in his little body he was a mild case of yellow, but his blood levels were super high. Right away the CHOC nurses hooked him up on IV, was pricking his little feet for blood tests, pricking his little hands so that they could find his little veins and put the IV on. He was in the NICU for 4 days...the 4 hardest days of our lives. We stayed with him every night, both of his grandmothers would go visit from sunrise to sunset. His grandpa Pacheco went to visit with him and would talk to him as well. Being that he had a limited amount of visitors we could only have a select few, us of course....his Nanners, his grandparents Pacheco, then his tia Angelica (she got the luck of the draw) and when she held him, his little eyes glistened ❤️. We got calls and texts from family and friends near and far to check up on him. FINALLY on the 4th day March 2nd...we got to bring Aiden Apollo home. SO....TODAY I WEAR GREEN FOR OUR LITTLE WARRIOR FIGHTER...WE LOVE YOU MIJO□□□

Our journey began December 4,2019 at 31wks.. at 11 inches- 2 lbs 3oz Our bundle of Sugah & Grace arrived by the name of ADORE! I had severe IUGR & he was Measuring behind in growth! He’s our 3rd child but my first emergency c-section! He wasnt breathing when he was delivered and therefore was rushed to NICU to be stabilized. He was diagnosed with Skeletal Dysplasia, Osteorporosis, Metabolic Bone disease and BPD. He spent 4mos at the original hospital until being transferred to another Nicu which he’s been at for the last 5mos almost 6 mos BUT we are planning to be going home this month #SEPTEMBER #TeamADORE□ #NicuStrong

Azaryah was born 4.13.2020 at 35 weeks. He was ready but his body was not. So after 30 hours of labor and a C-Section he entered the world at 10:36am. About 10-15 minutes of being in the world he was rushed to the NICU. That was the hardest two weeks of my life. 11 days of going back and forth, making sure I made it on time to feed him, watch him, and just let him know I was there. 11 days of tears because of the unknown. His nurses, some where great and some where so so, but they made sure he was getting the best care and attention. The NICU makes the tiniest person the strongest of the bunch. Azaryah is now 4 months going on 5 and he is just as strong as the day is long. He's my superhero, because not all superheros were born on time. Some were born preemies.

When people think NICU they think preemie babies. I had my daughter, Averie Lee; at 39 weeks 5 days. when she was born she took a few minutes to breathe on her own; she was my first child and nothing went as planned. Once she was breathing on her own we thought all was well. The next morning she started having seizures and no one was sure one how or why. They continued through out the day and the next just getting worse and more frequent. We were sent to a nearby Children's Hospital where she spent the next few weeks in the NICU. After several test and scans to help monitor the seizures. It was determined that she has Moderate to Severe Hypoxia to her brain. We were unsure of a lot of things. What our future looked like and what hers would. We were told that we would have to continue with countless scans and therapy for the foreseeable future. Now at 7 months old she has persevered so much and has been able to meet all of her milestones and then some. God truly does have a special hand wrapped around NICU babies.

I found out at 8 weeks that I was having teins. At 14 I thought I had miscarriaged but it turned out to be a subchrionic hematoma that never went away. At 25 weeks baby b broke his water. I was admitted to a hospital with a NICU where I stayed for two weeks before delivering my boys at 27 and 2. The neonatal staff saved baby b since his cord was around his neck. They were able to resuscitate him. My boys will be two in November.

Matthew was born at 33 weeks due to pre-eclampsia and growth restriction. He was 2lbs 3oz at birth. He had to spend 6 very long weeks in the NICU. We were lucky because his only real issue was his size. But it was still really hard leaving him there. I cried just about every day, but I knew he was where he needed to be and he was being taken care of! Matthew is now a Happy Bouncy 2yr old! □

Our Miracle son Harry wad born 3 months early at 29 weeks and spent a whole 3 months in the NICU fighting for his life in 2019. Harry was delivered in an emergency after fluid was found building up inside his stomach on several scans, he was born with a rare condition called fetal hydrops. When Harry was born his body was all blown up due to the fluid build. His tiny organs were getting crushed, he was ventilated for over a month due to his lungs being so small resulting in him also having chronic lung disease. Harry had an emergency bowl operation on his ruptured bowl at just 1 month old, the medical team reckon this was the build up of all the fluid. Our son was 1 month old before we got to hold him for the first time, this was so precious! He also spent 9 months on home oxygen after leaving the hospital. Harry was a very critical little boy and we are extremely lucky to have him, and will be forever thankful, he is our world. □ Harry is now an absolutely amazing 1 year old little boy who gives us so much fun in our daily lives. Miracles do happen, never loose hope! □ □

Our journey in NICU began on 20th September 2016 when our son Mylo was born at 37 weeks 2 days. Mylo was born with Donnai-Barrow Syndrome; a genetic disorder That affects approximately 30 people worldwide. He had bilateral congenital diaphragmatic hernia which had caused his organs to herniate into his chest and crush his lungs. He was given a less than 1% chance of survival. He had several other diagnoses but the CDH was the priority as he wouldn’t be able to survive without an operation to put his organs back in place. The NICU were outstanding, they had never had a child with BCDH in their unit before and certainly not one with Donnai-Barrow Syndrome but they threw everything at him and gave him the opportunity to live, an opportunity he is grasping with both hands! We will be forever thankful to the entire team that looked after Mylo and helped him have the best start he possibly could in life given his bleak prognosis.

My name is Jensen!! My son was born on april 4th of this year, and was born at 32 weeks!!! ❤️ i went to the hospital for stomach pains, and i hadn’t been able to keep food or liquids down for 24 hours. they did labs, and came back to inform me that i had extremely high bp , i developed preeclampsia, and my liver was failing, & that they were keeping me over night, to monitor me and my son. i was told i had to sign a bunch of papers stating that my boyfriend, was the only one who could be with me, and leave and come back. the next morning rolled around, they had just checked my labs again. come to find out they were way worse than the night before, and they needed to induce me immediately or else me and my child were going to die. they started me on a pill, and 12 hours later i was only dilated to a 2. so they came in, and decided to give me my epidural, and the balloon to help me dilate. he was born at 10:06 am, weighing at 3lbs 15oz! he was in the nicu for 6 and a half weeks.

Rylee was born at 39 weeks, during labour she was deprived of oxygen which caused her to have a severe brain injury. After 3 months in nicu we were transferred to a larger nicu, as no anti epileptics were working for her: she was having over 200 seizures per day. Our last resort was the keto diet, at 4 months old she was put onto the diet, we were told that we can only expect around a 50% reduction in seizures for this... we were so lucky to see a 100% reduction and rylee is now seizure free. Nicu was an overwhelming time for us, it became our home.. we would kiss our baby goodnight at 1am and be back after 4 hours sleep to kiss her and say goodmorning.

My miracle baby came into this world August 10th 2018. She was born 2 months early, she spent 46 long days in 3 different NICU's. She had trouble eating and had a feeding tube her whole time in the hospital besides 2 days. The nurses and doctors who worked with her to make her strong and healthy are absolutely amazing . They were so nice and caring.

My miracle is a warrior, I was 18 weeks old when they told me that she was not going to be born ... study us for 1 month in the hospital, both of us in my ward and another month in intensive care. He was born at 32 weeks, it was a very painful experience, I think the most I have experienced in my life, and my mother's death is living, but leaving a child in the hospital and knowing that you are coming home alone is the biggest pain there is. thank God and everything happened! Thank you very much for letting me tell a little of the story.

Our NICU story started with me; I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and hospitalized for almost two weeks before I was induced. Our 35 weeker was born weighing 3lbs 15oz and spent only 16 days in the NICU! The incredible staff at GRH prepared us and our daughter so when she was born she has no complications. Our stay in the NICU was short but it was where we spent our first Christmas, and will forever be a huge part of our story. Our girl turns 2 this December and is the light of our lives.

Alana was born at 27 +4 after a rough road of bed rest! She was 2lbs 4 oz with very little lungs . She had a chest tube placed within the first 12 hours of her precious life and 2 more to follow. She fought hard with many ups and downs. She was on every ventilator the nicu had more than once but loved the oscillator. It was a long scary 68 day journey in the nicu. I spent most of my time running between the nicu and home to my son, pumping, and making sure I didn’t miss any hands on time during the day. Nicu life is hard but we had incredible nurses and Alana came home healthy and strong proving many doctors and people wrong! She’s 17 months now defying all odds !! #nicustrong #preemiestrpng #proudnicumom #nicuawareness

My son, Mason, was born 2 weeks early, and while the delivery went fine, everything changed so fast. As I held him for the first few minutes, Mason's arms and legs started to turn purple. My husband called the doctor in, and within minutes Mason was taken away in an incubator. The doctor later informed us that Mason's lungs had not developed properly and said that they were still the size of raisins. He was on a CPAP machine and was assisted by other tubes to support lung development and breathing. My husband and I came to the NICU every day from the morning into the late night. I would pump next to Mason's incubator, tell him about everyone who's cheering him on, read him stories, fall asleep in the chair next to him, and continually tell him that I love him. We never wanted our baby ever to sense that mommy and daddy weren't there for him. Little by little, a tube was taken off Mason as he maintained his oxygen levels and fended off infections. The morning I walked in and saw that his breathing tube was officially out, I broke into tears of happiness and relief. We brought our healthy baby boy home after his week's stay in the NICU. We cannot give enough thanks to the nurses and doctors who gave Mason their outstanding expertise and nurturing. The NICU community of parents also gave us a fantastic bond supporting each other in such a challenging time.

We have actually had two NICU journeys. The first with our son, delivered at 35w5d due to IUGR and the second with our twins born at 32w6d due to severe HELLP. We absolutely have been blessed, and NICU saved all three of our babies!

At 25 weeks my water broke as a first time mom so much emotion running thur my mind cause last time I spoke to my Doc I was told if the baby came now she wouldnt Survive...Olivia came at 25 weeks weighing 1lb 10 ounces

My son Jy’Sir was born sep 13 2014 @1:59am he was 1lb14oz he stayed at the Newark beth isreal hospital in Newark nj for 3 months he went through many obstacles especially being born so tiny & I was told he wouldn’t make it but god had other plans for him no matter what he went through he came out stronger than ever HE IS DEFINITELY A MIRACLE BABY

I became critically ill When I was pregnant with my twins at 28 weeks. I had septic pneumonia, plural effusion, and empyema. I ended up in a coma and intubated. I had to have an emergency C-section as it was the only chance of saving my life and my twins. I was in a coma for five days and had three surgeries on my lungs. I was in ICU for three weeks . My twins, Brandon and Aubrey, were in the NICU for eight weeks. We all survived and my twins thrived. They are now 10 years old. Thank you nicu!

My daughter was born at 32 weeks and was IUGR. She was born 2lbs. 2.4oz. She stayed in Lafayette, Louisiana at Women's & Children's for 5 weeks. The doctors and nurses were the best. Today she is a feisty but still tiny 10 year old.

Maverick was born 7/9/19. My pregnancy was relatively normal and he was healthy. We found out at about 20 weeks that he had bilateral club feet so throughout the pregnancy, we began to prepare ourselves for that. By the time Maverick was ready to make his arrival, we had everything prepared to address the club foot issues including an excellent orthopedic surgeon that we adored. I had a very textbook labor and delivery until Maverick came out. He came out and was blue. Prior to him being delivered, there was no concerns, however he was rushed to the code team in the side of the room and was receiving intubation and compressions. I was out of it so wasn’t totally sure what was going on. However, I now know he experienced Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (when the brain isn’t getting enough oxygen). He was rushed to a larger hospitals NICU and put on a hypothermia treatment where they cool the infant for 72 hours to 91.4 degrees using a cooling blanket to reduce swelling in his brain. His brain was being constantly monitored during this time. He received an MRI on 7/14 and was given a second chance at life with no major concerns. After 10 days, we were able to take him home. Things could have been way worse. Thankfully, due to the cooling therapy, it saved his life. My husband is an RN and this experience has inspired him to become and NICU nurse. He’s been in the NICU now for 6 months.

Here I am 31 weeks 5 days not know I’m having contractions until they started to come every 3-5 mins I rushed to the hospital for them too tell me I have a server case of preeclampsia and that baby Braylen was in distress so they order an emergency C-section he came out 3lbs exact , Baby Braylen stayed in the NICU for a total of 22 days..... I was diagnosed with a low lying placenta & my placenta was 25% ruptured braylen is now 2 months weigh close too 9lbs

Harper Rae Ivey of macclenny Fl was born at 29 weeks weighing 2lbs and 4oz Mama had preeclampsia pretty bad and her placenta was rupturing. So Om June 22nd to save mama and baby the drs decided to do an emergency c-section. While in the nicu her heart rate kept dropping alot. But boy was Harper Rae is a fighter. She kept fighting and mommy got to hold her for the 1st time on July 4th. After 40 long days in the nicu Harper Rae got to go home to mommy and daddy on August 1st. Now she is a bubbly beautiful 3 year old! Keep swimming Harper Rae!

Our little nicu miracle, Eleanor Catherine O’Neal was born on March 11, 2018 at 23 weeks and 2 days. She was 1lb 3oz at birth. We were faced with an assortment of possible disabilities, from CP to blindness, developmental delays, and the list goes on. She is now a thriving 2 year old. It wasn’t all easy along the way, though. We had two eye procedures after our stay in the nicu and a hernia repair. We have documented our nicu experience, and have kept our community up to date on how Ellie is doing. https://www.facebook.com/elliecatjourney/

Myra was born at 26 weeks due to PPROM and weighed 860grams. She’s spent 55 days in NICU before she graduated to special care nursery. She is currently 38 weeks and is 3 times more than her birth weight at 3.1kgs. We have spent 90 days so far in hospital and hoping she will be home very soon!

My son was born almost 8 yeas ago, at 32 weeks. He was 4lbs and pregnancy had been totally healthy until water broke the day he was born, unexpectedly. The doctors can't tell the reason. My personal opinion is that it was incompetent cervix because when I was pregnant with his older brother I was 6cm dilated 2 weeks before he was born at 40 weeks(induced). My preemie needed help keeping his temperature and breathing. He was in the NICU for 3 weeks and was totally fine when went home. I was scared and worried. I did a lot of skin to skin and breastfeed him exclusively until 6m, and on demand until 1yo. He is almost 8 years old now, going to 2nd grade, one of the best students in class. His teachers tell me he is excellent academically, socially, emotionally, has great attention span, learns fast and son on. He's never had any delay in any area, on the contrary. He is sweet, smart and has a great sense of humor. Sending hugs and hopes to all preemie moms out there.

Dorian Kahlil Willis was born on August 14, 2017. They immediately called a “code blue” and was rushed to the NICU where he battled for 8 grueling months prior to being able to see the outside world. After genetic testing and a few months of waiting, it was determined that he was diagnosed with an “Unbalanced Chromosomal Translation.” That’s just a fancy way of saying that he has too little of some chromosomes, and too many of others. The thing is, there are currently no other known cases with his exact chromosomal abnormalities out there. He’s toughed through over 250 days in the hospital total, 17 infections, 10 surgical procedures, and difficulties with every known bodily system. It’s not known if he’ll ever breathe, walk, talk, eat, sit, speak, or fully hear or see without significant help from external devices, if even at all for some of those. Despite it all, you would never know by looking at him. Sure, all the tubes tend to give it away, but what I’m trying to say is he is the most happy, joy-filled little wonder that infects the lives of all he encounters with the same love bursting out of each one of his smiles like this one. He’s our brave little wondrous unicorn “boy & arrow,” because every setback is merely used to shoot him higher than anyone ever thought he’d be able to reach.

My daughter , Dyllan , was born 8/22/2011 at 42 weeks . She was only a few hours when she caught her first seizure . She had three seizures back to back and had to stay in the Nicu for the first two months of her life . She had to get the g- tube because She was unable to swallow milk. She has had two different eye surgeries and has been battling with grand mal seizures up until this year . May 2020, Dyllan has been a whole year seizure free . She is now 9 years old and stronger than ever , I’m so grateful for my epilepsy warrior □□. Miracles happen and you are not alone #ProudNicuMama -Javanti

Our family: Michael and I had a whirlwind romance and were married almost 2 years ago. We are both young professionals and live in Charleston, SC. We were over the moon in January, 2019 when we found out our prayers had been answered and we were pregnant with a baby girl! □ Ava’s Story: Fast forward to July 24th, 2019. I was 28 weeks into my pregnancy. The night before I was having upper abdominal pain that felt similar to heartburn. However, I knew something wasn’t right. I had been up all night in pain. We left our house the next morning having no idea what was in store for us. We arrived at the hospital, labs were drawn and 20 minutes later we found out I was in acute liver failure. I had HELLP syndrome. HELLP syndrome is the most severe form of preeclampsia and is extremely rare. I would not be leaving the hospital without delivering our baby girl. My heart sank. Ava was not ready. We were not ready. We were overwhelmed with fear, but knew God had gotten us this far and would see us through. The next 12 hours were a blur. It was terrifying. We were praying over and over that we could get Ava further along, but at 9:00pm I was told they had to take Ava or neither of us would survive. At 10:00pm, I was rushed in for an emergency C-Section and 20 minutes later our little miracle was delivered, weighing only 1 lb. 14 ozs. We spent the next 74 days on the NICU journey. Becoming NICU parents, Michael and I learned that patience and gratitude are vital to surviving the experience. Not all days brought milestones and we had to quickly become comfortable with that. While it was the hardest experience of our lives, we put our faith in God, worked as a team and continue to cherish every moment with our perfect little baby. Today, Ava is home and thriving. She is 13 months, hitting all of her milestones and is full of personality!

Here is Nova Rae aka Super Nova born August 31 at 1lb 3oz she is now up to 1lb 6oz we did our first skin to skin yesterday a week and a half after birth. It’s been a very emotional ride but we’re so happy our little fighter is growing every day

My sons heart rate kept getting low and I didn’t get a c section till the 4th time it had gotten low, he was deprived of oxygen for a good amount of time and had to be sent out to radys children’s hospital and put in a cooling bed, he caught a really bad infection and had to be incubated for a whole month he was on a feeding tube and couldn’t breath on his own , my son was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and was said he would have severe brain damaged due to HiE, My son beat the odds, he’s a miracle to even be alive let alone do everything they said he wouldn’t . He’s a healthy 3 year old smart and running wild ! I am blessed ! Thanks to the staff that cared for my baby! God bless them all!

I was overdue at 41+6 and on the labour ward for induction. Alone after sending my husband home, I suffered a placenta abruption losing 6 litres of blood and needed an emergency csect. Cooling therapy followed after Matilda was resuscitated for 22 minutes. I woke up to be told my daughter will only survive half an hour and to name her quickly as being transferred. I spent the next 72 hours alone in the darkest place waiting for news. Once transferred, I was told Matilda had no brain activity and discussed hopice care. After the most traumatic month, we were transferred back to our local hospital and then finally home with a perfectly healthy baby. We had no idea what the future held and were both struggled so much in the first 2 years of Matilda's life but here she is, nearly 4 and thriving so far completely unscathed. Cooling saved her life and the amazing team that gave us both life are in our hearts forever.

2 of our four children were born at 28 weeks... 8 years apart. Nicholas was 3 lbs and Olivia had severe IUGR and was only 1 lb 3 oz.... Nick is a Freshman this Fall and Olivia starts kindergarten. Forever grateful to the whole NICU team for our miracles □□

I was diagnosed with gestational hypertension at 20 weeks. At 25 weeks I was admitted to the hospital and found my daughter had fallen to the 5th percentile due to my blood pressure issues. We made it to 26 weeks and 4 days when she was born at 1 lb 12oz. Her journey had a lot of ups and downs. Luckily, we managed to have no surgeries and were all cleared with no immediate issues aside from very premature lungs. She came home after 114 days in the NICU on oxygen assistance and came off fully after 4 months of being home. She's 16 months old now and the happiest little piece of magic. She's thriving, hitting milestones and just a perfect little miracle working hard every day and appreciating every minute of life.

Matthew John William You never expect your start at parenthood to begin in the nicu.... But here we are 3 years later! My journey with my child in the nicu and beyond has given me a deeper understanding. There is nothing about life that I take for granted. My water broke at 17 weeks, I had a placental abruption... home on bedrest until you were viable at 23 weeks. I was able to keep you in until 30 weeks 1 day where you made your debut. You had a breathing tube and a collapsed lung. At 32 weeks you developed NEC, where nurses and doctors thought we had treated it with iv antibiotics... fast forward 3 weeks. You were sent home only for 5 days before you were rushed back to emergency. We found out iv antibiotics didn’t work you had a blockage. 3 days later you had surgery. It was a success... but slowly took a turn. You developed stomach ulcers and began to bleed internally. 5 plasma, blood, and platelet transfusions later, the bleeding finally began to slow down. You spent a total of 4 months in the nicu. Here you are today 3 years later so full of love and laughter. We are beyond blessed to have you in our lives after everything you have been through. Truly our miracle!

I have two NICU warriors! My oldest son was born at 37 weeks. He had a stroke during delivery and was born not breathing! He spent 2 weeks in the NICU! He is now almost 4, he has Hemiplegia Cerebral Palsy! He such a strong independent boy! My youngest son was born at 31 weeks and spent 49 days in the NICU! He just turned ONE last mth! He’s doing amazing! His physical therapist is helping him reach every milestone on his own time! He’s also an independent little fighter!

