Archive for November, 2009

This November, do something special for a baby you love. Click over to  the March of Dimes Fight for Preemies and create a virtual band in honor or memory of a baby in your life. Your gift funds research and programs that give premature babies a fighting chance.

Don’t have a premature baby to honor? That’s ok, you can still support the cause. Just put yourself in the shoes of parents who have a premature baby. These parents may feel anxiety, as many parents do, but now they are experiencing it weeks or even months earlier than expected. Their child may spend their first days, weeks or even months in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). Each day presents joys and challenges to parents and to baby. Give these babies and their families a fighting chance.

Let’s talk about the outcomes of premature births. To be honest, the outcomes are different for each baby. The earlier the baby is born, usually the more complications there are. For example, a baby born around 35 weeks may experience jaundice, breathing problems and a longer hospital stay. Babies who are born earlier may experience an array of problems such as breathing, heart or intestinal complications and vision problems. I decided to bold may because I wanted to emphasize that there is no certainty when and which babies will experience what. For example, I was born 6 weeks early; I had jaundice and had to spend 3 days in the hospital under the lights. Maybe that’s why I like to speak in front of crowds; I was in the spot-light at an early age. Were you a premature baby too? We’d love to hear your story.