I've Been Blogging!

...just not here.

This week I'm so thankful to be part of a series at How Do You Do It?, in honor of March of Dimes' Prematurity Awareness Month.

Our girls were born at 34 weeks.  They spent 10 days in the NICU with only minor interventions.  We were very lucky.

Still, that experience had a profound effect on our family.  We are very humbled, and very grateful to have two healthy babies, now almost FIVE YEARS OLD!

If you haven't already done so, I invite you to check out the many inspiring posts that are being shared this week.

In sharing, we raise awareness.  And in raising awareness, we hope to lower the incidence of prematurity.

Prematurity Awareness Day

When I was in graduate school, a friend of mine gave birth to a baby with a minor birth defect. She casually mentioned that her doctor told her that if she'd been taking folic acid when she got pregnant, she probably could have avoided the complication.

I was shocked.

I thought everyone knew that women who were of child-bearing age should be taking folic acid to help prevent birth defects. How could my friend, an intelligent, educated woman, not have known this?

From that time, I've always supported the March of Dimes in "working together for stronger, healthier babies."

November 17 is National Prematurity Awareness Day. In honor of our baby girls, born at 34 1/2 weeks, I'm re-posting a portion of our NICU story, told in light of the NICU reunion we attended in September.

I praise God every day that we have two happy, healthy babies. I pray for the families that are fighting for their babies...for the medical professionals who are caring for them...and for the scientists who research ways to help and prevent issues such as prematurity.

Revisiting the NICU, written September 12, 2010

...and if you'll excuse me, I'm going to give my two sweet girlies an extra big hug.