I have two NICU warriors! My oldest son was born at 37 weeks. He had a stroke during delivery and was born not breathing! He spent 2 weeks in the NICU! He is now almost 4, he has Hemiplegia Cerebral Palsy! He such a strong independent boy! My youngest son was born at 31 weeks and spent 49 days in the NICU! He just turned ONE last mth! He’s doing amazing! His physical therapist is helping him reach every milestone on his own time! He’s also an independent little fighter!

Teryn has TAR syndrome, which causes critically low platelets in infants, as well as an absent radius in both arms. She was in the NICU for about a week receiving blood and platelet transfusions while running hundreds of other tests. She is now 7 months old and we have been transfusion free for over 3 months! ❤️□ the NICU is not easy, but these beautiful babies make it worth it! ❤️

At 31 weeks I was diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy (a form of heart failure related to pregnancy). With my health continuing to decline, the decision was made to deliver Sebastian at 34 weeks. The hospital NICU team was wonderful in educating our family on what we may experience even before his birth. Sebastian suffered some respiratory distress initially, but the NICU team helped him bounce back quickly. He called the NICU home for about 2 weeks, overcoming jaundice and learning to feed. During this time, I was too sick to care for myself, let alone my preemie. I will be forever grateful for the loving care the NICU team provided not only to Sebastian, but to our entire family.

Finnleigh was born at 39+5 after a perfect pregnancy she was a very traumatic shoulder dystocia birth almost killing me and her. She weighed 9 lbs 6 oz, 21 inches long. (No gestational diabetes and was estimated to be only six pounds) was stuck for 11 minutes without oxygen and born with her cord around her neck. She coded twice in the delivery room. She spent three days on a hypothermic mat to help preserve her brain and prevent damage. She was also born with a brachial plexus injury. Her MRI was completely fine and EEG eventually showed not at risk for seizures and was clear as well. Our Doctors have never seen anything like it and said she’s a complete miracle. We spent 78 days between DCH Regional and Children’s of Alabama due to feeding struggles. We came home with a G tube eventually. Shes just a few days shy of being nine months old. She graduated from her G tube two weeks ago. She originally didn’t move her arm or even wiggle her fingers for almost two months and we were told a nerve transplant would be her only option to move her arm. I’m proud to say we didn’t require a nerve transplant. We had a Brachial plexus follow up yesterday and she blew everyone away with her progress. She’s actually doing so well with that arm that we can go back in six months instead of our regular three month follow ups. I am so grateful for the staff that saved my baby girls life and played a part in her story □

My NICU story began 7 yrs ago when my oldest was born into this world at a mere 26 weeks. We were both survivors of severe pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome. My little warrior spent 119 days in NICU and went thru hell and back. Thankfully she got thru it and now pictures are really the only lasting reminders of her prematurity. 2 yrs ago we had another NICU journey this time with our twin girls who turned out to be mono-mono twins. I was able to carry my girls to 3 days over 32 weeks before divine intervention occurred. These girls were miracles just like their big sister and our journey was one much easier this time around. The twins were feeder growers and only spent a few weeks before coming home. However we almost lost our Baby A 2 weeks after NICU discharge due to parainfluenza which caused respiratory failure. By the grace of god and almost a week in ICU she got better and we never looked back. The twins are now turning two in a few days and the memories come rushing back. NICU means so much to us more than the 4 letters could ever describe.

My son, Cash was born at 35 weeks as I had developed preeclampsia. He weighed in at 6 pounds and 4 ounces. On his second day of life he underwent surgery to repair a jejunal atresia. After surgery he selectors an Ileus and was unable to take feeds without vomiting. We were in the NICU for almost a month while he recovered. It was one of the most difficult times of my life, waiting for your son to be able to eat but only able to use TPN for nourishment. Everyday waiting for him to be able to eat and have his first vowel movement. Watching my son in pain was one of the most traumatizing times of my life. There were days I could not even hold him due to him being jaundice and needing to be under the lights. Without the tremendous support from the MGH NICU docs and nurses I don’t know if I would have been able to hold it all together emotionally (and at times I almost couldn’t). The NICU staff were angels on earth and we were so blessed to have their support and guidance during such a difficult time. My baby boy is now a healthy, thriving 3 year old who poops like champ!! Thank you to all the amazing NICU staff, your role is so important and I truly value all of you! To all the NICU parents, my thoughts and prayers are always with you.

Our little guy, Brooks, was diagnosed with SIUGR and was born at 30+2 weeks, weighing only 1 pound 15.4 ounces on March 7, 2020. He spent 67 days in the NICU during the earliest and scariest months of the pandemic. Due to restrictive Covid-19 visitation policies, we weren’t able to spend nearly as much time with him in the NICU as we would have liked. Fortunately, the NICU nurses were amazing and loved on him so much! We are eternally grateful for them! And our little guy is a fighter! He was discharged on an apnea monitor and weighed 5 pounds 3.1 ounces. He is now 6 months old and is thriving!

What started out as a normal day for us quickly turned into a chaotic one after our ultrasound appointment. The doctors had been tracking our little girls bowel as it was dialated from 20 weeks on. I will never forget the doctor coming in and saying “you are having this baby girl today”. I just knew the ultrasound appointment felt off....a mother’s instinct! As we rushed home to get our hospital bag and to share the news with our family (who really didn’t believe us) we realized our lives were about to drastically change for the better! We gave birth to our little NICU warrior Sutton Ilene via C-Section 24 hours later and a failed induction. She was promptly whisked away to the NICU for complications related to Cystic Fibrosis as both my husband and I are gene carriers. She spent 19 days in the NICU with a PIC line for nourishment and a replogle tube in order to keep anything from getting into her stomach if her bowel were to rupture. Thankfully our little one didn’t experience any surgical intervention or complications and she graduated! She came home with us a day after her actual due date! Our NICU days were the must difficult and emotional days of our life but we always knew she was in the best hands during her stay. We could never thank the NICU nurses enough! ❤️

My baby boy Corey was born via induction at 37 weeks due to my out of control gestational diabetes. I kept having extremely low blood sugars. My induction was slow and incredibly painful but Corey was doing great through it all. My labour went on so long that the registrar came in After hours and hours of labour with no progression and said “If you don’t have this baby by 2, it’s a c section” - of course he said it in a much more softer comforting way. Corey arrived at 7 minutes to 2. He came out blue and lifeless, which was totally unexpected. He didn’t cry, he had no colour expect a grey blue. They were resuscitating him and giving him pumps of air and he finally took his first breath after 9 minutes. He was rushed to the nicu and put on a ventilator. He had pulmonary haemorrhage, sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome and a long list of other complications. He made a full recovery and is now a healthy happy bouncing 10 month old. I will be forever grateful for all the doctors and nurses that took care of Our baby boy! They are angels!

Hello I would like to share my story off my little girl who was in nicu for three and half weeks, pyper was born at 32 weeks weighing 3lb 9oz. Pyper was born by emerging c section because I developed preeclampsia around 28 weeks. The preeclampsia got worse every quickly, I was getting sicker and sicker each day, pyper was on CPAP for a few days then she started to get better each day, each day felt like a lift time, she was so small and tiny it was like holding a little doll, everyone I went into see pyper I couldn’t help but blame my self because I couldn’t carry my baby to the perfect time for her to be healthy. The doctor who made the decision to give me the emergency section told me that it was the right decision to make because it was life thrashing for me and pyper if they hadn’t of done the c section. Finally after three and a half weeks pyper finally got to go home. when we got home She wasn’t putting on weight she kept throwing up every fed I was going out of my mind because I didn’t know what was wrong. Finally we found out that she had reflux and severe milk allergy. Pyper is now 23 months and is the most playful cheeky little girl. She hasn’t let her being premature stop her!

Our son was born on Christmas Day of 2018 at 24 weeks and 5 days. We weighed 1lb 9oz and was 12¼ inches long. He spent 134 days in the NICU. During his stay he fought off a lot of infections. He was on a ventilator for about 2 months before being switched to the nasal cannulas. Towards the end of his stay he had abdominal surgery to fix a couple hernias, insert a g-tube, and also had his circumcision done. After being discharged, he did go home on oxygen, but luckily he only needed it for a few months. He has had 2 head surgeries in the past year. Today he is a happy and healthy 1½ year old! He has had his g-tube removed, his head is all healed, and he is almost independently walking!

My daughter cora lea was born at 29 weeks weighing just 2lb 15 due too my waters breaking and catching a really bad ecoli infection so they had too do emergency c section too get her out. Now she is 2 years old and doing absolutely amazing so proud of my girl.

Owen came into this world 9 weeks earlier than he was supposed to. I was having what I thought was terrible heartburn and the typical back pain that comes with pregnancy. However, the day he was delivered I could not keep anything down including water so we went to the hospital to get checked out. After many tests it turned out I had severe preeclampsia with HELLP syndrome. It quite literally came out of nowhere. 4 days prior at my OB check up my blood pressure was completely normal and I wasn't having any issues. So on June 23rd, Owen was delivered via emergency c-section. I had to be put under general anesthesia because my platelets were so low from the HELLP syndrome. Matt couldn't even be in the room with us when our son was born. It was traumatic to say the least. People don't really talk about birth trauma, but it is very real. I was unable to see my son for 24 hours after giving birth to him. I was unable to hold him for 2 days. He required no oxygen, just a little bit of CPAP for a couple days. He was a woping 2 pounds 9 oz. We spent 8 weeks in the NICU. NICU life is difficult. It is many sleepless nights worrying about how he is doing. Many trips to and from the hospital. Feeling guilty any time you weren't there with him. Wishing you could do more for him. However, NICU life also taught me so much. I learned I was much stronger than I thought I was. I learned to have more patience. I learned to not take a single day for granted. I learned to appreciate the tiny wins in life.

Amelia was born @34 weeks, I had a tough pregnancy with an irritable uterus and gestational diabetes. On February 29th my contractions were worse than normal and then I started bleeding. I was sent from our local hospital up to Boston because I had a placenta abruption. Amelia was only in the NICU for a week but it was the longest week of our lives. She had issues managing her sugars at first but primarily had problems with her bilirubin. Every morning we thought we would finally be able to bring her home but her labwork would come back with high numbers. Finally we were able to bring our girl home a week later. The nurses and doctors were some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. We pray everyday for those other babies who were in there with Amelia.

After delivery my son at 37 weeks he got taken away to NICU as his sats were low. We wasn't allowed to see him for hours due to an emergency on ward. Turns out when we did he was in a incubator and on oxygen with a drip. We was heart broken, I felt so many things pride, love, sadness, scared and guilt all rolled into one, our son Jack or our little sausage as we call him was being treated for sepsis also. He stayed at Burton hospital for a week in NICU and honestly I couldn't praise them angels enough. Although it was so hard leaving him there I knew he was okay and in vet capable hands. While sausage was in there we made a life long friend in the little girl and her mother who was in the next cot. The first week of jack's life wasn't how we imagined but we have so many memories to share when he's grown up. Thank you to all who cared for him we will never be able to thank you enough □

My daughter, Remi, was born with gastroschisis. We found out when I was about 12 weeks pregnant. We didn’t know all of what to expect and the NICU was definitely a whole new world for us. For 75 days I lived and breathed the nicu with her. I got to hold her on her 6th day of life and then the next day was her first surgery. We had an entire month of waiting around for her bowels to start working. They finally started working and she developed a horrible infection in her bowel. She was a trooper and didn’t let that stop her from getting home. Two and a half weeks later she finally came home and she is now a happy, healthy, full of spunk 1 year old! She’s our everything.

My son Freddie was born at 41 weeks and 6 days weighing 9lb 8 in University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK. I developed sepsis and despite being induced my labour didn't progress and a decision was made to perform an emergency c-section. On delivery he no heart beat and an apgar score of 0. He received 9 minutes of CPR and was transferred to the NICU. He was diagnosed with sepsis, HIE and meconium aspiration syndrome. He then had a severe seizure at a few hours old and received cooling treatment. He was NG tube fed my breast milk for the first week. He had 3 weeks of IV antibiotics and was on a reducing dose of morphine. He spent a total of 25 days in NICU. On the day he was born we were told he was the sickest child in the unit and may not survive. We had lots of ups and downs but the care and support of every member of staff got us through it. He is now 26 months old and showing no lasting effects so far. He is a happy, healthy, extremely energetic boy.

I delivered my twins at 23.2 weeks the always got sick together. Both had pda ligations, both had potassium attacks, they were 530g and 535g. It was a rocky journey but the ate happy healthy thriving 2.5 year olds who are inseparable □□□

I have a 26 weeks baby 660 gram because of my blood pressure the doctors force to section . My baby is son , about 1week he was Intubate and then he had septies And alot of problem with his lungs and kidneys Finally after 89 days in NICU in Tehran with the weight 1/200 gr I bring he to home and i feed it with NG tube until 1week . Every things are ok just the IVH snd PVL of his brain . I pray god to put the best thing for my hero son .his name is Arya

I started early labor at 25 weeks, there is still no obvious reason. Luckily, the doctors were able to stop it and I was given early interventions that almost certainly improved Ben’s outcome. Ben was born at 27 weeks, 4 days at 2lbs 6oz. He was born breathing and crying, which was a huge relief to us! He had a pretty uneventful stay in the NICU until around 34 weeks when he developed late onset GBS. Thankfully the doctors caught it early and were aggressive in treating him. He was discharged after 61 days in the NICU and he is a thriving, smart and sweet 3 year old!

Leah Grace was born August 24th 2020. She appeared to be a perfectly healthy baby from the outside. But the NIPT test, while in utero, told a different story. With a follow up FISH test, our baby girl had a confirmed dx of Trisomy 18. This explained why she would occasionally forget to breathe, her platelets were low, her fingers and toes were deformed, she had VSD and valve stiffness, small size, underdeveloped brain, etc. This sweet baby fought hard! The NICU team was amazing! They guided us through this. They celebrated her victories and held our hand through the tough times. Her last breath was taken at 9 days old after 12 hours of battling with breathing. Poor baby just could not hold on any longer and I chose to give her my blessing to relax and let go. She listened. We are forever greatful for our Leah’s extended family at the NICU □

On September 13th, at 34.6 weeks gestation, I gave birth to my NICU miracle. Avery came into this world full of fire and ready to fight. She was born at 6:40 pm, without a single peep. She immediately required intubation, and was rushed to the NICU. It was 26 hours before I saw my sweet baby girl again. The first few days of our NICU stay felt like a blur, so unreal and so full of emotion. Happy to have our beautiful baby girl, but terrified for her life. There are no words to describe seeing your precious little baby hooked up to a million machines, behind what feels like the thickest glass in the world. The feelings of attempting to be there at every “care time”, as some days that’s all you got to touch your baby. During the next few weeks Avery accomplished many big milestones, including breathing (first intubation, to CPAP, then eventually independently), weight gain, feeding (from a feeding tube, then a bottle), Laryngomalacia, maintaining body temperatures, and jaundice treatments. Avery spent her first 31 days of life in the NICU. The NICU is more than acronym, more than even a place. The NICU was our home. The NICU has such a big piece of our heart. The NICU is where miracles happen. Our baby girl was given the opportunity to thrive with so much support from doctors, nurses, specialists, and everyone else that entered her room. We thank you, “baby Zickler room 34” thanks you.

I was diagnosed with PCOS years ago and was told I couldn’t have anymore children. I have a 9 year old from a previous relationship. When I found out I was finally pregnant we were ecstatic! I was lying in bed one night and woke up at 6am thinking I’d wet myself. I went to clean myself up and popped in the shower but as I cleaned myself I knew something wasn’t right. During a trip to the hospital for a check up and a scan, my 2nd waters broke. I was 29 weeks pregnant. Steroid injections, a 24 hour drip for my baby’s heart and lungs, she stayed put, just like me, for another, almost 3 weeks. That Thursday evening I was sent home only to return within 2 hours! As soon as I was on the bed, my baby flew out! Audriana-Jean Walsh was born at 8:45pm, 31 +6, weighing 4lb. She progressed so well and at 35 weeks she was released from hospital. We’ve now just celebrated her 1st birthday!

My Twin Daugthers were born at 24 weeks. They had Twin to Twin transfusion. Only one one twin had a 10% chance to survive, while the other twin was given no chance to survive. Baby A stayed in NICU for 3 months and 1 week. Baby B stayed 4 months in the NICU. My Daughters are now 14 Years old and are in Perfect Health. Thanks to God!! We pray and support all health care workers who work in NICU. It was a long stressful Journey but at the end it was all worth it.

We lost our firstborn Paul at 31w5d due to a placental abruption caused by severe preeclampsia that almost took my life. My second son Peter was born 10.5 months later at 31w6d due to bleeding that turned out to be placenta previa. We spent 48 of the happiest days of my life in the NICU. Compared to what we endured before our experience was filled with gratitude and thankfulness. Peter came home the day after his big brother Paul’s first birthday.

We are aware that not all babies make it home... please allow me to introduce both of our little NICU warriors (Irish Twins). □□ □ Arabella Celeste Gruber was born at 26+5 on 04/19/17. She was a micro-preemie, tiny and beautiful, weighing 15.52 ozs (440 grams) and was 11 inches. Bella suffered from SUA and IUGR. Her NICU journey was as short as her time here on Earth, yet we treasure every moment of that 76.5 hours. Bella was a true warrior princess, but her battle was too great. She passed away in our arms on 04/22/17, while the NICU staff attended to us all. □ Phoenix Wolfe Gruber was born at 32+3 on 02/02/18... 9 months and 14 days after his sister's birth (9 months and 11 days after her passing). Phoenix also suffered from IUGR. He weighed 2 lbs 5.4 ozs and was 14.5 inches. His journey through the NICU was 68 days, each one, a new and different challenge. In our darkest times, during his NICU days, we were blessed to have such caring and loving staff... Phoenix is 2 yrs and 7 mos old now. ❤□□□

Lila and Emma born @ 32.2 weeks both the girls were doing well until they found heart issues with one. Lila was having trouble breathing and was on cpap due to having an open PDA, VSD and ASD. @ 3 weeks old Lila contracted NEC and was transferred to a higher level NICU. 2 days later her sister was discharged. 2 months in the NICU with ups and downs, 2 surgeries to close her PDA and many trips back and forth between my girls we were finally sent back to our original NICU. We were met with open arms and Lila thrived and was discharged a week later. @ 3months old both my girls were finally reunited and home together. Now at almost 3 yrs old they are happy and healthy kiddos who keep me on my toes.

Everyday for the past 47 days, sometimes twice a day, I have driven back and forth to the hospital uptown and everytime I take the same off ramp this is the first big billboard welcoming me into Charlotte - "Together tastes better" a Coca-Cola ad. Gee thanks for the reminder, I sure as heck know and I am so thankful the day has finally come that we can reunite as a family of 5. I've cried many tears on this drive but today they are tears of joy. I've prayed and asked God so many times why I have been going through the experiences I have over the past 2 months. Definitely a huge emotional rollercoaster filled with so many highs and lows. So I figured I would share my personal story with all the nitty gritty details in hope that it would help someone, connect me with people who need support just like the amazing support I received and just to plainly point out how amazing our glorious God is. June 4th my husband came home from work and despite having a strict workplace of masks and temperature checks there had been an outbreak of coronavirus. We weren't too worried, we are young and healthy people, however it was mandatory for my husband to be checked so we all did. Monday June 7th we did our test, at that point my husband started to notice loss of taste and smell, my twin two year old boys were acting off but they also recently switched from cribs to toddler beds and hadn't napped so I figured they were cranky, turns out they had a low grade fever but after some Tylenol and a decent night's sleep they were good. I on the other hand was not. I had fairly mild symtoms (body aches, fatigue, tightness of chest etc) but being pregnant and a stay at home mom to twin (very spirited) toddlers I put it down to that like most moms would. Let me preface this by saying we were very healthy leading up to our covid diagnosis. I was pushing green smoothies, fruit and veggies into us like a crazy person. "Dinosaur" smoothies were drank twice a day. I thought we were in the clear. Nope. On June 11th our results all came back positive. Everyone was feeling good by then except me. June 14th at 1am I woke up to my water breaking. The doctors assume my body decided to hit the "eject" button on baby Adeline at 27 weeks pregnant. I woke up to a gush of water in bed at 1am. Truthfully I sniffed it a bunch of times worried I had peed the bed since I had drank a bunch of tea with honey to help my cough. It was not. I called and the doctor ordered me straight to labor and delivery at a level IV (the highest) NICU. I truly was in denial and thought I was being a hypochondriac, but even though I was covid positive they insisted it was pretty urgent that I get there asap. I almost didn't. It was the first night in over a month Will and Eli were sleeping in their own beds and hadn't climbed into ours, I was tired and wanted rest, plus I had an OB appointment scheduled in 2 days time. But I figured let's be safe. Thank goodness I did. After a bunch of tests, steroids, antibiotics, blood thinner shots and tears I was put in isolation and would remain like that until I tested negative. I was the first patient in Charlotte to be in early preterm labor and have covid. There was so much to learn about PPROM and I had no idea it existed before this. Having doctors call you (since they wanted to minimize contact) and tell you all the worst case scenarios about you and your baby is terrifying, and what is worse is hearing it whilst being alone. The hospital and doctors weren't sure exactly how to deal with the situation. I no longer had symptoms but "was I still contagious? "was the big unknown. They were flying through PPE taking care of me. Even if a pen came into my room it had to remain there. I quickly came to learn covid was very much real. I heard some terrifying stories about mothers birthing babies who had not faired as well and I prayed hard to remain healthy. After 10 days in isolation and 4 silly brain tickling covid tests I finally tested negative and was moved to high risk maternity to remain on bedrest and be closely monitored. I managed to stay pregnant a total of 3 weeks until I woke up early on July 5th to a scary amount of blood leaving my body, my placenta had abrupted and the world around me started moving quickly. Thankfully Josh was staying there with me the night before so he was right by my side. 2 hours later Adeline Rose Wells was born and whisked away, Josh went over to meet her and take some videos for me to see our sweet girl. She looked bigger than I had expected with a full head of black hair. Several hours later I got to meet her (after getting stuck in the elevator first, yip ofcourse another curve ball!! □□‍♀️) and I was in love. She was tiny and struggling to keep her lungs open so she was intubated. But soon she transitioned to bubble Cpap and then finally room air □ next I was reunited after what felt like eternity with Will and Eli, a moment I will never forget. But quickly my emotions turned sad trying to navigate making up lost time with them and being at the hospital with Adeline. Our NICU stay was going great until she had random blood pressure issues. It was way too high for her little age and we were so worried. We ran every test imaginable and everything came back clear, the doctors had no idea what was causing it and had her on two different BP meds for a week. Next nephrology decided to double her meds and we put our foot down. After asking dozens of times to switch her monitor and being told there is no way it's the machine, low and behold it was the machine. It was a huge relief but 10 days of pure stress. Once we got over that hurdle it was Brady watch. She was doing great on her feeds so we just needed her to mature a little more before leaving. The Brady clock was tough because we kept getting our hopes up and then we would have to get told a little longer. Third time was the charm and we finally were able to take her home today. It all feels a little surreal. I'm writing all this down because I know I'm going to possibly forget pieces of one of the toughest seasons of our life--who would of thought our singleton would be tougher than twins?!?! Apparently PPD and trauma does that to the brain to protect it. Sure I've had some happy great moments but I cannot deny suffering many lows and feeling depressed too. I already have had blackout moments that I cannot recall from the past 2 months. Another true fact is that covid is most definitely real. It changed our families life beyond measure. Sure not everybody gets sick and dies, my family all experienced very different symptoms and I know a lot of people have very strong personal opinions of it all but I admittedly didn't use to think it was a huge deal but I was wrong. I carried my twins to full term 2 years ago and was induced, they tried to break my water several times but my body just wanted to keep them tucked safely inside, hence the shock of our singleton. After my placenta study they are fairly certain covid is what caused my preterm labor, pregnant ladies please be safe I wouldn't wish this experience on anyone. But the other reason for this post is to spread awareness about the glory of God and how we first handedly witnessed so many miracles around us, including our own sweet girl. We have had so much wonderful support from so many kind people and I promise every message/gift/help/support has not gone by unnoticed. We appreciate you all so much and couldn't of done this without you. Thank you so much. We have a long road ahead of us filled with doctors appointments and sleepless nights but we are oh so ready for it all.

