For preemie moms

Ever get tired of family/friends etc... telling you to just get over your baby/child being born premature

read what a NICU nurse on my site had to say....brought me to tears (((hugs)))

hmmm - at what age of your child's growth did you stop being a preemie mom? Who waved the magic wand and took away all the fears of your child dieing before you could see her/him, and once born the terror of falling in love in case they died -- being able to only touch a hand, denied the right to even change a diaper!
bathing in a cup, pumping until you thought Daisy the Cow had nothing on you -- learning medical skills, terms and mind mazes that would boggle the mind of a second year medical student, passing through the locked doors of NICU like a visitor to a prison.

at what age did those experiences NOT happen?

yes, the baby is older now -- but what about that first year? the endless appointments, OT, PT, ST -- jumble the alphabet, you'll come up with a medical appointment...

and then what about the following years -- every little milestone passed caused a release of long held breath that this was one more 'normal' (there's that horrible word again!) baby thing

Your child was born early -- that makes you a preemie mom -- and just because your baby is older doesn't change the birthdate -- time will sooth the terror, lack of sleep will blur the details --

wear that title with honour -- because you moms know it represents a battle of epic proportions waged not only with medical personal, annoying nurses, insensitive (stupid) family members and 'friends' with both feet in their mouths -- it represents all the internal struggles each of you went through, and fought and perhaps are still fighting --

wear that title with honour - because when someone says 'they're older now, get over it' or 'just be thankful they're here' you can smile inside and know with certainty that you know better than most others what it's like to face sickness, and death and pass through the valley and come out the other side --

wear that title with honour - because that's your birth story and there is no reason to apologize for an experience that no sane person would willingly choose, even for their worst enemy

wear that title with honour - because you know when you hear about babies being born early your heart aches and cries for those parents and you are capable of a compassion that very few others even know is necessary

and face it -- they'll always be your 'baby' -- and when they're 56 they'll probably still be asking for allowance and to borrow your brand new car