We walk for our son, Kellen, who was a 32 week baby and was prematurely born due to pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome. He was 3lb 2oz and 16 inches long and graduated from the NICU after 30 days. We first held Kellen when there were more wires than baby. We have seen how hard a preemie can fight and experienced strength we never thought possible because being strong was our only choice. No parent should ever have to be discharged from a hospital without their newborn in their arms. Lucky for us, Kellen's doctors and nurses were so incredible, which made leaving him in the NICU every day and evening a little easier.
We've been told that the walls of NICUs have heard more prayers than churches - so we walk! We walk so that no parent ever has to experience that feeling of leaving a piece of their heart behind. And we walk so that no mom ever has to experience Preemie Mom Guilt --> wondering if there was something she could have done to prevent her baby's premature birth - or something she did to cause it....feeling guilty in her heart while knowing in her head that she shouldn't.
Fight Like a Preemie!
"Sometimes the littlest things take up the most room in your heart" - Winnie the Pooh
"I feared because it was too early, I cried because it was too soon. Yet I underestimated the strength in one as small as you."
"Until you have a premature baby, you will never really understand the great distance between one pane of glass"
March of Dimes is dedicated to bringing people together to tackle America's maternal and infant health crisis—one person, one community, and one step at a time. More than a series of walks, March for Babies is an annual tradition that supports moms and babies every day, every step of the way.
March for Babies connects friends, families, and coworkers to improve the health of families nationwide. Together with March of Dimes, each step forward brings us closer to a healthy future for all.
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