Victoria was born premature at 34 weeks with hydrops and chylothorax with no chance of survival. My husband and I are both paramedics and i had no complications with pregnancy until the 32nd week. I got sick. I developed a ton of fluid and they did amniocentesis and every test that was performed came back normal with no cause for the hydrops. Then, i went into labor. Victoria arrived and was intubated and bilateral chest tubes to drain all the fluid. The 26th day we were blessed to take our little one home. Victoria on aug 31st, turned 5 and she is completely healthy and the happiest little girl. Miracles happpen! Never give up!

My Joshua arrived by emergency c-section on 08/05/2019 8 weeks early due to me going into early labour. He weighed 5lb 3oz. He spent 1 week in the NICU in Newcastle, Australia, then came home to our hometown of Tamworth for 3 weeks. Joshy was tube fed and worked up to fill bottle feeds. He came home just before he was 1 month old. He was only on CPAP for 6 hours before he could breathe on his own, all thanks to the steroids I received before he arrived Now he is 16 months old and doesn’t look like the prem baby he was. Hitting all milestones and is a very big boy

Scarlett was born full term at 7lb 11oz with a congenigal heart defect and stayed in the Nicu until her first open heart surgery at 3 days. She the remained in the Picu after each surgery goong forward. The staff were a blessing on getting us through an incredibly hard time.

i had a rupture on 2 february 2019 so i delivered my 3rd baby she was 26weeks+6 days 910g and 34 cm it was very hard since we didn't heared about surviving babies at this age she stayed 57 days at NICU with help of woderful staff and no complications, she was our little miracle. now Joya is 19 month old a healthy girl full of energy❤️

My Sophia Grace was born at 24 weeks on October 2, 2019 and spent 103 days in the NICU. The cause of early birth is unknown. It happened in the middle of the night and by the time we got to the hospital she was in so much distress they had to perform an emergency c-section. She was barely viable, but she fought through!! Almost a year now and she’s as healthy as can be!□

my daughter was at the royal children's hospital now 24 years ago in the neo natal ward..she was born with spina bifida..she had her problems as a child but now she is a beautiful young lady Chloe Nicole Mackerral 12/02/1996

Mason was born on 19 April 2019 at 31 weeks gestation weighting 1.175 kgs. He spent 47 days in the NICU and is now a happy and healthy 16 month old.

My son Aames is my NICU miracle! I was diagnosed with preeclampsia at 33 weeks and ended up needing an emergency c-section at 35 weeks. Aames was needing help right away and was diagnosed with Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). He was so incredibly sick. I didn’t even get to hold him for about a week. He was in the NICU for a month. This was the hardest experience of my life to that point (I have a less happy outcome with his younger brother) Here is Aames last night, my happy, healthy, brave, funny, perfect NICU miracle 10 years later! ❤️

In honor of NICU awareness month, this 36 weeker, 4 lbs. 15.9.oz. is now a very active and rambunctious 2 year old at 20ish lbs. Emma James endured 6 intrauterine transfusions and 76 ultrasounds for the kell antibody. She was a fighter for 8 months as mommy's anti-k body was fighting against her. Was in the NICU for 7 days and proves everyday how she beat the odds. The nurses, doctors and staff were beyond amazing❤❤❤

My son Kaleb was born at 33 weeks due to Severe preeclampsia. He weighed 4lbs 2oz. We had a 4 week NICU stay, he battled his way through Jaundice and Apnea of prematurity. Today is a happy healthy 8 year old.

Our twins, Leo and Hannah were born at 37 weeks and 6 days. Leo was born with the cord around his neck, a hole in his lung, head trauma, and trouble maintaining his blood sugar levels. Immediately after delivery, he was rushed to the NICU, where he would spend the next 5 days. Luckily the hole in his lung closed on his own, the head trauma subsided and within 4 days of being in the NICU his blood sugar levels checked out. We were able to take him home on the 5th day of his stay. Our time in the NICU, though short was an experience that will forever be engraved in our minds and hearts. We are so grateful to our NICU nurses and doctors who made our time there so special!

My baby was 8weeks early weighing 3lbs 15oz she was born at holy cross in silver springs Md she was in the NICU for a month and 2 weeks. It’s was the worst days of my life but I walked away each day from seeing her knowing that she was safe. The doctors n nurses there took such good care of her. I thank them from the bottom of my ❤️.

When I found out I was having identical twins I knew they would be early but we did not plan on having them quite so early. Addilynn and Sophia were born at 31 weeks and 4 days weighing 3 and 4 pounds. Addilynn was in distress because she had a serious heart defect; both have a heart defect but Addilynn was much worse. Addilynn had heart surgery at 3 days old. They have been in perfect health since! We left the NICU after a month and a half.

Jaidyn was born 5 weeks early on November 30, 2019. Suffering from respiratory distress she was placed in the NICU. Thankful for the doctors and nurses at Franciscan Health Greenwood, Indiana for taking such excellent care of her.

When we found out we were having triplets our world changed so much and they weren't even here yet. I remember looking at the monitor and seeing three little heart beats, thinking this is it I'm finally going to be a mom. We had prayed for this miracle for over 3 years. God truly answered in a mighty way. All throughout my pregnancy I had the normal concerns that every expectant new mom had. But we made it to 30 weeks before their foret attempt to come out. My doctor asked me what I wanted to do. I said if everything was fine and no one was in danger stop the contractions. At 32 weeks they tried again. My doctor asked me once again what I wanted to do, my answer was the same. But at my 34 week appointment, he looked at me and said I believe it's time to meet these three. I looked confused because my scheduled c-section was the following tuesday. He said that one had started to steal from the others, my 02 was starting to go lower than he liked and I could hardly move. So at 34 weeks I delivered 3 beautiful miracles within 3 minutes. Their poor daddy hit the floor. I wanted to hold them so much. They were all doing so well. No one needed 0xegen. They came down from the highest level of the nicu to the lowest within a few hours. I could not believe how blessed we were to have these 3 children doing so well for being 6 weeks early. They came home from the nicu a week at a time rose at 2 john at 3 and ben at 4. We like to think that we were eased into parenthood of triplets. We have had an issue with eating with my son Ben and he currently has a G-tube for secondary eating. But they are all growing and learning. It's a wonderful blessing

Blake was born at 7lbs 10oz, but during delivery his lungs collapsed, stopping him from breathing on his own. Blake was in the Nicu for 14 days, he was sedated for the first week to get the oxygen balanced and a chest tube put in as oxygen was leaking out of his lungs and into his chest. Blake was a true fighter and recovered in no time! Blake is now 6 months old and is a happy healthy boy

My last pregnancy ended up having several complications near the end. I had bleeding (ended up learning It was a partial abruption later) at 30 weeks and when I went to L&D found out I was contracting and my cervix was dilating. My dr was able to stop contractions and I went home. 2 weeks later I started having a lot of itching and while running blood work for ICP discovered I also had very high blood pressures. After being diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and ICP it was decided I should be induced at 33 weeks exactly. My little guy came into the world screaming despite being 7 weeks early, having a partial abruption, and having the cord around his neck 4 times. He was our little miracle weighing in at 4lb 15oz. He did great and came home with us after 24 days.

After my water broke at 19 weeks I had 2 high risk Drs tell me she only had a 5% chance of survival. They advised me to abort her but I just couldn't because her little heart was still beating so strong! I told them that if I was gonna lose her then I would go home and lose her naturally. So we went home amd waited....I was able to carry her until 29 weeks until I began to have a placental abruption. She was born at 29 weeks 3 days at only 3lbs 3oz 14in long. She was perfect! She learned to nurse at 31 weeks which is unheard of said the NICU nurses! She came home from the hospital at 34 weeks at only 4lbs 9oz! She is now almost 5 months old weighing over 12 lbs!

“He’s here! He’s finally here!” A tear fell down my face as I breathed a sigh of relief. I finally was holding the baby I prayed for earnestly after losing my firstborn son DJ, who was born still at 28-weeks’ gestation. I had been a nervous wreck all throughout my pregnancy. I had so many plans: to breastfeed, do skin-to-skin, and bond with my son during the golden hour. But none of this happened. Grayson, my rainbow baby was born 6-weeks’ early, March 4, 2017. They cleaned him off, laid him on my chest and I was in pure bliss. But my paradise was interrupted when they removed him abruptly and whisked him away to the NICU as he was laboring to breath. They connected him to an assortment of tubes, wires, and monitors. When we first saw him, it shattered my husband and me, because there was nothing we could do for him! Throughout his NICU stay the NICU nursing staff worked diligently on stabilizing his breathing, curing his jaundice, increasing his weight, and regulating his body temperature. It was so much for me to bear as the weight of loss, anxiety, and uncertainty crashed down on me all at once. Thankfully, Grayson only stayed in the NICU seven days. But for a parent who had to leave the hospital empty-handed twice, it felt like an eternity. I’m forever grateful Grayson made it home safely and has blossomed into an amazing little human whom I cherish immensely.

Our daughter was born at 34 weeks, weighing 3lbs 9.5oz. She was airlifted from our local hospital to the NICU an hour & a half away. She spent 3 weeks in the NICU fighting to stabilize her blood sugar levels & tackled jaundice. When she finally got to go home, she weight 4lbs 12oz. She hasn't had any issues since leaving the NICU, aside from needing eyeglasses. She is going to be celebrating her 6th birthday this month (September), starting Kindergarten & is a very energetic child.

Benjamin came into this world at 37 weeks. His sugars we undetectable so he was sent off to a level 3 NICU. For 12 days, we drove back and forth to see him. I knew he was there for a bigger reason. He was ultimately diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency, a disease which his body doesn’t make enough cortisol. He remains the bravest boy I know. His first days of life were away from us but he flourished and was loved by many. I still remember spying on him over their webcam and aching for him to be with us. He is now 15 months old and thriving!

I had two boys in the NICU. They are 9 years apart. They both have the same diagnoses of 22q11. It's a genetic disorder; duplication of the 22nd chromosome. They were both in the NICU for about 45 days. They both have g tubes placed. Severe developmental delay requiring PT, OT speech and Developmental therapies. My oldest had malabsorption issues so he couldn't gain weight because he required so many extra calories. He hit 10 pounds when he was 2 1/2 years old. Now, 9 years later you couldn't tell there was ever anything wrong with him. We are still working through my youngests issues with therapy. They both a very rough start to life. They are my NICU miracles and thankful for the NICU and our nurses everyday!

My little Caelin was born 1 month premature and 3 lbs 3 oz. It was so scary sitting beside hime while he was in the incubator for two long weeks. This whole experience had changed me as a man and have been more involved with family! Today he is healthy and very much active like kids his own size and age he is my whole heart!!

My baby Hope Hannah was born at 30 Weeks I had preeclampsia and she was born after 2 Days in the hospital the dr thought it was best to do a c Section on me and my baby was born at 30 Weeks she was 3po and 2 oz she was on breathing machine for 2 days but Hope would pull the c pap Out so they kept her in nicu for 31 days it was the most difficult hardest hours and days of our life Hope is also my 5 th baby and I had 4 at home with no family Support the nurses we’re the best support ever I never knew having a baby in nicu would be this hard but it was the hardest moment ever when I had to leave the hospital after day 7 of delivering my baby I remember I cried and cried Going home and cried at home I couldn’t stand being away from my baby girl so we drove back after being home for 30 mins I had the hardest nights and hardest days I would Spend all day at the hospital With Hope I know now what parents are going though now she’s 2 years old And so healthy she has no health problems at all she’s very smart she’s a lot smarter then all my other kids were at this age she talks a lot she sings dances eats on her own she plays she knows how to Use my phone she’s so normal you wouldn’t even imagine she was so Early she’s a blessing and I would like to share this story with other parents that are going though it today that there is light at the end of the tunnel and God is a awesome God He will hear all your prayers and not to give up.

When I was 28 weeks and 3 days I went to bathroom there was blood. Called my husband because I didn't know what to do. He called his cousin who lives next door to come check on me. By the time I got off the phone I didn't feel right. I had a lot of pressure so I checked to see what was causing it. It turned out to be my sons head. I freaked out and pushed with the next contraction and he was out in the toilet. I thought he was dead and didn't catch him. But once he was out I got him out of toilet by that time there was a knock on the door and I yelled come in help me i had my baby. She called 911. While I keep watching his breathing. This all happened within 3 minutes. It took the ambulance about 5 minutes to get here from then I had already delivered the placenta at that point. The emts had me stand up so they could get the placenta in a bag. They were also watching my son's breathing. They said for 28 weeks his breathing was amazing then they got him cleaned up and in a foil like blanket and out to ambulance they went. Within minutes I was out the door behind them and in ambulance then we went and meet the helicopter where he was taken to the NICU at Washington Reagonal hospital. He spent 8 weeks in the NICU there

I am the grandmother of a beautiful little 3-year-old boy who was born in end-stage kidney disease and we were told the whole time my daughter was pregnant, that my grandson would not survive. He did have underdeveloped lungs and was on a ventilator. Eventually he was able to breathe on his own. I have never in my life felt so indebted to the nurses and doctors in the NICU. They saved my grandson's life. My grandson is scheduled for a kidney transplant at Children's Hospital on the 22nd of September. My daughter is a teacher and has taken off from her position for a year. Her husband is a police officer for the Port authority and he is going to be my grandson's kidney donor. We have been very blessed by Children's Hospital and in particular the NICU for the amazing nursing care he received. They truly did save his life

Our Miracle son Harry wad born 3 months early at 29 weeks and spent a whole 3 months in the NICU fighting for his life in 2019. Harry was delivered in an emergency after fluid was found building up inside his stomach on several scans, he was born with a very rare condition called non immune fettal hydrops. When Harry was born his body was all blown up due to the fluid build. His tiny organs were getting crushed, he was ventilated for over a month due to his lungs being so small resulting in him also having chronic lung disease. Harry had an emergency bowl operation on his ruptured bowl at just 1 month old, the medical team reckon this was the build up of all the fluid. Our son was 1 month old before we got to hold him for the first time, this was so precious! He also spent 9 months on home oxygen after leaving the hospital. This was such a heartbreaking journey. Harry was a very critical little boy and we are extremely lucky to have him, and will be forever thankful, he is our world. □ Harry is now an absolutely amazing 1 year old little boy who gives us so much fun in our daily lives. Miracles do happen, never loose hope! □ □

We had not 1 but 2 NICU stories. My 1st started May 27, 2003 when I delivered Kailey. I went to the ER on 5/23 just 12 hours after my apt for a horrible headache. 12 hours later I was told I would be there until I delivered. I was not due til August. Dr said I would not make it to August, most likely no July and he prayed I would get to June... may 27th I delivered my 2pound miracle due to severe preeclampsia. She measured 27 weeks. She was taken to NICU and vented. 4 days later is my first memory. We were told she had 2 IVH brain bleeds, a grade 2 and 4. They let me hold her for 5 minutes as they told us they don't know the damage of the bleeds, if she survives, she may never talk, walk or have severe disabilities. She survived the night. She continued to thrive with some setbacks, but non like the bleeds. 7.5 weeks in the nicu and she came home a month before her due date when she home 4.5 pounds. She continued to thrive. She did have fine, large and gross motor delays. She didnt walk til almost 2. At age 6 a mild cp was diagnosed. An IEP started for her at school. She is now 17. She drives and plays on her HS tennis team. Not a day goes by that we're not thankful for our NUCU TEAM!

In 2017 I was 28 weeks with my baby girl. Due to pre-eclampsia, I had an emergency C-Section at 28 weeks 5 days. Dyani Hammon was born on October 25th, 2017 weighing 2.5 lbs. Our little angel was a fighter! She stayed in the hospital for two months and exactly on Christmas Day we got to take her home!! She’s the best! Stay strong NICU moms!

I carried my son to a couple days after 40 weeks. I gave birth to a little boy who passed his apcar test with a 10! However I noticed something was wrong with Liam’s breathing as the day went on into evening. I called the nurses and Liam none of them were sure what was going on. He went to Hopkins that night without me since they had not checked my vitals yet. I was heartbroken to say the least and shaken. I didn’t sleep much and went to see him as soon as I could. Seven days was hard on all of us but my little boy made it through! He is such a beautiful blessing to all of us ❤️

My miracle baby Adam was born at 27 weeks. He was delivered through an emergency cesarean. He is currently in the the NICU. I go to see my son every day. I can’t wait when he comes home. We are so grateful to his doctors and nurses.

Jaxon was born at 34 weeks and 5 days due to my water breaking prematurely. He was 5lbs 12oz. He spent 25 days in the NICU with feeding issues. Jaxon sees Developmental, speech, and occupational therapists still. He'll be 2 in December and is very rambunctious and happy all the time!

My twin daughters were born at 32 weeks. Baby A (Makenzi) weighed 3lbs 5oz and Baby B (Makayla) weighed 3lbs 4oz. I was told when they were born, that they would most likely have to stay 6-8 weeks in the NICU. But they were born fighters and only spent 18 days! They just turned 13 and are very healthy and play every single sport that time allows!

It was a very nerve wracking night not knowing if we could keep him in utero for another 2 weeks. He stayed for 1 and was born at 33weeks 3day, weighing 4lbs 13oz. He was born with CHD. He had his first surgery at 1 month old. He stayed in the NICU for 4 months. He is a miracle baby, still causing as much rucus as he did coming in the world.

Our son, Dominick, was born at 40 weeks and 2 days at 8lbs 7oz. The day after birth we were trying to decide if we wanted to stay a second night or head home - thankfully our nurse at that time pushed for us to stay as Dominick wasn’t always latching well. Shortly after that my husband and I noticed odd eye movements happening on and off and asked our nurses about it a number of times. We were assured this was normal for newborns. Our parental instincts told us something wasn’t right but as first time parents we weren’t certain. At around 40 hours old in the middle of the night when Dominick was back having his bilirubin and check, we heard a code alarm go off and several people run past our door (this moment still haunts me). We knew it was our boy. He began having seizures due to dangerously low glucose levels, it was 10 at the time. He spent 13 days in the NICU while medical professionals worked tirelessly to keep his glucose up. He was later diagnosed with Persistent Hyperinsulinemic Hypoglycemia of Infancy. This is a rare genetic condition where his pancreas produces too much insulin causing low blood sugar. He is still dealing with PHHI at 15 months old but he will eventually grow into the amount of insulin he produces. We are so grateful that there was no brain damage caused by the seizures or many days of low glucose levels, and that he continues to meet all of his milestones. Our NICU family was incredible and we are honored to know them. And to our nurse who convinced us to stay that second night after delivery - we owe everything. Dominick’s outcome may have been much worse had he been seizing at home in the middle of the night. God works in mysterious ways!

