It is tough when you’re in the NICU during times of celebration like the holidays or Mother’s or Father’s Day. Our NICU journey started on Thanksgiving day and didn’t end until the end of March. At the end of April our daughter needed emergency brain surgery. Yes, my wife was a Mom and I was a Dad but we were terrified. We had lost our son and were concerned for our daughter.
At Graham’s Foundation, we recognize that for some Dads right now, Father’s Day is not what they had hoped for or expected.
For Dads of preemies in the NICU, there isn’t much we can do and there certainly isn’t anything that we can fix. Focus on what you can do to support Mom and find ways to bond with your baby. I wrote a lot of poems. I also read books to them… books that I planned on reading to them when they were a little older. Fortunately, I have had the chance to read my favorite, The Giving Tree, to my daughter, Reece, several times.
It is okay and understandable if you’re going through a roller coaster of emotions when you’re coping with prematurity. What is important is finding someone who you can talk to and who will listen. If you want advice, ask for it, but if you want someone to just listen, it is okay to ask for that as well.
Please remember that Graham’s Foundation is here for you, too. Our contact information can be found throughout our website and you can always contact us on Facebook. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us and to our community of parents if you need help.
Share This Post...