Preemie Awareness Month

I was reading through a couple of blogs tonight and I realized that November is Prematurity Awareness Month. I had no idea. I thought I should have known, since my son was a preemie!
My son was born at just over 34 weeks gestation. It was a complicated pregnancy.  I lost his twin at approximately 18 weeks. I nearly lost my son as well. Thankfully, I did not. ( you can read more here) Looking at him today, you would never guess he was only 5 lbs. He is now 25 months and approximately 38 lbs. He wears a size 3x or 4, and has size 11 feet!! 
After searching online, I realized that November is Prematurity Awareness Month, with Wed. Nov. 17th being Preemie Awareness Day, in the US.  I am not American, but after reading some posts by other moms, (through the tears in my eyes), I wanted to devote a post to help raise awareness.
I read a post written by Cee over at Smookie Style , in which she included a poem that she read in a post written by Melissa at Home Grown Families.  
I would like to share this poem.

Did you ever wonder how the mothers of premature babies are chosen?

Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth, selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation.
As he observes, he instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger.

"Beth Armstrong, son. Patron Saint, Matthew. Marjorie Forrest, daughter. Patron Saint, Celia. Carrie Rutledge, twins. Patron Saint ... give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."

Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles. "Give her a preemie."

The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."

"Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter?

That would be cruel." "But does she have the patience?" asks the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it.

I watched her today.

She has that sense of self and independence so rare and so necessary in a mother.

You see, the child I'm going to give her has a world of its own.

She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy."

"But Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."

God smiles. "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect.

She has just the right amount of selfishness."

The angel gasps, "Selfishness?! Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive.

Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect.

She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied.

She will never take for granted a spoken word.

She will never consider a step ordinary.

When her child says 'mama' for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know it.

I will permit her to see clearly the things I see – ignorance, cruelty, prejudice – and allow her to rise above them.

She will never be alone.

I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."

"And what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in the air.

God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."
-excerpt by Erma Bombeck


(I know, I know! Purple text doesn't match this blog! I chose to type that in purple since that is the colour of the ribbon that is used to raise awareness)

Did you know......... 
1 in 8 babies is born prematurely.
Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death worldwide. 
Even babies born just a few weeks too soon can face serious health challenges and are at risk of lifelong disabilities.


For more information you can check out  The March of Dimes  website.  (note it is not the Canadian site, which can be found here)