Our Kenna was born 32 weeks 2 days. My water broke at 28 weeks. I was placed on bed rest in the hospital with hopes of keeping her in there until 34 weeks. She came on her own. She was on my chest for 30 seconds before they rushed her to the NICU. I sent my husband with her. I couldn’t meet my girl for 3 hours. She had a central line placed, several IV’s during our stay, and an intestinal scare. (Air pockets in her intestines that could have given her lifelong damage.) Ate with a feeding tube for her first week and a half of life. We were told she’d be in the hospital for 8+ weeks. She came home without oxygen and ZERO complications after 2 1/2 weeks.

I had a stressful but bless pregnancy my third Son Carter was born month and half early weighting at about 1 pound 15 oz and breathing on his own this a strong boy I thank god for him my first preemie baby

07/01/2020 my son Isaac was born. Unfortunately I had a placental abruption and Isaac stopped breathing, it took 10 minutes to get his first breath. He spent two weeks in NICU and in that time he fought off necrotizing enterocolitis, pneumonia and jaundice. We almost lost him twice but thanks to the NICU members efforts, he was able to beat them. Hes such a wee fighter and is now a happy healthy 8 month old. Will be forever thankful to NICU for saving him x

Hello! My son was born at 37 weeks on Oct. 26th. He weighed 6lbs 15.9 oz. The Drs released him from the hospital and deep down I just had a horrible feeling something wasn’t right. I kept telling the Dr. that my baby wasn’t acting right and they assured me he was fine and discharged us. Not even 3 hours of being home he went into respiratory distress. We quickly rushed him to the hospital and he stayed in the PICU for 3 days waiting for his genetic testing to be rushed to us because they had no clue what was going on with my son. By the third day he was already in a coma and wasn’t responding. We finally found out his ammonia level was >1500 and the hospital we were at couldn’t help him so they transferred him to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville, Tn. He needed to be quickly be put on dialyzes to filter and clean his blood of all the ammonia. The Dr told us it would be a miracle if my son survived the night and if he did he would have severe neurological damage. But by the grace of God he survived with minimal damage and after a few weeks in the PICU he was then placed in the NICU. We were finally given a diagnosis. He was diagnosed with a rare Metabolic Disorder called OTC. His body couldn’t break down and process the protein that was in his formula and it turned into ammonia. So we were in the NICU for 2 and a half months waiting on a new liver and FINALLY on Jan. 12th at 11pm we got the call that they finally found a match and would be doing the surgery the following morning. All went really good and we were then placed back in the PICU for another month and he was finally able to come home in March. We have had probably upwards to 30 hospital stays since then but he is doing well now and is almost 8 months post transplant. □□

Our NICU warrior, Blair, was born at 25 weeks 2 days old by emergency c section on Christmas Eve 2019 due to placental abruption. She weighed 1 lb 9 ounces, and measured 12.5 inches long. She spent 123 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Mercy Southwest hospital in Bakersfield, CA. We were incredibly fortunate that Blair, while having the normal NICU challenges a micro preemie can have, she did not have any additional ailments. No surgeries, no brain bleeds, eye issues that quickly resolved on their own, no feeding issues; just growing and those pesky lungs.

My sweet girl Layla was born at 33 weeks weighing 5 lbs 12 oz. my preeclampsia caused some problems and landed me in the hospital where i then started having contractions. She was breach so emergency c section we went. She spent 3 weeks in the NICU, she had a hard time picking up the sucking, swallow & breathing at the same time. I’m so thankful for the NICU and the great care they took of her □

My NICU baby girl□ When my daughter Carly was born she ended up with a blood infection while I was in labor for 24 1/2, hours, I ended up having group b strep and didn't know until I was 8 cm along, she stayed in the NICU for 4 days hooked up to heart monitor, tube in her belly for her antibiotics and under the light for her jaundice altho that wasn't too bad, they were more worried about her blood infection, when they took her out they rushed her right to NICU, I had no idea as I was put to sleep for an emergency section, I woke up to only the nurse in recovery asking where she was, I freaked when they told she had to be rushed, 4 days of visiting her in a little tiny space. Im beyond thankful to the nurses and doctors who had been there for her. 4 years later she's a thriving 4 year old who just started pre primary□

My 38 weekers are 4 now and thankfully very healthy. My smallest weighed 726g at birth. They spent 75 days in NICU with several blood transfusions between them, pnuemorothoraxes, wholes in the ducts of their hearts, a brain bleed, a nasty infection and all on jet ventilators and cpap. I wish someone could've shown me this photo and said they'd be okay. It is a terrifying and isolating journey but the NICU staff do a bloody amazing job! Strength and hugs to all the Mummas leaving their babies at the hospital every night □

Maverick fought for 7 days in the NICU to come home with his family. He was born with meconium in both lungs and a hemorrhage on the left side of his brain. He’s now a healthy (almost) 9 month old and he’s so advanced in everything he does. He has brought nothing but pure happiness to everyone he’s around.

My son Levi was born at 32 weeks 2 days and was as low as 3 lb 8 oz. He had jaundice, sepsis, NEC, heart condition and other complications throughout his 49 day NICU stay. He is now 3 1/2 years old and thriving.

Here is Nova Rae aka Super Nova born August 31 at 1lb 3oz she is now up to 1lb 6oz we did our first skin to skin yesterday a week and a half after birth. It’s been a very emotional ride but we’re so happy our little fighter is growing every day

After my blood pressure was 212/120 at 34 weeks, we were induced with Liam. After 2 days on mag and induction, we went to emergency c section. Liam weighed 3lb 14oz. He needed a feeding tube to learn how to eat, the bilirubin lights and IVs. He was so small but such a fighter. He got to come home after 27 days!

Our NICU journey was a little more unusual than most. My son, Charlie, was a born at 35 weeks and taken to the NICU for respiratory support. After a few uneventful days my son started having seizures, coded twice, and had to be hi mr intubated. Further testing discovered he had a rare type of fungal sepsis and meningitis. After 50 long days in the NICU, and with the wonderful care of countless doctors, specialists and nurses around the clock, we got to bring our baby boy home. It was a journey I never thought I would go on but it changed my entire outlook on life and our blessings. Today Charlie is 2 1/2 and thriving! Thanks to Boekelheide Neonatal Intensive Care Unit!

Our daughter was born at 29 and 2 weeks. She was 2 lbs 2 oz. I developed severe HELLP syndrome and she was born by emergency section. She was flown from our home town in Northern Ontario to Sickkids Hospital in Toronto. She had two surgeries on her head for a brain bleed that happened during delivery. She now has a vp shunt for Hydrocephalus. She is an amazing 2.5 year old who loves life, her little sister and exploring the world around her!!!

Siento en mi corazón contar este testimonio de vida pues se que alguna persona llenará de fe y para todos los que desde el día 1 oraron por ella vean el Milagro de Dios! Es largo pera vale la pena leer... Como muchos saben mi niña decidió salir de mi barriga antes de tiempo a las 24 semanas de gestación (apenas empezando los 6 meses)para ser exactos 3 meses y medios antes. El 13 de mayo me comenzaron unas fuertes contracciones en mi casa y así estuve hasta el 15 de mayo que comencé a sangrar y llegue al hospital con contracciones cada 4 minutos. Aún no rompía fuente y mi Ginecólogo decidió admitirme para aguantar lo más posible el embarazo. Me administro de todos los medicamentos que existen para aguantarme las contracciones y el dolor pero nada los controlaba, al contrario seguían aumentando. Ya a las 10:30pm cuando me verifica el Ginecólogo por que nada me paraba el dolor lo escucho decir prepárenla que tiene la bebe ahí, se va de parto! Sentí que mi corazón se paralizó por unos segundos, que la respiración me faltó y un miedo increíble me invadió por que no era el tiempo para dar a luz. El cuarto en cuestión de segundos se llenó de todo el personal y a las 11:07pm puje con todas mis fuerzas (sola por que no permiten familiar por la situación) llegó al mundo Nahiara Juliette. Cuando escuche ese pequeñito llanto me sentí la mujer más feliz del mundo y una paz que sobrepasa todo entendimiento. Nahiara peso 1 libra y 7 onzas, midiendo 13 pulgadas. Pude verla al otro día y fue muy impresionante ver una personita tan pero tan pequeña, su piel color roja transparente, podía ver casi a través de ella, pero a la ves una felicidad por que mi niña nació con vida y tenía frente a mis ojos un pedazo de mi vida y corazón. Cuando los Pediatras hablaron conmigo me orientaron de todas las cosas buenas que podían suceder pero también me dijeron las malas incluyendo que mi niña podía morir por lo prematura que era pues sus órganos no estaban desarrollados como se supone. Me advirtieron que sería un proceso largo y cuesta arriba. De muchas altas y bajas, de 3 pasos hacia delante y 4 para atrás. Me hablaron de un sangrado en la cabeza que a la mayoría de los bebés prematuros le ocurre que dependiendo el nivel son las consecuencias, una de ellas hidrocefalia y gracias a la gracia de Dios Nahiara nunca tuvo. Muchas complicaciones que los bebés prematuros desarrollan y más ella que se considera prematura extrema mi Dios se complació en que no tuviera ninguna grave! Ella estuvo 1 mes y medió conectada a un ventilador para poder respirar pues sus pulmones no estaban desarrollados.1 mes con oxígeno del alta presión y baja presión. Durante todo ese tiempo no podía ver bien su carita pues él tubo y soportes eran más grandes que su carita, casi a mitad de estadía pudimos descubrir a quien se parece (pura Padre y Tío). Tuvo 18 transfusiones de sangre y 8 episodios de apnea (olvidaba respirar). Un día llego al hospital (el día de los padres) y mi hija no era lo que yo había visto el día anterior, una de las proteínas le subió y comenzó a retener líquido, se hinchó de una manera horrible. Ese día fue uno de los días donde la impotencia y el miedo me invadía y me hacía sentir horrible. Hubo muchos días de buenas noticias pero también de días no tan buenos donde lloraba y le clamaba a Dios por un milagro, muchos días sin dormir llorando y pensando sin parar. Varias veces a Nahiara se le inflamó el intestino y pasaba días sin alimento y eso para mi era horrible verla llorar de hambre y molestia y yo con las manos atadas. Llegar al hospital y darle mi mejor cara y actitud a ella y salir de ese lugar destruída. Pero si puedo decir que siempre vi la mano de Dios en cada mínimo detalle. No faltará a esas palabras de aliento del personal de NICU cuando me veían triste. Nos hablaron de intervenciones quirúrgicas y procedimientos que hasta llegue a firmar consentimientos para realizar los procedimientos y Dios siempre hacia el milagro y no se llevaban a cabo. Poco a poco fuimos viendo el desarrollo de Nahiara, cuando llegó a las 2 libras celebramos como un gran logro. Ver sus ganas de vivir aferrándose a la vida me llenaban de fuerzas y más esperanza. Cada mes cumplido lo celebramos como una gran fiesta que hasta bizcocho había! Los días fueron pasando y veíamos como ella mejoraba. Subía de peso, sus órganos se desarrollaban bien. Sus pulmones ya podían funcionar por sí solos. Se pueden imaginar mi alegria el día que llegue y la vi sin los tubos, respirando solita, se veía bella! Fueron 111 días que Josué y yo la visitamos 1 ves al día solo 1 hora y jamás le fallamos. Muchos días donde juntos llorábamos y otros que uno le daba aliento al otro, Nahiara no pudo tener un mejor Papá y yo un grandioso esposo que siempre tenía sus brazos abiertos para abrazarme y consolarme en los días que sentía que no podía más. Mi cuerpo y mi mente se agotaron pero siempre mantuve mi fe. Llegó el gran día donde ya no había que hacerle nada más solo era cuestión de subir de peso y ya nos podíamos ir a casita. Y ese día llegò, El 2 de septiembre la trajimos a casita saludable dentro de su prematurez. Todas esas oraciones llegaron al trono de Dios y hoy podemos disfrutar de esta gran bendición y milagro de Dios! Ella ha dado cátedra del significado de su nombre: Nahiara- Señorita Juliette- La que es fuerte de raíz Hoy podemos disfrutar al 100 de nuestra princesa que ha llegado a llenarnos de más alegrías. Amo este momento aunque no duerma de noche jijiji y lo que tanto le pedí a Dios por más de 10 años hoy lo tengo en mis brazos, definitivamente su tiempo es perfecto! Josué y yo no tenemos palabras para agradecer a todos por siempre orar por ella, por estar al pendiente. Cada llamada y mensaje los valoramos con el corazón❤️ Aquí tienen una foto del primer día de nacida y una de hoy. Un cambio drástico que cuenta las maravillas de mi Señor, a El sea la Gloria!

In honor of NICU awareness month here’s a snippet of our 148 day NICU journey. The first time I held you, was 3 weeks after birth & you were less than a pound. The wires and breathing equipment weighed more than you. Your first sponge bath was 2 months later & I was so scared I was going to break you if I washed you too hard. You were extubated at 3 months and switched to a nasal canal. You’re first full bath and photoshoot with cute clothes other than the ugly white shirt was when you were 4 months old & I was so excited to put a bow on you. We walked around the halls showing you off to the other nurses, but shhh don’t tell the charge nurse□You also we’re put on room air and can you tell you were thrilled□□ A week before you coming home besides still acting a fool having bradycardia episodes (this is when you pretty much stop breathing and your heart rate drops) giving me and everybody else a heart attack, we were talking about a g-tube surgery which I DID NOT want & after numerous fights with doctors and surgeons we finally got you on full bottle feeds with no NG (even tho I had to learn how to put one in your nose □). The last picture is your coming home photo shoot□ Now what you don’t see in these pictures is the numerous blood transfusions, or infections you had. Or the aspiration episodes you had which cause pneumonia & another intubation which cause you scarring to your vocal cord. They don’t show your brain scans to have a grade 4 bilateral bleed nor the Stage 3 ROP which you needed an injection & surgery for. I could go on but you get the gist of it. The NICU journey was NEVER easy or EVER a dull moment. The nonstop beeping & the feeding pumps obnoxious siren when it finished, so annoying but all so necessary. I am forever grateful for our NICU nurses, doctors, therapists, & everybody in the unit because they’re all SO important every step of the way□□Now babygirl is a year old corrected & 16 months adjusted & doing great & keeping momma very busy□□

Finnleigh was born at 39+5 after a perfect pregnancy she was a very traumatic shoulder dystocia birth almost killing me and her. She weighed 9 lbs 6 oz, 21 inches long. (No gestational diabetes and was estimated to be only six pounds) was stuck for 11 minutes without oxygen and born with her cord around her neck. She coded twice in the delivery room. She spent three days on a hypothermic mat to help preserve her brain and prevent damage. She was also born with a brachial plexus injury. Her MRI was completely fine and EEG eventually showed not at risk for seizures and was clear as well. Our Doctors have never seen anything like it and said she’s a complete miracle. We spent 78 days between two different nicus due to feeding struggles. We came home with a G tube eventually. Shes just a few days shy of being nine months old. She graduated from her G tube two weeks ago. She originally didn’t move her arm or even wiggle her fingers for almost two months and we were told a nerve transplant would be her only option to move her arm. I’m proud to say we didn’t require a nerve transplant. We had a Brachial plexus follow up yesterday and she blew everyone away with her progress. She’s actually doing so well with that arm that we can go back in six months instead of our regular three month follow ups. I am so grateful for the staff that saved my baby girls life and played a part in her story

My son Wyatt was born at 33 week. I had Pre E my whole pregnancy. My body couldn't take it any long so I was induced. He weighed 5lbs 8oz. He spend 21 days in the NICU. He is now a 6 year old spitfire. □ Hats off to the amazing NICU team that cared for him!

I began having contractions and cervical change at 27 weeks. Up until this point, I had a completely normal pregnancy. I was admitted to the hospital for pre-term labor at 28 weeks when I began bleeding. After almost a week on strict bedrest in the hospital and several rounds of fluids, magnesium drips, Brethine injections, and steroid infusions, our little guy decided it was time. I had stayed at 1cm dilated for a few weeks but quickly went to 5 cm and intense contractions. At 29 weeks exactly I had an emergency C-section and our precious baby boy made his way into the world. After 7 weeks in the NICU, we were finally able to take him home. He is now almost 20 months old and the sweetest boy I could ever imagine calling my son. I could never thank the nurses and doctors in the NICU enough for everything they did for our son!

So our baby Daniel was born at 32 weeks we had our 32 week ultrasound on February 28th 2019 .. I was also suppose to have a stress test that day . So up until that day my pregnancy was normal besides the intense all day sickeness (not just morning for me ). So I failed the stress test , the nurse said no big deal we will do the ultrasound and it will be fine , well it wasn’t our ultrasound showed that Daniel had stopped growing he was only 2lbs .. so they rushed us to labor and delivery which thank god was in the same building, our Dr comes in to our room to try and calm us down we are so scared he says don’t worry everything will be fine ., the nicu team also came to see us ., the thought that we were gonna Have to leave our baby when I was discharged was so devastating to me I could not wrap my head around that.. ! The plan was deliver via c-section on Saturday March 2nd ., but Daniels heart rate kept dropping and he was delivered March 1st at 6:45 am he came out screaming and full of life ., he weighed 2lbs 12 oz I was only able to just kiss his cheek and he was rushed to the nicu ., after that it was just a big blur at first .. I was able to see him again later on that day he was on c/pap for the first 24 hours then switched to high flow cannula (he was on the cannula up until a week before discharge) .The first time I held him was on March 4th ., the most amazing feeling ., I’m thankful that I got to hold my first 2 babies right after delivery.. but I was so anxious and sad that I didn’t even get to hold our little man . I was discharged a few days later our son was at holyredeemer nicu in meadow brook Pa , we will be forever grateful for the care and love the drs and nurses had with our son □ (they have a very special place in our hearts ♥️) Daniel spent 39 days in the nicu he was discharged on April 8th a few weeks before his due date ., he was 4lbs Daniel had his ups and downs in the nicu he had grade 1 brain bleed which resolved on its own he had to spend a few weeks under the Billie lights he had blood sugar issues that felt like would never end but finally it did ., he also had stridor and that also got better as he got older ., I never imagined I would have a baby that needed to be in the nicu .. but I can say the nicu changed me so much ., I don’t take a moment with him for granted ! Seeing how strong he was and being so small and the strength that he gave me to be strong for him is amazing ... I don’t Wish the nicu life on nobody it’s scary yes but so precious those memories will forever be with me ❤️ Daniel is 18 months now and doing amazing .. □□

During my Mother’s 30 week checkup my mom was diagnosed with preeclampsia which affects 6-8% of all pregnant women. On April 30, 2017 I came into the world 10 weeks early. I weighed just 2 pounds, 7.7 ounces. My first 42 days were spent in the NICU at Moses Taylor Hospital Scranton, PA. The nurses and doctors took excellent care of me and were with me each step of the way. This was very hard on my family, but the NICU staff made sure they were there for each and every milestone to make it special for my parents. On June 11th, 2017 the NICU nurses had a graduation for me and I received a Ms. NICU graduate onesie and tutu. I gained another family. Love, Nina

Our daughter was born at 30 weeks weighing 1lb 6oz, due to my placenta and not getting enough blood flow. She spent 112 days in the NICU. She had lots of ups and downs, but she is a fierce little girl! She is our miracle! We will always be grateful of the medical team in the NICU.

I was hospitalized at 26 weeks with HELLP syndrome and had my daughter, Kyla at 27 weeks. She weighed 1lb 8oz and was 13in long. She spent 91 days in 3 different NICUs. She struggled with PDA, abnormal brain scans, ROP, feeding intolerance, struggles with respiratory issues, many NEC scares and was diagnosed with clinical NEC. She was allergic to my breast milk. She is now a healthy 10 year old who loves singing, Irish dance, Feild Hockey, LaCrosse and Basketball. She wouldn't be here without all of the Drs, Nurses and therapist at Lankenau, Paoli and Dupont. We both still struggle today with anxiety but we struggle together ❤

Our little warrior was born at 24+0 due to a subchorionic hematoma causing preterm premature rupture of membranes at 22+5 and placental abruption on the day of George Emerson’s birthday July 10th. Extreme prematurity gave us a long and bumpy 150 day stay in the NICU. Emerson overcame obstacle after obstacle: PDA closure ventilator for 8 weeks gut issues causing us to start and stop feeds for a month trying different fortifiers, doing upper and lower GI studies, long term use of tpn Surgery - inguinal hernia repairs, appendectomy, exploratory intestinal surgery where we fixed a congenital band causing our gut issues, placement of g-tube NSiMV for 4 weeks, Cpap for 3 weeks, High Flow for 4 weeks Low blood sugar issues leading to lots of testing including a full genome sequencing Osteopenia of prematurity (a couple healed broken ribs on X-ray) Began learning to feed 1.5 weeks before leaving and ate our first full bottle the night before we left! Came home on room air - 6 days before began trialing. Emerson continues to defy expectations although we are followed by many specialists, so far we are catching up with our actual age milestones and are even on the weight and head curve now, still catching up on height. We were blessed with our miracle and know through God’s provisions and the wonderful NICU team, we were able to not only survive but thrive! We are forever grateful for every neonatologist, nurse, practitioner, specialist, counselor, social worker, tech, lactation consultant, and the list goes on! It takes a village to raise a child and a city to raise a NICU Baby! Today we are 14 months actual and 10 adjusted. I can’t wait to see the wonderful things this baby will grow up to do!

