Meet Cori, Preemie Parent Mentor
My preemie(s) was born at: 22 weeks, 1 day
Days spent in the NICU: 1 day for Ezra, 4 months with Rowan
Parent of Multiples: Yes
Our NICU Journey included: PROM, micro-preemie birth, multiples delivery, loss of a twin.
What are 3 things every parent should know?
- Don’t forget or feel guilty taking care of yourself
- Never be afraid to play an active role in your child’s care
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions
My water broke at 20 weeks 6 days with my twin boys. I was in and out of the hospital a couple of times during the next two weeks, before delivering them at just 22 weeks 1 day gestation. We were so fortunate to have a NICU that welcomed us with open arms and loved our babies like their own. They were always willing to answer any questions, to teach us all they could, and to be a shoulder to cry on when needed. They took care of us just as much as they took care of Ezra and Rowan. We lost our son Ezra 20 hours after his birth and our son, Rowan, spent 4 months in the hospital before coming home!
My encouragement to parents would be to try to cherish every moment. You have good days, and you have harder days. On those good days, you soak everything in, from the smallest movement, an extra few minutes of kangaroo care, to fitting into preemie clothing.
I want other NICU parents to know that there is an abundance of resources available to them during this journey, and a whole community to back them. I want to share with other twinless twin parents that celebrating and loving a surviving twin who is thriving does not mean that you are loving or forgetting your lost twin. Celebrating and grieving are two of the hardest things to do together. Also, micro-preemie does not mean micro-strength- these babies are some of the strongest and most resilient people I have ever met, and they will teach you more about life from the moment they are born.
Losing a Premature Baby
Having to say goodbye to a preemie far too soon is a tragedy that no parent should ever have to face, but sadly loss is a part of the prematurity journey, too. Nothing can ever ease the pain of losing a child but even so, many organizations, websites, and groups exist to help moms and dads cope.