My water started leaking around 23 weeks and 6 days. I had no idea what was happening but I knew something was worng and went in for a check-up. I was admitted to the hospital right away and was told I have to be in the hospital until the my twins are born. After 3 weeks in the hospital, I woke up one morning (27 weeks and 1 day) to find that I was having a cord prolapse! Within 20 mins, I was under general anesthesia and the babies were born within and hours. Yaara's birth weight was 1.6lbs and Zaina was 2.2 lbs! Yaara had pneumothorax and a tube had to be inserted to help hear breath. The twins stayed in the hospital for almost 3 months, had several health issues but came home weighing almost 5lbs. There has been some delays in reaching milestones, other than that, Yaara and Zaina are very active and happy babies who just turned two!

With many complications very early on I was planning a little NICU time. What I was not expecting was my water breaking while I slept at 28 weeks. Going in to the hospital they had to transfer me to a hospital that could take a 28 weeker. Once there the plan was to stay pregnant for as long as possible. I lasted 3 hours □. Doctor checked me when I started bleeding and immediately said everyone was needed we need to go to OR now. My son had stuck his left hand in to the birth canal □‍♀️. Emergency c-section was not fun as they were unable to give me the full dose of the epidural. I felt most of the c-section. I never saw him as they took him immediately away. An hour after surgery I got to see him for the first time. Jack weighted 1lb 15oz 13 1/2 inches long. When he was born his hand was so swollen and they were unsure of the damage to it. He was breathing on his own but 2 weeks later we got a call that all parents feared. If we did not have a primary nurse that knew him and knew he was not acting like him self he would not be here today. He was struggling and she decided to intubate him. As soon as they did he stopped breathing on his own he just gave up he was so tired. They were unsure of what was going on. They even had to do a spinal tap on him twice. I don't even remember the official diagnosis as I was having a hard time with everything. Once better he did great until a month later when he started to breath really fast setting us back. After his second round of Dart he did better. So many other medical problems that were scary and heartbreaking happened as our journey lasted 3 months. 93 long days of not knowing what was going to happen and even almost losing my rainbow baby. Jack came home on oxygen for a little while. He is 2 years old now and even though he is small for his age he is smart and such an amazing kid. I look back on those days and can't thank the nurses, doctors and everyone else that worked in the NICU enough. They saved my son and in a way saved me.

After almost 2 years of trying for pregnancy we finally got that positive test result! We were so excited! But then at 25 weeks 2 days I started having contractions and bleeding. 1 day later I was diagnosed with preeclampsia. Bryce was born 3 days later at 25 weeks 6 days. He spent 20 hours on a vent before moving to cpap. We held him for the first time at 1 week old. We were very lucky that he had no major health issues during his NICU stay. We spent a total of 100 days in the NICU and went home on his due date. We are so thankful for the amazing doctors and nurses at Studer Family Childrens Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart!

My name is Jordan Starr, my twins spent 107 days in the St Francis Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Born nearly three months early at only 28 weeks and 3 days there were several challenges we as a family had to overcome. Our daughter, Sophia, was born weighing 2 pounds 6 ounces(very premature) and our son, Carson, was born weighing 1 pound 3 ounces(a micro preemie). Both needed substantial medical supports initially and while both progressed, they still faced significant medical challenges and long term Neonatal Intensive Care Unit specialized care. There are many stressors associated with premature birth of not just one but two babies intensified the many significant medical, financial and emotional challenges. With the amount of guilt, high emotions, and stress we underwent I developed moderate postpartum depression, which I've come to terms with. All mother’s experience guilt at one time or another, but a premature mother’s guilt can be overwhelming. Not only is there guilt about “normal” parenting decisions but there is guilt about the actual prematurity. Not being able to carry my babies to full-term really took a toll on my emotions. As a mother I felt as though my body failed me and everything that happened after that early birth magnified those feelings. Even though I knew it wasn’t my fault that my twin pregnancy was complicated, I still felt all the responsibility for those two lives inside me. I carried the weight of every decision on my shoulders, and when it came time to deliver, I, alone, had to give the doctor permission to save my babies. Watching my son and daughter struggle in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was the hardest thing I had to do . Why couldn’t my body take care of them longer? Why did they have to fight so hard just to live? Was there something else I could have done to keep them from being born so early and from suffering so much? In my head, I know there was nothing I could have done to change the outcome, but sometimes my heart didn’t get the message. Sometimes, no matter what reassurances were given, that guilt takes over logical reasoning. You truly find your hidden strength you never even knew you possessed, The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit changes you all the way to your core. It tests your faith, it challenges your relationships, and it gives you a priceless perspective on life. After spending 107 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit we were discharged!

My mono-di twins were born at 34 weeks do to pre-eclampsia. They were 4lbs 5oz each 19 in long. They spent 20 days in the NICU they were on bipap, and o2 for 2 days. IV fluids for 4 days. The boys were also in temperature controled isolets for a week. It took them a little over 2 weeks for them to learn to take feedings from a bottle. They had a few bradys while on montors. To God's glory they are 19 months old and are health little boys

Pearle was born at 31 weeks after I woke up in the middle of the night and passed a huge clot. They thought they stopped the bleeding at the hospital but at one point I found myself laying in a puddle of blood. My placenta had detached. Pearle was born under general anesthesia because they couldn’t get a good epidural. Because I had gestational diabetes she was 5 pounds! She only spent 1 day on the vent, but many days on oxygen & a total of 45 days in NICU learning how to suck. The NICU docs & nurses were wonderful. This was the most frightening, frustrating & rewarding time of my life. Finally we brought her home Thanksgiving weekend. She spent many months at home on a hospital apnea machine because she liked to stop breathing. She is now a completely happy & healthy soon-to-be 3 year old. Praise God for tiny miracles & our little Pearle.

We were diagnosed with Vasa Previa at 21 weeks, a rare placental comolication where exposed fetsl vessels are on or near your cervix. Our diagnosis is what saved our boy. We knew we would be delivering early and were able to prepare. After spending 2 weeks in the hospital we delivered at 34 weeks to avoid starting labor and rupturing those fetal vessels. Our sweet boy did 12 days in the NICU. We are forever grateful for our Vasa Previa Miracle!

My special daughter Lola Rose is now 4, but she was born on 22nd January 2016 at 31+5 weeks. The birth was quite traumatic and something I go over in my head everyday. She was taken to NICU for the first week of her life and then she was taken to SCBU where she stayed for another 2 weeks. She was allowed home on her brothers birthday the 12th February. She’ll be forever our special little girl.

My IVF miracle, surprised everyone when he decided to arrive at 27 weeks & 3 weighing 2lb 5oz. Going into the parents room to discuss how poorly my son was, was terrifying. Each day my son grew stronger and after 10 long agonising weeks my son came home, fully breasteeding & no oxygen required. He makes me proud every day.The nicu staff were amazingly supportive and we will be forever grateful. My son is 4 now and just started school.

My daughter Madeleine was born at 31+6 weeks via emergency c section due to antepartum haemorrhage, preterm rupture of membranes and placental abruption. She spent 19 days in NICU and 8 days in transitional care before we could bring her home. She received some resuscitation at birth and is due an MRI scan in a few weeks to check for any brain issues but the doctors are confident there won’t be any. She’s almost 8 weeks old now and healthy and thriving x

Our son Lewis was born 32 weeks 3 pounds 13 ozs, days 11 our world was turned upside down.. Lewis had to have a traceopstmy due to a subglotic sernosis (tightening of his airway) we was asked twice to baptism him and said no and never gave up, At 3 years old he had a piece of his rib bone for a graft and today he's 15 years old and healthy, happy teenager, we owe Lewis life to all the nurses and specialists □

My daughter Brielle was born at 27 weeks and weighed 2 lbs 10 ounces. She came very unexpectedly and I had no idea I was in full blown labor! I went to the emergency room just to get checked because something didn’t feel right. I was told my baby is coming now. I was flipped upside down with my toes pointing to the ceiling and was told not to push, sneeze or cough. I had to hold her in for at least 35 minutes (which seemed like forever) until AI DuPont children’s hospital in Wilmington, DE arrived to assist with the delivery. My daughter was not supposed to make it, I had numerous doctors and nurses talk to her father and I about what can happen and they were making sure I was fully understanding what was going on. My daughter was born October 19th weighing 2lbs 10 ounces. The entire room fell silent until she made the slightest whimper! Following her birth she has battled meningitis, a level four brain bleed, sepsis, septic shock, she coded, periventricular leukomalacia, hydrocephalus, infiltration of medication leaving a scar on her leg, retinopathy of both eyes, intracranial arachnoid cyst, a hemangioma on her chest, respiratory failure, amblyopia of her right eye, many blood, plasma and platelet transfusions, I’ve held her for two of her three spinal taps, and she’s gone to so many doctor and specialist appointments in her short time here with us. She is our little miracle baby!!

Nyasia was born at 31 weeks weighing 2lbs 14oz and 15 inches long spent a month in the NICU but was such a strong little girl today she is a very healthy 4 year old!

I was rushed to deliver our sweet baby boy, Simeon by emergency C-section at 27 weeks. The blood pressure medication I was given was causing his heart to fail. Just hours earlier I was rushed to the ER with a blood pressure of 210/110 due to a sudden onset of severe preeclampsia. Upon delivery it was discovered that the emergency birth saved our baby from possible stillbirth because his neck was wrapped in his umbilical cord. Simeon was born at 1 lb 12 oz and spent 113 days in the NICU. He suffered his right lung collapsing after a switch to CPAP, and a serious klebsiella infection after re-intubation. Through it all, his nurses always commented that he had a feisty spirit! His enthusiastic, determined spirit has been an unwavering constant and joy as he’s grown into the healthy, happy 2 year old boy he is today!

My pregnancy was a breeze, that is until my water broke at 29 weeks. It was in the height of the Covid pandemic so my husband couldn't come in the hospital with me, so he waited in the car for a couple hours while I had to wait alone scared to death until they knew what was going on & admitted me. For the next 5 weeks I had to lay in a hospital bed drinking as much water as my body would allow just to keep generating more amniotic fluid so he could stay inside me and grow as much as possible. With many scares & complications, almost needing an emergency c-section we somehow made it to our goal of 34 weeks. On Mother's Day I gave birth to a perfect 3lb 6oz baby boy. Worried mostly about his lung development he was immediately taken to the NICU where he stayed for almost 3 weeks. His lungs were great, all my little fighter needed to do was gain about a pound to be able to come home. Fast forward 4 months & he is 13lbs of pure joy! He is no longer on the preemie growth curve according to his Dr! He is on track with most other babies his age & is hitting most of his milestones on time! That whole nightmare turned into a dream come true! #nicuawarnessmonth #nicubaby

My son Levi was born april 19th, 2020 via emergency c-section at 40 +5 due to his heart rate dropping with contractions and meconium stained fluid noted when they broke my water. My precious baby was born not breathing they worked on him 20min when they finally got him stabilized and in the NICU. He went through cooling and warming which during he had seizures. After 2 failed attempts of getting him off the vent and 5 echocardiograms the doctors finally discovered he had mitral valve regurgitation. He spent 61days in the NICU and has shocked every one of his specialists he is on no medications, seizure free and meeting every milestone for his age. He truly is a NICU miracle and the completion to iur family of 5.

Hi, I'm Diya, 30yo, from Borneo-Indonesia. My miracle was present on June 20, 2018, Nurraina Mentari Aryaputri. Yes, she is a daughter, which I interpret as light, rain, and sun energy—my life source. Mentari was born at 32 weeks' gestation with a bodyweight of 1.22 kg and 29 cm. My pregnancy has to terminate because I had preeclampsia, abruption placentae, and blood pressure of 220/120. Mentari was admitted to the NICU for 40 days with various histories such as apnea, bleeding in the stomach, hyaline membrane disease grade 1, cyanosis, and minor surgery for a vein infusion section. She used CPAP for 13 days and was critically ill when she was nine days old. She is now 26 months old, growing up healthy and cheerful. All mandatory screenings for premature babies have been complete with good results. But her growth and development are still being my concern until now. Honestly, I am still traumatized when I remember the atmosphere of the NICU at that time. The trauma hasn't gone away, and for that reason, I always want to share this story. I felt immensely helped by NICU warriors' information on social media, then I finally found the Premature Indonesia community where I learned until now. Happy NICU Awareness Day, all NICU Survivor! Thank you very much for the support of the NICU doctors and nurses! Thank you, Premature Indonesia! Only God can repay all of your kindness and sincerity. And for my little miracle, you have made Mama's life stronger and meaningful. I love you so much. Thank you, nicuawareness.org. Love from Indonesia.

My son was born at 33 weeks. He was having episodes of apnea so he was rushed to the NICU where we spent 3 weeks. Our journey was a long one. He was not able to bottle feed because he would stop breathing. The first time I saw him he was connected to all kinds of machines and IVs. The first 3 days of his life he could not eat, by day 4 they inserted a tube so he can drink milk. We had a great team of nurses, respiratory therapists, and doctors.

“Mighty” Maci was born at 25 weeks 3 days due to an infection in the placenta. She was born at Mountainside Hospital and then transported to HUMC. Maci Faith spent 112 days at the NICU at Hackensack Hospital in New Jersey. She overcame many obstacles. We are forever grateful for the MANY doctors and nurses who took great care of our Maci!

My son Max was born at 32 weeks at 3 lbs 10 oz after I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and Pre-eclampsia. After being hospitalized for only 2 days, his heart rate kept going down, and my blood pressure kept going too high. They tried giving me a breathing mask for about 6 hours, but then decided on the emergency cesearean. Once out, he couldn't keep my breast milk down because his lungs were so underdeveloped. After 43 days of up and downs trying to feed him in the NICU, we came out with an apnea monitor since he still stopped breathing in his sleep, in which he got 3rd degree burns on his body. To this day, I can't unheard the beeping noises. It took 14 days to hold my son in a blanket, another 7 days after that for skin to skin. After a month I was allowed to change his diaper. It was the toughest time of my entire life. Now, though his bones are not growing on pace, and he has asthma from the lung development, my 4 year old is thriving and playing.

After my mother passed from chronic heart failure in 2016, I had pretty much been done with hospitals Flash forward to the present, multiple hospital visits a day to visit my babygirl in the NICU after she was born 13 weeks early not even 2 pounds. Never even knowing what a NICU was before having her and having no choice but to leave her there for Care was a bit disheartening and still doesn’t sit well with me 1 year later. She is growing and thriving at an amazing rate and her progress gives me so much hope, but does that I wasn’t allowed feel helpless? The fear of being attached to my baby and losing her ate/eats me alive. I felt so discouraged and felt as though I was disappointing yet another important person in my life and even myself. On top of still grieving the loss of my mother, I was now grieving my pregnancy process. I felt like it was snatched away, and I couldnt understand why all of this was happening to me. Along with this all I want is to call my mom and just talk it through with her. We are now a little over a year into our journey, and everyday we get stronger together as a family and realize how special and fortunate we are to hold our babygirl in our arms every single day. We couldn’t have asked for a better way to show us that we are more than conquerors.

My pregnancy had to be planned with consent as I’m a cardiac patient. My LG was born at 28+6 weeks, weighing 636g, with severe IUGR as my placenta want giving enough nutrients, therefore there was little amniotic fluid too. We spent almost 100 days in the nicu, mainly on feeding and growing. No other health issues were found, thank god! Riya came home CMPI but happy and healthy and very small at 3lb 6oz.

At my 20 week scan, I got told I needed to come back in two weeks and they thought they had my due date wrong. When I’d gone back, they’d said baby was small and my due date is still 31st July. I needed to have scans every two weeks to measure growth. 5 growth scans later and they said baby was measuring 3lb7oz at 33 weeks. They said she had sever iugr and needed to go for another scan in an hour. A doctor come to see me and my partner and said I need a CTG before. The CTG was fine and I went for the scan and they confirmed the same, but baby had abnormal dopplers in the brain. We spoke to a consulatant after me demanding I needed to be spoke to, but it wasn’t what we expected. They said within two weeks she would be delivered via c section. My head was everywhere. I went home to start packing my hospital bag when I got a call saying they reviewed my scans and I need the section in two days. I went in for steroid shots and magnesium sulphate over night and delivered my baby girl at 33+3 weeks, weighing 3lb7oz. She spent 23 days in nicu. Oxygen for 3 days ( our little fighter) but had a long 2 week battle with jaundice. This took us the extra week to learn to feed, but now she’s a happy 3 months old baby □

My son was born at 28 weeks. He had underdeveloped lungs, and many times he struggled to breathe. I watched helplessly as my son turned blue so many times. He was also colonized with MRSA. the NICU nurses we had were amazing. We were in NICU for exactly 2 months and my tiny little preemie is now a big smart 5 year old! He is still just as impatient as he was when he insisted on being born so early!

I delivered my daughter, Emma at 31 weeks gestation on February 10, 2019. She was delivered by emergency c-section due to preeclampsia. She weighed 2 lbs 15 oz and was 15 inches long. She spent a total of 51 days in the NICU. She is 1.5 years old now, and thriving! We have faced some feeding issues that she has been in OT for about 6 months now. It has been extremely helpful and we continue to make huge strides. We are very hopeful that she will reach her goal soon and be discharged from her therapy services. She is our tiny miracle. We continue to be so grateful for the wonderful doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists who cared for her in the NICU. They have a special place in our hearts forever!

July 2nd 2015 Finn Anthony Monroe was born via c-section weighing 410grams and 10inches long. He was 26 weeks and 1 day. Because of the fact he was so small the doctors informed us that they might not be able to do life saving measures. It was unknown if the tools they needed to use would be small enough for this tiny baby. Thankfully they were able to do everything they needed to do! Finn spent 5 months in the NICU, when we were told he should be able to be released at his due date. Thankfully, he made it through with no brain bleeds or NEC. His lungs took a beating after being ventilated for almost 2 months straight. There were a lot of ups and downs but we now have a happy mostly healthy 5 year old boy.

My son Luke was born with a rare birth defect called gastroschisis. Due to his condition, he stayed in the NICU for 27 long days. It takes a certain kind of strength you never even knew you could possess to be a NICU parent. I will forever be thankful to the NICU nurses and other NICU families for all of the support they provided. #NICUstrong

My son Roman was born at 35 weeks and 1 day with a rare birth defect called Gastroschisis. His small and large intestines were on the outside of his body at birth. He went through many procedures before finally getting his intestines back inside his body at 4 months old. He spent 207 days in the NICU and since then he has been thriving at home, we have had a few other hospital stays since coming home but Roman is otherwise a happy, healthy 17 month old.

I was hospitalized at 32 weeks pregnant with high blood pressure and signs of preeclampsia. At 33 weeks, I was induced and delivered the most precious 5lb. 10oz bundle of joy (ironically during NICU awareness month)! He was quickly whisked away to the NICU where he spent the next 8 days. He struggled with breathing, eating and experienced some jaundice, but recovered quickly and surprised us all with how fast he overcame his struggles entering this world. I will forever be grateful for the nurses and doctors that helped me and him along the way! Being a NICU parent is tough, but seeing your miracle grow and progress is one of the most rewarding things in this world. Our boy is now a thriving and happy 3-year-old!

Harley was born at term (40+3), was 10lbs 1oz and suffered shoulder dystocia during birth. He was resuscitated and began breathing after 7 minutes. Because of the oxygen deprivation he went to Southmead NICU for therapeutic cooling to prevent/reduce brain damage. As a full term NICU mama I would love to share our story and show others that it's not just preemies that are in NICU!

My son was born at 32 weeks in Casper, Wyoming. Wyoming is the only state to not have a Children's hospital. My son was born with no heartbeat. It took 5 hours of resuscitation before he was stable enough to be transferred to a NICU 4 hours away in Denver, Colorado. He is now almost 3 years old and thriving.

Avery was born at 25 weeks weighing 1 lb 3 ounces due to preeclampsia, IUGR, umbilical cord reverse flow and placental insufficiency. Over the course of his 16 weeks in the NICU, he had heart surgery and lots of tummy issues. He struggled to grow and gain weight and was still only 2 pounds at 2 months old. When he began bottle feeds soon after, he ate like he’d been doing it all along! He began to gain weight slowly but surely and by his due date at 15 weeks old he was 5 pounds. He came home on supplemental oxygen and for the most part we expected a typically growing little boy. However, at 13 months he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and within a year, a rare brain malformation. He’s now 6 years and and going into a general education 1st grade classroom. From his rocky beginnings he’s become a true, tiny little force to be reckoned with! He is exactly the child we were meant to have.

Our little miracle was our 5th IVF over a span of 4.5 years. The infertility specialist implanted 2 DNA intact embryos and she was our miracle. I had a threatened miscarriage at 6 weeks, she had an irregular heart beat at 18 weeks (false alarm), measuring small at 32 weeks and born at 34 weeks 2 days. I had a subchorionic hemorrhage at 34 weeks and a semi-emergent c-section at 34 weeks and 2 days. She was born crying and breathing on her own. She only had to wear oxygen for 5 hours. She spent 19 days in the NICU with amazing nurses taking care of her. She will be 4 the end of August and is a joy and blessing to our family!!!

My 26 weeker was a fighter from the start. He started off strong and after several weeks he was on track to weening off of the oxygen. However, he contracted an infection around 6 weeks old and became septic. He was isolated and given a fierce round of antibiotics. We were close to losing him but the doctors and nurses at the NICU took great care of him and his tiny body was able to fight off the infection completely. My little miracle that had a low percentage chance of survival is now a happy and thriving Kindergartener. I am so thankful for the all of the staff at the NICU. Without them we wouldn’t be here today.

My son, Brantley, was born at 25 weeks. His first week of life something happen with the sodium in his TPN bag which caused his kidneys to start shutting down as we prepared our goodbyes, Brantley fought through and made a full recovery. A week after that he ended up getting MRSA and had to be transferred to another NICU an hour away from home. After being transferred he had to have chest tubes put in, a broviac catheter after numerous IV’s and Picc lines that went bad. He went through so many blood transfusions to count. His lymphatic vessels ended up getting punctured from the chest tubes. He had a grade 1 brain bleed, stage 3 ROP in his eyes, and double hernias. After a 126 NICU stay 3 different hospitals, he pulled through everything. He was my strength when I thought I had lost it all. He still is a little developmentally behind and may have a form of cerebral palsy but you would never be able to tell! He is truly our miracle baby. And will now be 2 this October!

I was considered 35 weeks pregnant so Ryan was a month early. I am so thankful for the nurses here at THR. The staff from Cooks that transferred Ryan was amazing too! We will take this journey day by day.

My daughter is the one I always support NICU awareness month because she was 24 weeks and 4 days when i went into labor. I had her at 24 weeks and 6 days. She spent 100 days in the nicu. She had stage one eye disease and out grew it. She still sees a eye specialist. She still lives with underdeveloped kidneys. She sees a specialist for that as well. She also has chronic lung disease. She is gonna be 4 in January and she is our miracle baby. Only thing that shows she is a preemie is the fact that she is tiny.

My son was born at 22 weeks 1 day, May 7, 2020. 1lb 3oz, 11.4 inches!!! We are currently still in the NICU, but doing great!!! We've been through so much the past three months and everyday he continues to get stronger and stronger. They gave us a 5% chance of survival and here we are, ROCKING IT! At just 10 days old he had heart surgery for his PDA and a broviac line put in. He was vented for 73 days, then finally was able to go on CPAP, now on high flow. We held him for the first time 30 days after birth. He developed an abscess on his stomach which needed to be drained and on antibiotics for 4 weeks, now gone. He developed two brain bleeds at birth (grade 3 and grade 4) now resolved!! We will not know any developmental delays until later on but we are so hopeful for a full recovery! We are very blessed and love to share our story to give hope to other moms and dads in our shoes!

My son was born a month and a half early. He stopped growing at early 33 weeks. I was induced at 34 weeks. My son was 3 pounds 15 oz when he was born. He stayed in the NICU for a month. For the first 24 hrs I didn't get to see him and I didn't get to hold him. My hospital had a a video screen set up where i got to watch him from a screen from my room. When I got to see him I didn't get to hold him for a week. Jackson had jaundice, and he wouldn't breath while he ate so he had a feeding tube. I breast feed so I had to pump until they took the tube out. He had High sugar levels, and he stopped breathing while asleep. He had oxygen and a C-Pap machine. He came home at 5 pounds 6oz. He will be 3 on Aug 27th and he is very healthy.The Nicu at my hospital made my stay easier. It was the hardest thing I've ever done but the doctors and nurses where amazing.

I developed HELLP syndrome and I had to have an emergency c-section. I had Lucas at 24 weeks and 3 days. He weighed 1 lbs 6 oz, 12 inches long. He stayed a total of 103 days in the NICU before going home. He came home on oxygen. He didn't have any major complications in the NICU, thankfully. He doesn't have any major residual issues now. We are so blessed to have him in our lives!

My NICU miracles are now age 31. I have triplets, 2 boys and 1 girl. They were all between 4 and 5 pounds each, born at 34 1/2 weeks by c-section. The smallest, at 4#12oz, came home at 11 days old; the next, at 4#15oz, was released at 17 days old; the final one, at 4#13oz, was 21 days old. None required oxygen at home, and all three were at a normal birth weight by 2 months old. All three make Momma proud, holding full-time jobs, and married. Two of the three have made me a happy Grammie!

My water broke at 27 weeks. I spent the remainder of my pregnancy in the hospital. At 2 AM on May 5 2017 I begin heavily contracting and bleeding. I had an emergency c-section at 431 am. After multiple days of magnesium, antibiotics & steroids I had a beautiful 3.1 pound baby girl. She spent 4 weeks at IMC with the most amazing nurses, and she came home at 4 pounds and is now 3 years old and 25 pounds! Just full of life!!

My son Christopher was born at 27 weeks, after I was in the hospital for 2 weeks after my water broke at 25 weeks. Christopher was in the hospital for 3 months before coming home. He went from having a g tube to help with eating to being without one and eating everything my mouth. He is now a happy 3 year old and you would never be able to tell he was born early.

After having 2 children already I had absolutely no concerns about my pregnancy with my 3rd, Milo. I got to 42 wks and 40 with my other 2, so i knew I was going to get huge, and tired and hungry all the time..but unfortunately that wasn't to be. My routine 2nd scan at 22 weeks showed that I was already 1cm dilated, and it was quickly decided a rescue stitch would be put in place.I rested as much as I could with a 5 and 7 yr old, but 2 weeks after the cerclage was done my waters broke. I stayed in hospital for 2 days but my body just couldn't hold on any longer and I had Milo at 24+5 weeks, he weighed 690g. We were at the Oliver fisher neonatal unit for 119 days. Juggling visits and school runs and anxiety and panic and an overwhelming guilt for all 3 of my children was something that I had to just deal with for their sake. He had lots of tough days. Days where we thought he wouldn't make it. He battled. All prem babies are fighters, he and we are just so very lucky he won.

Kyleigh was born at exactly 29 weeks. During delivery she lost blood flow and required 15 mins of CPR. That caused brain damage, during the first days of her life the Drs would tell me she wouldn't survive the week and it would be kinder to allow her to pass away. I fought for her, she has had 6 brain surgeries, a feeding tube and she is blind/nonverbal and has epilepsy. But through it all she is happy. She can count to ten and say her ABCs. Never give up on your baby. She will be 7 yrs old this Nov and making more progress everyday!

I have had the honor of being a NICU RN for 38 years. I have seen the most amazing people and miracles. I have also seen the most unbearable tragic pain. I’ve met so many different people and have had them become my friends. I have traveled to India 6 times and have seen babies and families in unbelievably sad circumstances because the family lacks resources to pay for medical care. I am alive and have been blessed to do this because my 2 lb maternal grandfather, born in 1894, defied the odds and survived!

My miracle rainbow baby girl, Aly was born at 29 weeks. She weighed 2 Ibs 11 Oz. She spent 58 days in the NICU at Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills, CA. I had no idea what the NICU unit was prior to giving birth to out preemie. A few hours after my daughter was born, I was able to see her in the NICU. She was so tiny with wires and tubes all over her little body. My husband and I were so scared and uncertain if she would make it. NICU babies are fighters! Our NICU nurses welcomed us and help guide us through our daughter’s NICU journey. I remember changing my daughter’s diaper on day 1. I appreciated the weekly meetings with the doctors and staff regarding her progress. The OT and lactation consultants were so helpful in helping my daughter with breast and bottle feedings. Kangaroo care was special bonding time for my husband and I. Watching my daughter grow and hit her milestones was so special. We cried the 1st time we saw her face without the breathing and feeding tubes. The day we brought her home from the NICU was scary but exciting. We were ready! The NICU holds a special place in our hearts. We started raising money and participate in March for Babies events. Aly is now a happy 7 year old. She loves singing, dancing, swimming, and Disney.

As a teen mom, being pregnant was scary and having a premature infant was even scarier. My so. Nathaniel, was born at 32 weeks gestation. I went into spontaneous labor and he was born early requiring a month long NICU stay where he was intubated for a couple weeks due to his lungs not being fully developed. The NICU became my second home. I was so inspired by his nurses and staff that helped him grow and be able to achieve his discharge from the NICU. I was truly inspired and went back to school to become a nurse to give back to families the way those nurses helped me through my crisis at the time. My son is now 9 years old and is my whole world. I am an ICU nurse and that was all thanks to my little NICU miracle.

My son was born September 23, 2019. He was a super healthy, 8lb 4oz, amazing baby boy! Shortly after birth, the L&D nurse administered what was supposed to be his hepatitis B vaccine. She ended up mixing up medications, and she administered methergine to my son, which is a medication used for the mother to help prevent bleeding out. Soon after being injected, my son went into respiratory distress and ended up having to be intubated. He was rushed to a Level IV NICU at a hospital 40 minutes away. There he was intubated for three days, placed on a feeding tube once getting extubated, and developed jaundice. After 6 long, emotional and exhausting days, our baby boy was discharged and came home! Now, our baby boy is almost a year old, and we couldn't be more in love!

My NICU miracle turned 11 this year. He was born at 1 lb 11ounces. 12 inches long. He was born at 24 weeks and 3 days. He was at Riley North and stayed there for 4 months and 2 days. He had a brain bleed, PDA, retinopathy, a central line put in and taken out a few days later. He fought hard the whole time he was in there and continues to fight hard.

We went in for a regular delivery 4/23/18, I was scheduled for induction, but my water broke that evening. Once hooked up to the monitors, the saw my baby was in distress. Emergency Csection was called, at 9:09pm my baby boy was born, blue, without a heartbeat or pulse. He was revived after 7 minutes, and rushed to the NICU. House later when we saw him, we were told he had hypoxic brain injury, and they didn’t know what our outcome was going to be. He received hypothermic cooling treatment, and we finally got to hold him 5 grueling days later. It’s been a long road, but I know without the quick acting doctors and nurses that night in the NICU, I might not have my baby boy at all. He’s came a long way, and were still dealing with some things, but he’s thriving, far beyond what we were originally told. Some pics of my baby while in NICU, and now being a wild man.

My boy was born at 28 weeks after I had a 3week stay in hospital.We were told later that the Dr's weren't expecting him to make it in three occasions.Our boy fought for his life! We prayed and spoke to him. He was ventilated for a while,had heart problems,Chest infections,resistance to antibiotics,two operations,collapsed lung,4 blood transfusions, brain bleed,rsv,Cdiff to name a few things he beat.He was in NICU for 6 months.He is thriving now & is kindness soul,always laughing,funny,smart& sensitive.Miracles do happen,our boy is proof□

We tried for 8 years for our twins. We had a loss in 2015, and got pregnant in 2019 with triplets, we ended up losing one early on. I ended up going to the ER around 11 weeks with bleeding and cramping, all looked well. The bleeding and cramping continued until 18 weeks, I ended up having placenta previa. Started going to labor and delivery around 29 weeks with high blood pressure, headaches, and swelling. My boys made their appearance at 30+1, 3 lbs 8 oz and 3 lbs 2.8 oz. Both of my boys ended up having pdas and asd, heart murmurs. We had a stay of 32 and 36 days. Happy, healthy boys. □□

My sweet full term NICU babe was born at 38w6d. Meconium aspiration, hemorrhaging and collapsed lungs, and now is a beautiful healthy 2.5 year old boy. The NICU not only changed our lives by saving him, but pushed me into a career that holds a special place in my heart. i am working in a NICU as a PSA with some of the doctors that saved him, and working towards my nursing degree so i can be the nurse for someone one day that those nurses were for us and our boy❤️

My little miracle is Emmarie Bristol. Emmarie made her grand entrance into this world at 26 weeks and 2 days gestation weighing 2 pounds, 5 ounces. She was born at Magee Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. Emmarie was a fighter since day one. There wasn’t a day where she wasn’t ripping out her Bubble CPAP or her feeding tube. One of the hardest things about her being in the NICU was the day I was discharged, and we had to leave our baby with complete strangers especially since the NICU was an hour and forty five minutes away from our home. After spending 69 days in the NICU at Magee, we decided that we wanted our baby transferred closer to home. This was another hard day for us. We absolutely loved all of my daughter’s nurses, doctors, and respiratory therapists. We felt like we were leaving family. My daughter spent another week in the NICU closer to our home before being discharged. She came home on a little bit of oxygen which only lasted for a few more months. Today, Emmarie is a happy and super sassy 16 month old.

On June 11th 2018, after days of tests and monitoring I had an emergency c-section and we welcomed our two beautiful babies, Holden Xander and Hadley Annabelle, into the world at just 25 weeks. Unfortunately our lives were once again changed when we lost Hadley the following day. She fought as hard as her one pound four ounce body would allow her to fight and at times even harder, but ultimately succumbed to her premature lungs. We think about Hadley every single day, she will never be forgotten. Holden has been quite a fighter since his one pound fourteen ounces entered the world and he continued to fight, all with his very own guardian angel. He’s now 2 and you’d never know he was born 4 months early, trying so hard to keep up with his big brother and learning how to be a big brother too!

We were surprised by our third baby girl needing to be delivered 8 weeks early due to sudden onset preeclampsia. After a fairly quick and scary delivery she came into the world strong but tiny at 3lbs 10oz. I got to hold her for a few minutes and then she was whisked away, it would be 2 days before I could see her again because my health was still struggling. The next 5 weeks would be the hardest of my life but our little Riley was a fighter! It was so hard juggling our older girls at home, pumping around the clock and spending all the time I could holding our tiny newborn in the NICU. It was such a huge blessing when was able to come home and our family of 5 was all under one roof and complete. Now she is a feisty, goofy and healthy 2 year old! God is good. Huge thank you to all the nurses and doctors!

My miracle baby Trayvon was born at 31 weeks due to multiple complications. Weighing in at 2 pounds and 15 ounces,he stayed in the nicu for about a month. He went through all of the stages that was required to leave. From breathing tubes, to feeding tubes, being put under the led light for jaundice twice,etc. Still to this day we are back and forth to Neumors Childrens Hospital often. Since he was about 6 months old he has been diagnosed with asthma and a few other medical issues. But by the grace of GOD he's a little fighter and I thank GOD. Trayvon's father named him after the young man "Trayvon Martin". I often get questioned where I got the name from lol.

After my waters breaking at 22+6, we prepared for the worst but managed to hold on for 4 more weeks. Alana was born at 26+6 weeks, a surviving twin after TTTS and ablation surgery at 18 weeks gestation. She survived meningitis and deposit at just 2 weeks old and after 86 days in NICU, she was able to return home with home oxygen. While the first year at home was challengibg and scary with many gas emissions, Alana has beaten all the odds with no lasting effects of her prematurity and today she is almost 4 years old, with a personality larger than life! Our little miracle.

I had a very normal and healthy pregnancy and then about midnight during my 25th week into pregnancy I woke up to some mild discomfort in my back. Over the next 2-3 I was just uncomfortable and thought I needed to make a bowel movement. About 3am things got painful very quickly (no time for meds to prepare her lungs), woke my hubby up to call the doctor. About 15-20 minutes after arriving at the hospital I gave birth to my daughter. That night her lung collapsed twice and thet placed two breathing tubes before finally getting her stable. About 1.5 wks in the NICU her bowel perforated and she was rushed to a higher level NICU to get bedside surgery. Thankfully she survived and finally came home on day 100.

I was pregnant with identical twin boys. My water broke at 20 weeks. I went into labor and gave birth to them at 23 weeks. Unfortunately one of our boys didn't survive long. My survivor was in the NICU for 144 days. The nurses became our second family. He is now 2.5 years old and healthy!

My twins Samuel and Olivia were born at 32 weeks, weighing 2lb 10 and 2lb 11. This was due to poor growth in the womb and basically terrible placentas on both. They where born via c section as a natural birth would have more then likely caused the death of both of them. Our journey lasted 4 weeks and it all seems such a blur now 2 years on. My daughter had a tiny bleed of the brain and my son had a habit of de sating when very tired but I now have happy crazy 2 year olds still small for there age but mighty preemies.

November of 2016 I woke up with some strange cramping. Called the nurse said for us to go straight to the hospital as if sounds like I was in labor. Not know what to expect as a first time mom I was in a complete panic. Only 30 weeks along I revived a magnesium drip and a steroid shot. Best rest and guaranteed 2 more weeks! December 5th 1145 pm I was awakened by my water breaking. Rushed to the hospital to then experience 13.5 hours of labor to birth my precious boy at 34wks. He was purple and he wasn’t breathing...the cord had been wrapped around his arm and neck. So the doctor proceeded to start a countdown rubbing my baby to stimulate his breathing and within 30 seconds he let out a cry! Rushed away to the Resuscitation room my husband followed as they put little William on oxygen and proceeded to do all his vitals etc. After getting settled into a room I was able to go hold my baby for the first time....in the NICU. He was hooked up to all kinds of monitors and an IV in his head. He was starting to make big strides just within the 3 hours he had been in this world. My boy continued to fight and grow and nurse like a champ. 14 day stay at Akron Children’s Hospital to be released just 3 days before Christmas! Our lives are forever changed by our experience. Though I know it wasn’t as scary as a start as some but this is our story! We love our William Miles to pieces and so thankful for all the hardworking men and women who kept him alive and helped us on this journey!

Born 2lbs 11oz at 29 weeks in the Cayman Islands, growing was our only goal for the first month. Then trouble hit. We were told that she had sepsis due to salmonella. She was air lifted from the Cayman Islands to Miami FL. Our fight was just starting. She was diagnosed with NEC, told she had a PDA & ASD, a brain bleed, required numerous blood transfusions, antibiotics and would be NPO for over a month. We were finally making head way when we were told that she would need to be placed on high flow to help with her lungs. We had faced worse though so we would be fine. We started feeds again and we were no longer in an inclosed incubator. It was time to just grow again. But wait, what’s that? “Your baby has sepsis again”. After a blood transfusion a rash started to spread across her neck. Which then turn hard. We were told that it was cellulitis. Later updated that she has sepsis again due to strep. A spinal tap was done and it was determined that she had meningitis. In a mater of hours she went from room air to CPAP, to being prepped to be intubated. Lucky we didn’t have to intubated but my baby started to swell to the point that I didn’t recognize her. But she’s a fighter and she survived that. One seizure, EEG, MRI, x-rays, ultrasounds, several more blood transfusions, platelet transfusion and antibody transfusion and we were doing good again. But suddenly she wasn’t tolerating her feeds. She was NPO for a third time. We were told that she had a bowl obstruction and it would require further investigation. Dye tests and x-ray were done but no blockage was found and we were ready to start feeding again. It was time to feed and grow again. After 95 long days we made it out to the other side! My baby is a fighter! She’s now 14 months, walks and talks. We’re stilling waiting to close her ASD and do a minor surgery for a hernia.

I had tried for years to get pregnant and finally conceived my twins through IVF. They were due January 2016 but arrived December 12, 2015. They were so strong and we were able to bring them home Christmas morning. They have grown into caring beautiful little girls and more than thriving.

August, 31. 2018 9:15pm my miracle was born Ian Mendez, 24wks 1lb 10oz. Ian had to have multiple gastro surgeries, we were so thankful to the Ronald McDonald house in Charlotte N.C.for giving us a home away from home for 6 months. We are very thankfully for the most amazing doctors at Levine’s and the most amazing nurses I have a beautiful healthy growing almost 2year old baby baby who is always so happy! You’d never think he had been through all he has! Keep you’re heads high the sun will shine !!!

My son was born at 23 weeks 1lb 3oz. I had a incompetent cervix. They wanted me to abort him, but we said if he survived we will deal with any development or mental health problems. He had a PDA, NEC and under developed eyes. He got Avastin shots. He was in the NICU for 4 months. Now he is 7 years old. With dandy walkers, feeding tube and leg braces.

My daughter was born at 27 weeks. The NICU was something I really never thought I would experience. My pregnancy seemed “normal” but few days before labor I was experiencing pain and other premature labor symptoms but at the time I wasn’t aware of what was happening whether it was normal or not since it was my first child. I was scared but the NICU staff were so loving & caring. I would leave so sad because every time I would leave I was leaving a part of me behind but I knew my baby was in the right hands and they always made sure my baby was taken care of. Everyday even now (6 years later) I’m so thankful for the NICU and all they do.. for making me feel at home.. for all the patience.. for making sure I was ok on the bad days. Forever thankful!

Leo came roaring into the world on June 24th, 2020 about 11 weeks earlier than planned. I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and my kidneys were failing, so he would be delivered to save my life. Thankfully, he was doing well in the womb and the NICU team were ready for him. I remember they came to speak to me before the c-section, and I broke down crying full of worry and fear for what would become of my baby and me and what might go wrong. He was born at 2.6 pounds and put on a ventilator. For those first few days, I was unable to hold my baby and could only visit him at certain times of the day. Fast-forward seven weeks, and he is 5 pounds and growing, loves to eat from a bottle, and no longer needing oxygen support. My birth experience was a trauma, and I would be lying if I said being a NICU parent wasn't also a trauma in its own way-having to be under constant supervision and scrubbing in to see my child twice a day-feeling like if I didn't make every single visit I could, I was inadequate and being judged. But that perception is far from the truth-our NICU team has supported us every step of the way, and I know Leo's nurses are cheering him on and caring for him as much as I do. The dedication each NICU staff member has to my son fills me with the strength I need to keep fighting alongside him. I'll never forget these weeks of feeling terror, sorrow, envy, hope, courage, and the deepest gratitude. The NICU is a place of personal growth for the parents as much as it is a place for babies to heal and grow strong. I am fundamentally changed having witnessed medical miracles that are everyday life for NICU teams. While Leo's birth isn't the ideal we had wished for, we gained empathy, patience, and learned to take life as it comes from being NICU parents. As we say each time Leo hits a milestone, Go Go Leo!

I was induced at 38 weeks and had my 8lbs 9oz baby the next day. She was perfect, but didn't want to latch which I was told could be normal. We continously sucked amniotic fluid of our her mouth and at 9 hours old they checked her oxygen levels, realizing she was in respiratory distress. Our little girl was sent to the NICU at a hospital about 30 minutes away and thankfully I was discharged right after her. Diagnosed with pneumonia, we spent 4 weeks in the NICU. Her first night there they incubated her very briefly to get medication down to her lungs. They said her airway was very small and she had a stridor, plus trouble eating ever since. After a scope by ENT it was determined she had a "mass" on her vocal cords not allowing them to close properly. She proceeded to have a laperscopic surgery done, which then discovered the "mass" was just a cyst from intubation. She is now going gon two years old with ZERO health concerns!

My third child was born at 32 + 3 weeks - 3lbs 9 oz. He spent 4 weeks in the NICU where we had to work on growing, regulating temperature, and eating. We dealt with Cpap, Oxygen, jaundice, and bradys. He was such a champ and wowed his nurses every day. NICU life is SO hard, especially when you have other kids at home. The nurses are truly the rock that holds NICU parents together and I absolutely loved the relationships we built with them! My son is now 7 months actual and thriving! He's a whopping 16 lbs, eating baby food, rolling around the entire house, almost crawling, so vocal and enjoys having fun. The NICU was the hardest thing we've ever gone through, but my little warrior proved to be the toughest of us all!

My son Haiden was born at 37 weeks weighing 8lbs. 10oz. He was born with pulmonary hypertension, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, no oxygen, fluid on his brain, & was insulin dependent for a while. He spent 1 & a half months in the NICU fighting! He is now 4 and is healthy and strong. His only issue is he has a G-tube.

Our story started at 27 weeks. A ripped placenta and our son coming into the world. It started with a leaking heart valve and quickly moved on to infections . Bowels resection. Feeding tubes. Drs didn’t know what was wrong but our son was a warrior. It took 8 months, 11 surgeries and a diagnosis of an extremely rare genetic disease called kabuki syndrome. Our beautiful boy came home and has been the light of our lives and everyone he meets. I cant help but smile. If not for the NICU nurses at St. Peter’s I’m not sure how are family would have gotten through.

While taking birth control I learned I was pregnant at 23 weeks of gestation. Shortly after learning of our sweet boy, I fell ill will migraines— doctors confirmed it was preeclampsia. Seven weeks later after learning what would be our new life, on February 3rd I was admitted to the hospital and was given magnesium which made my veins rush with a burning sensation. I got zero sleep that night. The next morning the doctor ordered and ultrasound...the screen was black. My blood pressure was uncontrollable & my placenta was abrupting they told me at 10:30 in the morning after just trying to eat some breakfast, which came back up, that I would be rushed into the OR & that we were having a baby today! I went into the operating room alone leaving my sons father to wait and worry. But none the less our sweet Thomas was born at 11:55 am. 2 lbs 8 oz & 15 inches long. Coming at just 31 weeks and 6 days. He was so strong and healthy. I had to wait over 32 hours to finally meet him due to my health. The very first time I held him, I felt like worlds weight lift. He was okay. I was okay. We all were going to be okay despite the days we were about to face as NICU parents. He spent 32 days in a NICU surrounded by love of not only us, but our guiding light. Our nurse Pat. She guided us & our son to the days he came home. Thomas could breathe on his own, and eventually he was able to eat on his own. He was and still is a trooper. We will never forget Pat and our story.

We have two Nicu miracles, our son was born at 33 weeks 4 days- I went into labor and had placenta previa. Our daughter was born exactly 17 months later at 31 weeks 1 day after I was in the hospital for 18 days on strict bed rest for vasa previa- in the middle of the pandemic. My husband was the only person allowed to see me. Both kiddos are doing great, thanks to the extraordinary care we received at Hurley children’s hospital!

At 22 weeks and 5 days, I learned I had to have an emergency c-section due to HELLP Syndrome. I didn’t know that babies born that early could be saved, but we were transferred to a hospital that has been intervening and rescuing 22 weekers for over 20 years. It was touch and go for awhile as the boy got Aspergillus on his back and the girl got MRSA in her blood, plus they both caught RSV before we discharged. Now we have 2 happy, healthy 2 year olds! She still has a g-tube, but that’s the only setback!

My son was born at 29 weeks after a spontaneous placental abruption at 28+3. He was only intubated for 12 hours to receive his two doses of surfactant but then was able to graduate to NIPPV. We were able to do skin to skin twice a day every day for 3 hours until he was out of his incubator and he slowly gained weight and met all of his milestones without a hitch. We were able to start breastfeeding at 33+5 due to him showing signs of readiness and he came home less than 2 weeks later at 35+4 weeks. The 46 days he spent in the NICU were the longest days of my life but he is now a thriving 21.5 month actual 19 month adjusted little man.

On St. Patrick's Day 2017 I was admitted to the hospital after a routine ultra sound appointment to check on the baby. At that appointment it was found that the baby was measuring smaller then he should have been for 28 weeks. I was diagnosed with IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction) the baby wasn't getting enough flow from my placenta. I was placed on hospital bed rest and the baby was closely monitored 3 times a day to check his heart rate and multiple ultra sounds each week to check to flow to the baby. On March 28th, 2017 at 5:50pm Michael Anthony Morin was born at 2 pounds 0 ounces. He was taken directly to the NICU, we got to see him briefly but did not hold him for days. He was breathing on his own from day one. He has been a strong fighter since Day One. We are so grateful for the nurses and doctors in the NICU at Capital Health Hopewell. We are so lucky and blessed that Michael is a healthy premature baby and has fought through every obstacle the NICU has thrown at him. He was in the NICU for two months. Then came home and was on extra calorie formula to help him grow and was monitored closely for weight gain but did amazing! He is now a strong active three year of Boy! He may be smaller then some but he doesn’t let that stop him from doing anything!

my pregnancy was amazing, no issues at all. we did find out at our anatomy scan that our baby boy had an enlarged aorta, we were referred to specialists and i started seeing a cardiologist while pregnant. they determined it was not an issue and everything was normal. my pregnancy continued to go great with no issues. I woke up the morning of September 17th, 2017 (at 33 weeks & 2 days) with contractions that had gone on alll night and ended up having to go straight to labor and delivery. when we got there, they told us that i was already 2cm dilated. i was kinda in shock when they said they were admitting me, considering i was fine the night before AND pretty much my whole family was out of town/state. my water broke not long after we got into a room. they started magnesium and a ton of other things to help baby boy’s lungs develop. they thought he would be MAYBE 3 pounds. everyone made it to the hospital with time to spare.. 2 days later on September 19th, 2017 at about 7:00pm we had a room full of family and friends. i was fine besides the contractions and being prettttyyy out of it. but not long after, they informed us that it was baby time and they would have NICU staff set up in my room ready to go. Bailey Lane made his appearance weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces at 33 weeks! i got to hold him a minute or so and they took him to the NICU. i was determined to go down there immediately and see him.. after we got to another room and we got settled in, i walked down to the NICU to see our boy. i felt horrible bc i didn't know which baby was ours bc we didn't really get to get a good look at him lol.. he stayed in the NICU and got check ups constantly from Dr. King (cardiologist) and his 2 NICU doctors. Bailey being there was the scariest and hardest thing I've ever had to go through. i wasn't able to take him home when we went home 2 days later, i couldn't hold him whenever i wanted, and i wasn't the first person to feed him or change his diaper... and even though all of that sucked, i couldn't imagine not having those NICU nurses there to take care of our Bailey. they were amazing as well as all of the other staff members. we were by his side as often as they would let us be (and i would cry as soon as i walked out of those doors everytime). Bailey was there for right at a month and it was the longest days of my life. he will now be turning 3 next month and is as happy and healthy as he can possibly be! he is our little miracle ❤️ having a baby in the NICU is so hard. it really does change a mother and father. so if you know of parents who went through this, no matter how long the NICU stay was, tell them how strong they are.. i promise you they need that! ❤️

Our little miracle nicu baby was born September 10,2017. My sister-in-law was a drug user, 6 months pregnant. She was found unconscious outside a church. She had taken 1 bottle of aspirin, 1 bottle of Seroquel, 1 bottle of prenatal, 1 bottle of Tylenol, methamphetamine and heroine. When she was air lifted to OSU hospital, after a day being there, they did an emergency c-section. My husband and I were immediately in love with this tiny human. We did not know the future for us or the baby. And my sister-in-law did attempt suicide three more times after the hospital stay. She eventually succeeded. The doctors didn’t know if the baby would survive. But here she is almost 3 and we adopted her almost a year ago on august 21st, 2019. She is a blessing from god. My husband and I have been trying to conceive for over 8 years now. I believe everything (even the bad stuff) happens for a reason. And truly feel this child was made in our image. My sister-in-law and I did have a connection minutes before the code was called for the c-section. She was intubated and motioned for my hand. We shared what felt like five minutes of my hand on her belly with her hand holding mine. It was a beautiful bond I’ll never forget. □ Lilyana Grace Lawyer, born at 26 weeks old. 1lb 14ounces.

Our third baby boy but first NICU miracle was born at 35 weeks + 5 days weighing 6 lbs 4 oz (thanks to gestational diabetes he was good size for a preemie) when I unexpectedly went into labor on my own. He was taken to the NICU shortly after being born due to respiratory distress syndrome and was on the CPAP machine for almost a week. During our stay we also fought keeping his temperature up and he spent most of his stay in the isolette. Our little 35 weeker spent 11 very long days in the NICU and we are so thankful for the nurses who were more like family. He was due July 22nd and was born on June 22nd, 2020□

I was 31 weeks pregnant, after 12 years of trying and 4 miscarriages, and planning a home birth. After a weekend of no sleep and strange upper back pain, vomiting started. Hit the ER to get checked out at the recommendation of my midwife. Very quickly things went from let’s do some fluids to let’s take you by squad to a bigger hospital an hour away to have this baby today. I had developed HELLP syndrome and my platelet count was only 35,000. After a scary c-section and blood transfusions for me, my tiny miracle was born weighing 3lbs 1oz. She spent her first 2 days in the same hospital as me, then was transferred to a higher level NICU down the road. Thankfully I was able to stay right in her room with her. Had that not been an option I could have gladly slept in a chair in the hallway because I couldn’t bring myself to leave her side. Aside from a few issues in the first couple days she was incredibly healthy, and off all breathing support by a week old. We spent 6 long weeks waiting for her to get big enough to come home. She’s 19 months old now and healthy as can be. Having only had one little cold and a case pink eye. She’s still a tiny lady, but she’s feisty and smart as can be. Being in the NICU was the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through, but I would absolutely do it all again to have her. She brings happiness to everyone she meets. She will be a world changer!

I have 2 NICU miracles! For my 1st, I developed preeclampsia, was hospitalized for 2 weeks until 33 weeks when I went into HELLP syndrome. My baby boy was 4lb 6oz so we had a 4 week stay in the NICU for him. He was an avid breast feeder and the NICU helped him into the healthy 4 year old toddler I have now! My 2nd was a surprise. We had made 27 weeks with my baby girl. I started feeling weird so I went to the ER. They ran test and were about to discharge me and we lost her heartbeat. It was almost 30 mins, doing ultrasounds, they said she’s coming out. Emergency surgery. The NICU team took her when she was born and got her in stable condition. They took such good care of her, helped her grow, and helped me cope with what happened. She was 1lb but alive! We had a 4 month NICU stay but because of that lengthy stay, she was able to strengthen and be taken care of! I now have a healthy 3 year old toddler! My 2 miracles!!

My daughter was born at 32 weeks 1 day. I had preeclampsia and she had IUGR so she was only the size of a 27 weeker. She weighed 2lbs 6ozs and was 14 inches long. She spent 110 days in the NICU. There were so many ups and downs. On day 9 of her life we found out she had a large VSD and ASD that would require open heart surgery. She struggled to gain weight her entire journey. Even now she is very tiny. She had her surgery on her 3 month birthday. She spent 6 days in the PICU and then returned to the NICU. She came home with an NG tube because she struggled to finish her bottles. We were just so grateful to have her home we didn’t care! She just turned 1 a few days ago and she’s thriving.

Melanie was born at 24 wks on 12/14/2007 weighing 1lb 7 oz, had three surgeries during her 147 day NICU stay. She has chronic lung disease, but it is well controlled and has surpassed her peers in many ways. She was so excited at her last appointment to be 5’2” and 93 lbs! Melanie inspired me to go back to school to become a nurse and today I am a NICU RN and get to take care of the tiniest and strongest humans and share our story with families to help them along their journey in the NICU......every journey is different, but the road remains the same.

I had my baby boy at 29 weeks. I went into labor with him at 24 due to short cervix but they were able to stop my labor 4 different times. I spent just over a month in the hospital before having him. He was finally born weighing 2lb 8oz. We spent 84 days in the NICU battling NEC, re-flux and slowly being weened off CPAP then oxygen.

Our daughter was born at 26 weeks gestation, way in just 2 pounds. She was given a 50% chance of survival, however there was a 90% chance of lifelong disabilities. At one month old she underwent major exploratory surgery, and it was discovered that she had necrotizing fasciitis in her intestines that resulted in about a foot of her intestines being removed. Just hours after her surgery we received a phone call telling us to get to the hospital as quickly as possible, they didn’t think she was going to make it. The quick thinking of her primary nurse saved her life, and today she is an 18-year-old high school graduate getting ready to enter college, and has no lasting effects of her premature birth.

When people think of the NICU they mostly think of preemie babies and often forget the NICU is for so much more than just that. I had a “normal” pregnancy with no hint of anything being wrong with our baby until my 38 week appointment when his heart rate was 280 bpm. I was sent to the hospital and had an emergency csection and he was sent straight to the NICU where we spent a week of our lives. His heart rate was in out of normal rhythm and was 320 bpm at the highest. The doctors and nurses finally found medications that would work to bring his heart rate down and out of stress. The NICU was the very first place I help my sweet baby 10 hours after birth and will forever hold a special and important place in my heart.

This is my daughter Kynzlee. She spent 164 days in the hospital. 67 of those days were spent in the NICU. She was born with a rare condition called gastroschisis(born with her intestines outside of her body). She fought through multiple surgeries, blood transfusions and infections during her 5 month hospital stay. She is now a happy, healthy toddler who will be turning 2 on September 21, 2020. I am beyond thankful for the amazing nurses, doctors, CNA’s, etc. that took care of my NICU warrior. The NICU life wasn’t easy, but I would do it a thousand times over for my little miracle□

My water broke at 20 weeks. We were placed on bed rest and my body went into labor. Lane was born at 24 weeks and 5 days. He was in the nicu for 96 days. We just celebrated his 2nd birthday! He is as happy and healthy!

Our son was born at 35 weeks. He had a complete duodenal atresia which means his stomach wasn’t connected to his intestines. He had surgery 48 hours after birth and was in the nicu for a month. We are so grateful to his surgeons, doctors and nurses. He’s now a healthy soon to be 2 year old!

my sweet Avelina was born November 23, 2017 at 25 weeks weighing just 660 grams. She is also my IVF miracle baby. Our 4th and last frozen embryo. We were told there would be a 50% chance she wouldn't survive. We don't know the reason she came early. We stayed 99 days in the NICU. We were blessed with no lasting health concerns. Avelina had 4 blood transfusions during her stay and had several rounds of antibiotics for her PDA which thankfully ended up closing on its own. We thank god and all of our family and friends for getting through the most difficult time in our lives. we thank all of the tremendous nurses and doctors who saved our baby girls life

The doctor found fluid on our baby girl’s abdomen and bilateral lungs at around 30 weeks. Hydrops Fetalis is a rare complication that, unfortunately, is very serious and life threatening. We wouldn’t know until she was born just how serious her case would be, which was even scarier! Born at 34 weeks, our little fighter beat the odds and stayed in the NICU for 43 days. The whole NICU staff was nothing short of amazing from the moment we stepped foot in Huntsville Hospital. Ellis is now 4 months old and thriving! We are so thankful for every single person that protected and fought for our baby!

Our sweet Jaxon was born at 39 weeks with a left sided Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. He was immediately intubated and taken to the NICU as soon as he was born. He had his repair surgery at 4 days old. We got to hold him for the first time when he was 22 days old and he was extubated at 26 days. He had a hard time weaning off of his sedation meds but he was so strong and pulled through. After spending his first 50 days in the NICU we got to go home and live life as normal as ever. Our entire staff STL Children’s Hospital was absolutely amazing and we couldn’t be more thankful for everyone who took such great care of our little hero!

My little miracle was born at 23 weeks. We conceived her through IVF and after 16 weeks of gestation I was sent to bed rest and she was determined to be born early no matter what. We spent 5 months in the NICU, and she had 5 surgeries while in there. She is my little fighter and my everything □

My 2nd daughter, Anna, was born at 25 weeks 1 day due to placenta abruption. She weighed only 1lb 13oz. She spent 90 days in the NICU. She is a tangible miracle that I have the joy of witnessing every day. Despite her micropreemie status at birth, she was brought home from the hospital with NO medical complications. Today she is a happy, healthy 9 month old. We couldn’t be more grateful for her life and will never take her for granted.

Sadie Reece luna was born on August 23, 2020 at St Thomas-Rutherford. Sadie was born at 35 weeks, and durning labor her lungs took too much fluid causing her oxygen and heart rate levels to almost bottom out. Immediately she was taken to the NICU where she was put on a ventilator. She spent hours on the ventilator with IV’s and so many wires. As a new parents it was a very frightening adventure. By the next day Sadie was taken off the ventilator but was still on oxygen. She was on the oxygen tubes for about 4 days. After 6 long stressful days baby Sadie was ready to go home. Before leaving her doctors all came to say goodbye to Sadie. They were all so proud of her progress. Her main doctor stated “She went from being the sickest baby in our NICU to going home in 6 days! We are so thankful for every nurse, doctor, and every single person in the NICU. We can’t express our appreciation for saving our Rainbow Baby! □

When you think of pregnancy , you think of all the romantic ideas , baby showers , a growing bump , scans, baby clothes and all the excitement . My second pregnancy , was very different . I went through a rollercoaster of emotions. You kind of forget about all the health issues and problems that can happen and the strain you put your body under. I was bleeding from early on in my pregnancy and was in out of hospital with constant checks. As i gradually got further into my pregnancy , at 22 weeks I was having more and more spotting (small bleeds) . I was told , I had placenta Previa . At the time I didn’t know to what extent and continued doing what I could with having a 1 1/2 year old. At 24 weeks, I got rushed in ambulance after a heavy bleed and collapsed in the toilet . I got taken to the nearest hospital to be told I would have to be transferred to a different hospital . Here they would have the equipment and staff to deal with such an early pregnancy if I was to go into labour or if there were further complications . Once arriving at the hospital ,I was bed ridden and feeling emotionally drained leaving my son and husband at home. I wasn’t allowed to walk around, the slightest bit of movement triggered bleeding. I found myself up and down on the delivery suite nearly every night getting one or two hours of sleep at night at the most. In the end the constant bleeding irritated my cervix and set off contractiona until finally cervix began to dilate. My body could not seem to cope keeping my little boy inside anymore. So ,at 27 weeks and 5 days , I had to have an emergency c-section. Doctors stated my life was at risk as well my baby . I remember the staff saying they may have to revive my little boy. But in a room full of doctors and nurses and lots being said to one another , I heard this loud cry and I knew from then he was going to be a little fighter . Max was born 12 weeks and 3 days premature , we were not allowed to hold him straight away , he was in an incubator with wires , lights and mask over his eyes . I will be honest, at first this was hard to see. I had never seen a baby as small . At 2lb 15oz for his gestation , he was actually a good size although was only as big as my hand. He had 1/4 ml of my breast milk through a drip into but the first feed he had was sugar to the heart. He had lots of tests and went on various ventilators , it was always 1 step forward then 2 steps back . Every time he would progress something would then set him back. After 4 /5 weeks of constant praying he finally got transferred to a hospital closer to home . We still had a way to go but there was progression . Max was born the 21 July but finally got to come in October. But not without oxygen. This I could not get my head around . I was to be his nurse as well , how would I know if he was ok ?! What would I do if he wasn’t ?! I had never seen a baby on oxygen or even known a baby on oxygen , this was all very new territory and I’ve got to admit , i was suddenly feeling overwhelmed at where to begin. Somehow, we got through this period with the R2D2 box in the kitchen and the ghostbuster backpacks we would carry on our back and it just became the new ‘norm.’ In the January Max was actually able to come off oxygen. After many nights of battling with with keeping wires on his face and stats machines beeping. I cannot explain the emotions we went through and how I struggled that year after. I think It hit me more when life started to return to normal , my body went into a sort of delayed shock. Looking back, I think maybe I was dealing with a bit of post traumatic stress ,although I did not see this at the time. It was an extremely hard time as no-one really understood how draining on my body physically and mentally it had all been and who to talk to about it . But 5 years on, I look at Max and I could not be prouder and some how ,I have had two more babies since Max. One full term and another 6 weeks premature. We are finished having babies and our family could not be more full and complete. I will definitely not forget my neonatal experiences and the help my little boy and baby girl received . I am forever grateful that they are with me now x

My water broke at 23 weeks! I had to be on bedrest until I would go into labor or my body couldn’t take it anymore. I had my daughter at 29 weeks. She was 2lb 12oz 14.7 inches long! She was in the NICU for 2 months and I took her home before her due date! ❤️ My miracle princess Monica! ❤️

Jonathan was born at 41 weeks with no complications the entire pregnancy. It wasn’t until 24 hours after his birth when he had a seizure in my arms. He was rushed to the NICU and after multiple tests and procedures it was discovered that he had a perinatal stroke. We were told it was some time during birth, but that we would likely never know the cause. Jonathan spent 10 days in the NICU and was on oxygen going home. We were fortunate that we discovered he had a stroke immediately, because he was in early interventions right away, and received therapy to help strengthen his weak side. Today Jonathan turned 2, and last week we found out that he likely has mild Cerebral Palsy as a result of his stroke. He is doing really well developmentally, but in the last few months we have noticed that he falls a lot, and that his speech is not where a 2 year old should be. We are still waiting for the evaluation for the diagnosis, but his neuro is sure he will get diagnosed. Although this is scary, we know that Jonathan is happy and healthy, and doing so good considering he had a brain injury. We are so grateful to our local NICU for all they did to help our little dude. He has been through a lot in his short life, but we can’t wait to see all the great things he does in life!

My baby Christian was a micro preemie born at 26 weeks weighing 1Lb 12 ounces Christian was supposed to had been in the NICU 3 MONTHD and only was there 2. I just thank God for his loving primary NICU NURSES at Beverly Olsen Children hospital navient health. Ladonna Snider And April Mitchell was awesome with him and so was everyone else. Christian original due date was February but he was born Nov.19,2016. No bleeding on the brain □□ breathing with little oxygen a lot of prayer love and support hot Christian to where he is today strong and health.I think God for the doctors and nurses that care for our preemies still giving them a chance at life. Today Christian is 3yrs old and very active and super smart he amazes me everyday with something new. His growth and development is amazing.

I had our daughter at the local hospital. When she was born she was coded. She didn’t do anything, for about 15 minutes she didn’t make a sound. She was taken to a NICU in a children’s hospital about a hour away. Her second day of life she was pausing in her breathing so she was hooked up to an EEG machine. She was having epileptic activity. Long story short, she was tested multiple times for the cause for all of her diagnoses. We had a 5 week stay in the NICU. In order for us to be able to take her home she had to get a gtube placed. We did work on trying to bottle feed her, but she could never take in the full amount in the time she needed to and some of the milk was going up her nose. We have been back to the hospital for about 40 times since we left the NICU. She has had multiple appointments, admission stays, and ER visits. After numerous testing, at 6&1/2 months old, she was given a diagnosis of Schinzel-Giedion Syndrome. This Schinzel-Giedion is like the big umbrella of all of her diagnoses. This syndrome is super rare. Only 50 kids worldwide, and we are the only ones recorded in our state. The worst of the syndrome is that it has an average life expectancy of 2 years. Our daughter is a fighter. She has been through so much more than many average adults have. We will continue to fight for her as long as she needs.

All began on 29th December 2017, a morning when I had appointment to meet mi midwife and to choose how I want to deliver mi second baby. I had Paine but not so much to even think about what's gonna happen next. I asked to have a vaginal check out but was refused so I insisted Finally after 2 hours they see a foot and that I am 2 cm dilateted In that night I was sent to Birmingham because was the only hospital in the area with was not full They try everything but Dominiq Matteas wanted to come to this word more quickly 16 weck s earlyar to be exact I was taken to have a emergency C section to save him He was 24+4 weeks and had 785 grams Had lungs problems because of being early and heart problems also the first time I took him in my arms, the first direct contact with my baby was after 8 days. it was the beginning of the most painful period of my life, one where I had to go home in the evening because there were no places in the hospital to stay there. the most painful was to leave alone without my baby, to leave him in the hospital was a huge pain a stone on my heart, I thought I was dying of pain. this was the second birth for me and it was weird because the first baby was born naturally at term Now instead of the baby I had to breastfeed, I had an electric pump. I didn't feel anything or rather I felt like I had left my child, I didn't understand why I couldn't have him by my side. after 4 months and 10 days Dominiq weighed 3 kg and we could go to Cambridge to do the operation of diluting the right nostril I went home with a lot of fears and fears thanks to an excellent team of doctors and nurses I have a healthy child who now goes to kindergarten and has no health problems. thank you NICU team

Harley was born at 36 weeks. Shortly before she was born we were told she had Duodenal Atresia. Within a week of finding out her diagnosis we were transferred to a bigger hospital because she needed to have surgery. She was born Sept 18th,2017, 5lbs 7oz 19 3/4in. Had surgery within hours of being born. Spent 3 weeks in the NICU at uofm motts. By the end of her first year she was finally gaining weight like her doctors wanted her too. Through many dr. Appointments and nurse visits. Physical therapy. She is now turning 3 and big sister. We are forever grateful for her nurses and doctors. They simply are the best. #hailtothelittlestvictors.

Our sweet miracle was diagnosed with Gastroschisis at our 20 week ultrasound. Gastroschisis is a birth defect that causes a small hole next to the umbilical cord, resulting in the intestines forming and growing outside of the body. Kaden was born full term and miraculously, a natural birth. Immediately after being born, he was rushed into surgery for the first step in correcting the problem. We did not even get to hold him. Following that surgery he spent a total of 10 weeks in the NUCU. It was the most agonizing 2 1/2 months of my life. Any mother who has been discharged from the hospital only to have to leave their newborn behind knows that ride home is filled with so much despair. Kaden spent the first 7 days completely sedated. Seeing your newborn in such a state is heart-wrenching and you feel utterly hopeless. Kaden then had the second surgery to complete the final stage of the repair on the 7th day of his stay. He spent about another week or two sedated before he was slowly brought back to. Still ventilated, we were unable to hold our newborn son for nearly 4 weeks. The following few weeks would require feed training before he’d be released to go home at 10 weeks old, two weeks before Christmas. The nurses that work with NICU babies are a special breed of people. I’m so thankful for them. I’m so thankful for the volunteers who came in to comfort and sing to my sweet boy when we could not be there. I am thankful to the amazing surgeon who constantly reassured us during a terribly scary time.

Sirus was born 34 weeks early barely. I remember it was snowing and the doctors had the cardinals game on in the background. Sirus decided it was the perfect time to come. We had been flown to st Louis 3 days earlier, because he wanted to come sooner. He was 4.7lbs, 18 inches long. I only got to see him for a quick second before they rushed him away. The next morning when I seen I started crying and was so scared, he had the hiccups and I didn't know what was going on. The NICU nurse was so patient with me being a young new mommy and assured me he was okay. He shared his NICU room with triplets and I remember him being smaller than them.. by the way they were as cute as can be with their mommy lol. We were suppose to be in the NICU for a month but Sirus had other plans. We only stayed 2 weeks. Now my baby boy is over 6ft tall, will be 15 this year and he just started high school. I am so blessed for the care and the love st John's hospital in st Louis had towards us. I thank God everyday for my little blessing.

Kyleigh was born by emergency c-section weighing 1 pound, 4 ounces at just 23 weeks and 2 days gestation on October 29, 2014. We were told there was no certainty that she would survive. The first time I saw her, I was in shock. How could something so small survive? There were scary times - the first time I saw her tiny body shaken by the high-frequency ventilator, I was terrified. During her stay, she contracted e-coli, battled NEC, and was sick from an unknown cause. We focused on the progress and celebrated the small steps - from intubation to CPAP to wall oxygen, from feeding tube to bottle to breast, from brain bleed to normalized, from NICU to home. Kyleigh spent 108 days in the NICU and is now 5 and in kindergarten. The fight she used to survive is why she now thrives.

My daughter Addison was born August 24, 2017 at 40 weeks. Addison spent the first month of her life in the Nicu as she had a difficult time regulating her blood sugar. The staff was amazing and we were very fortunate to have the angel eye cameras that allowed us to watch Addison as we came home without our daughter. Addison is now three years old and loves to play, read and be silly. We knew our daughter was well taken care of in the Nicu when we couldn’t have been there. We are so thankful for the nurses that we still keep in touch with them.

My son Ashiel was born @29wks at a weight of 1,4kg at birth on the 22 Nov 2014.He was born @ St Augustines Hospital in Durban South Africa.I had 2 miscarriages before him due to an incompetent cervix and diabetes. Ashiel is my 1st live child and my rainbow baby. We spent 6 weeks in the NICU.Every day I watched him grow a little bigger and get a little stronger. Until one day on the 31st of December 2014, I brought my baby home.He weighed 2,2kg on discharge. The happiest and most scary day of my life. I'm so glad to say that he will be turning 6 years old this year. Thank you to the wonderful staff of the NICU who have now become our friends. I will never forget all you have done to make sure that Ashiel and I were well taken care of. God bless you all □□□

Darcy Christine came into this world at 27.2 weeks. She spent exactly 10 weeks in the NICU where she defied all odds! She was extubated on day 2 and breathing on her on with high flow oxygen. She continued to show the doctors and nurses what a little fighter she was with little to no setbacks in her time in the NICU. What makes our story a little different is my mom has been a NICU nurse for 20+ years. In all the years of “bring you child to work day” or just visiting mom at work I would have never imagined that I would have a micro-preemie in the very NICU that my mom worked for so many years! We are so very grateful for the wonderful care that Darcy received from everyone at Cabrini NICU in Alexandria, LA.

Me and my son are nicu baby I was born with menngitus and spend 16 months in the nicu and my son now age 2 was born wit sespsis menngitus hole in his heart and bowel and now growing stronger we are both lil fighter

I was 17weeks pregnant and my water broke. I was bed bound until my son decided to make his arrival at 28 weeks. He was dependable on the ventilator and had a feeding tube. We did multiple steroid treatments and got him to be on high flow but his oxygen wouldn’t go any lower then 7liters. So at 6months old I decided to get him a trach. It took us months and months to get him down to 2-3 liters for oxygen and the right numbers in the home vent. And weeks and weeks of training so I knew what I was doing when we got home. He’s gone blue on me a lot in the hospital and also at home. He also Has a gtube. We stayed 294days in the Nicu/picu

Lilliana was born 6 weeks early weighing just 4lbs 7oz due to severe preeclampsia. Because she was so tiny getting her to eat was incredibly difficult. She ended up dropping down to 3lbs 7oz. She was also severely jaundice. Her levels no matter what we did, no matter how long we were under the light, would not go down. We felt so defeated. But our nurses and doctors assured us... she was a fighter. From the moment she went into the NICU, everyone knew who Lilliana was, and she was not going to let anyone forget she was in there. After reaching severe critical levels we felt utterly defeated. The heartbreak was tremendous. As a parent, you just want to take away all their pain. Finally after a recommendation by one of our nurses her numbers came down and she began eating like a champ! Lilliana was a fighter, and because she never gave up she was able to graduate from the NICU! Today she is 10 months, loves to eat, walk, and explore the world around her. We are so thankful for the NICU staff who saved our beautiful baby girl! To all the NICU parents out there whether it’s one day, one week, one month, or many months, you have a whole community rooting for your little one. I know it’s hard the sleepless nights, the hurt, the sadness. But this community is behind you!

My son Alex was born on October 26, 2000 21 days early.. he wasn't a preemie but he spent 8 days in the nicu due to tachypnia and his lungs being underdeveloped. It was the longest 8 days of my life. He is now 19 almost 20 and in his sophomore year at ohio State university.

Rymir was born 10 weeks early on April 14, 2020. He was born weighing 2 pounds 15 ounces. Stayed in NICU for 6 weeks but overcame every obstacle thrown his way. He is now gaining all of his weight and getting stronger everyday! #NICUGraduate #NICUawarenessmonth

My son was born at 27 weeks gestation weighing in at 2 lbs. 2 1/2 oz. The day after he was born his right lung collapsed. It was the worst roller coaster ride in my life. He is now 5 going to be 6 oct. 6th. He is thriving happy fun amazing smart little boy.

The hardest part about Being in the NICU is being discharged from the hospital while my baby was still in the NICU. Visiting every day and not being able to take him home. I cried a lot when I left. It was tough not having a normal delivery. I did hold my son when he came out. But Seeing her little body with wires and tubes all over just made me so sad at times , but I’m happy my son is doing better than ever .

23 yrs ago my son Peyton was delivered by emergency c-section at 28 wks. He was 1# 3.2 oz. and 11 in. long. He fought a tough fight, making it home 13 wks later. Fast forward to March 27,2020 when my grandson Ryker took after his father and decided to make his way into the world early, only he was 24 wks. He weighed 400g! He was such a tough little big man. After bravely battling for 5 months Ryker earned his angel wings Aug. 28, 2020. Peyton is the reason I became a NICU nurse. To advocate & give others a chance to take their babies home. Ryker is the reason I will always have a great deal of empathy for the bereaved families left behind to cherish the memories of the littlest angels. I absolutely love what I do and cannot imagine doing anything else □

Carter Lynae was diagnosed prenatally with a rare tumor called Sacrococcygeal Teratoma. She had underwent a 6 hour surgery at 20 hours old and spent her first week of life in the NICU recovering. The NICU staff took amazing care of her and what was expected to be a 30-day NICU stay, ended up only being a 10-day hospital stay! She is now 9 months old and you would never know what she has been through. She is full of energy and loves life!

Our sweet Hendrix was born at 23 weeks and 5 days. I went into the hospital for back pain and found out I was 6 cm dilated and Hendrix was kicking his way out. He weighed 1lb 6 oz and was only given a 20% chance to live. Hendrix spent 166 days in the nicu and overcame a punctured esophagus, 2 brain bleeds, NEC, several infections and an unhealthy liver due to being on artificial nutrition for many months. He left the Nicu with a clean bill of health and he is now a happy and healthy 15 month old!

My son Braxton was born July 30th 2020 at 33 weeks 1 day weighting in at 4lb 12oz 17in long and spent then first 4 weeks in the NICU! We are very thankful for the nurses who took care of are handsome Boy! He is now 7 weeks old and 8lb 7oz and doing great.

My little Ivan was born December 21,19. He was born at 28 weeks 5 days weighing 1lbs 9 oz, he was struggling to grow in me therefore he was 3 weeks behind in development. I was put into 48 hours of steroids in order to develop his lungs, after being diagnose with HEELP syndrome. Ivan spent 76 days in the NICU before we were able to bring him home. Today he were still struggling with weight gain but other than that he’s a healthy happy baby.

From NICU graduate to nurse. I was born nearly two months early and the first two to three weeks of my life were spent in the NICU. While I do not remember anything about my NICU experience, it made a lasting impact on my life. For as long as I can imagine, I wanted to be a nurse just like the NICU nurses who helped save my life. A few years ago, this dream of mine became a reality as I began my career as a pediatric nurse. As a pediatric nurse, I am occasionally floated to assist in my hospital’s NICU. Anytime I work in the NICU or with fellow NICU graduates I can not help but smile as it seems life has come full circle. The NICU nurses who cared for me probably didn’t realize what an impact they would have on my life. However, I wanted to thank them and highlight how their love and dedication truly can last a lifetime. NICU staff certainly make an imprint on the world one tiny footprint at a time. ~Lauren Proud NICU Graduate

My triplets were born at 31 weeks. Ranging from 2-3lbs. Two of them were with breathing issues and one wasn’t breathing at all and had to be immediately intubated. The months we spent in the nicu were hard from jaundice, feeding issues and aspirations to latching and bonding. The staff was there for us from day one through every milestone and they became family. I appreciate the struggle because it’s helped me see the joy out of each day with them.

Madalyn was delivered by emergency C-section at 26 weeks, weighing just over 2 pounds. Immediately after her birth, she was transported from a hospital in Georgia to Erlanger’s NICU. Then, when Madalyn was just four days old, her heart stopped beating for 42 minutes. Two nurses and a doctor worked nonstop to get Madalyn’s tiny heart to beat. Complications included a brain bleed and kidney failure. She spent 76 days in the NiICU, she is now a healthy, happy and sassy 10 year old!

“You’re going to have this baby today” are the words no one wants to hear at 26 weeks. Due to incompetent cervix and a failed cerclage, those were the exact words that will always echo in my mind. Our 26 weeker, Briggs, came into this world with quite the entrance. From day one he has kept us all on our toes. I can’t even begin to count the number we had of ultrasounds, blood transfusions, echos, IV’s, blood gases, and all the other things that go on in the NICU world. We spent 148 days in a small room just watching our sweet boy grow outside the womb, rather than inside Mommy like we’d dreamed of. Our NICU team at UAMS in Little Rock, AR were the absolute best. They have become family to us and we are so forever grateful for the care and love they poured into our sweet boy. We were unable to visit our son together due to COVID, but his care team always made sure that both of us parents were included in all the big and small milestones that he hit throughout his journey in the NICU. He was intubated for 2 months and discharged home on oxygen. Briggs is now gtube dependent and considered a “medically complex” patient. In our eyes, “medically complex” translates to our little miracle.

What was supposed to be a 24-hour trip to Las Vegas, turned into a 106 day NICU stay for my son. Asher was born at 26 week and 2 days, while my husband and I were visiting from Oregon. Little did we know that my water would break in our hotel room, and my little warrior would make his debut 14 weeks early. After enduring a subgaleal hemorrhage, countless x-rays and TPN, Asher was discharged and we made our trek back to Portland. Today he is 3 and a half, and a smart, sassy and loving little boy. We owe everything to the doctors and nurses at Sunrise Hospital!

Our girl Amaya Faith will be 17 this December. She was born at 23 weeks, weighing 1 lb 2 oz. 10 3/4 inches long. Our fighter □

Logan-Emmanuel was born at 32 weeks, he suffered first from a blood clotting disorder which turned out to be a vitamin K deficiency. Then he contracted NEC and had 15% of his small intestine removed. 2 weeks later he got sick again and it was confirmed he had NEC again. He had a second surgery in which they removed 70% of his small intestine (in total he had 85% of his small intestine removed). He is now thriving and getting better day by day by the grace of God.

My son was born at 26 weeks and weighed in 1lb 15oz I had a short cervix and pcos. After 2 long months in nicu with the amazing doctors and nurses he is a healthy big 12 year old boy! That loves video games and hanging with his friends!

Born two months premature in June 2020, our daughter was a total placental abruption. She had completely detached from my uterus during the night, and in the morning by some miracle my water broke. We didn’t expect to have a baby that morning, but after an emergency cesarean section our baby was born 2.2lbs and 14 inches long.

my daughter Nevaeh was born at 25 weeks . she passed away from NEC 6 weeks later.

As a NICU nurse, I know NICU babies come in all shapes and sizes. Little did I know, both my babies would experience what mommy does for work every day and also be the biggest ones in the unit! My youngest was born at 10.4lbs at 39 weeks. She was a shoulder dystocia, large for gestational age and had hypoglycemia. My oldest was 8.7lbs at 38 weeks, LGA and had hypoglycemia. Both spent 5 days with my wonderful coworkers regulating sugars and learning to eat. After my NICU parent experiences, I know that all NICU stays, no matter the duration or complications, are difficult to cope with and can change a parent. I know and appreciate our stay was thankfully uneventful and very minor compared to what I see everyday at work. NICU babies and their parents are true warriors!

My daughter was born at 27 weeks.905 grams. She spent 75 days in the NICU and was home 15 days before her due date she just turned 1 years old (real age) on August 21st 2020. She has no complications at all!

Anabel was originally going to be a CICU tenant but after needing to deliver early at 34 weeks 5 days she moved into a NICU suite. The amazing staff at St. Louis Children's Hospital tended to every unique need she had due to HLHS and T21. While she never graduated from the NICU, she impressed many during her stay and paved the way for future fighters to earn a chance despite the odds.

My daughter is the bravest baby I know. Two weeks ago I had decided to attempt a VBAC with our second daughter. This ultimately landed us in an another emergency c-section situation. What I didn't expect was our baby girl to be sick. She had a lung infection and I ended up with a fever after delivery. I wasn't able to hold my girl for 12hours. She had to stay in the NiCU & I had to be clear of my fever. The longest 12hours of my life. I was so determined to see her as soon as possible. I began to pump for her as soon as I could. I knew I needed to do everything I could to be there with her and for her...I'm blessed her stay didn't last more than a week. She recovered so well within the week. Better than doctors had anticipated. She's just so sweet! Right from the start she put on her brave face and handled it all so well. She took each day like a champ and I couldn't be more proud of my little love bug. Now we're home, breastfeeding exclusively. She's thriving. And after all the stress and pain that I felt. I look at her and know to be strong because she went her first week in the world in one of the most stressful environments, and yet continues to thrive and be the sweet soul she is! I'm blessed my NICU baby is here with me. I'm grateful for our situation being the best it could be. And for the team that comforted her daily and supported me when I was down. Thank you.

Beau was born full term with a cleft palate and micrognathia (small lower jaw). He had breathing and feeding difficulties. He had 3 surgeries and spent 52 days in the NICU. I felt like he was one of the biggest babies in the NICU most people don't realize full term babies spend time there too! We came home with a feeding tube but graduated from that at 16months! So thankful for all the wonderful NICU staff □

It never crossed my mind that my babies would spend their first days in the NICU, although it probably should have. I guess I spent so much of my pregnancy expecting to lose one, I never really planned for their safe albeit early arrival. I remember the day the doctor told me the triplets were coming. I was 33 weeks and 5 days pregnant. I had no idea what health conditions they would be facing or what their future would be like, but you know what? They were perfect - they are perfect still. #bennetttriplets

I was born at 24.5 weeks in November 1983. I spent from November 2, 1983 - February 24, 1984, in the NICU I have written an autobiography, scheduled to be released soon.

My dear, sweet Nate came screaming into this world at 29 weeks. As an OBGYN, I knew the statistics of having a very low birth weight preterm baby. He weighed in at a hefty 1 pound 15 ounces. He surprised us all!! 133 long days and nights in the NICU. The support of our nurses was instrumental in bringing home a healthy baby boy. My husband and I started a scholarship in honor of our primary nurse—Lorrie. This is Nate at 5 years old.