Bryenna Sittner

Ruth’s Story:

My pregnancy was mostly uncomplicated. I was anemic and needed iron infusions, and Ruth measured a little small, but nothing pointed to a premature birth. I used the Count the Kicks app religiously and I was always extremely aware of her movements throughout the day. So when she stopped moving entirely for a full day at 34 weeks, I knew we needed to get to triage to get her evaluated.

When we got to triage, I got hooked up to monitors, I was given juice and cookies, but she still refused to move. After lots of testing, a nurse came in and told us our baby was in distress and it was time to get her out as soon as possible. In addition to the decreased movement, her heartrate was dropping to the 20’s over and over again for hours as they tried to induce me.

I was terrified. I just kept saying, “She’s too little, she can’t come yet.” But it was time and I knew it, so I requested a c section.

At 8:45 a.m. on March 29, Ruthia Kathleen was born at 34 weeks gestation, weighing only four and a half pounds.

What I didn’t know in that moment was that she was wrapped in her umbilical cord three times. Once round her neck, once around her arms and belly, and once around her ankles. The doctor who delivered her had never seen a case like it. The only way to safely deliver her was to cut the cord before pulling her out. All I remember hearing was the room go quiet, then “oh wow,” and “no delayed cord clamping today.” Then after what felt like forever, a tiny cry that forever changed my life.

Ruth spent almost a month in the NICU. In the beginning, her goals were to breathe independently, regulate her body temperature and blood sugar, and eventually learn to eat. Watching her fight for each milestone was incredibly hard.

That time was  filled with so many highs and lows. Some days we would feel hopeful, her oxygen support would be a little lower, she would take a bottle a little better, or we would get a small win that felt huge. And then the next day would come with setbacks that would knock the wind out of us again. It was an emotional roller coaster, where nothing felt predictable and every small step forward mattered more than it ever had before.

My husband and I couldn’t stand the thought of leaving her, so for the first two weeks, we both slept in the chairs in her room. After that, we took turns, one of us in the chair in her room and one in a bed down the hall still waking up for all of her care times. We would take turns trying to rest while the alarms beeped, monitors flashed, and nurses quietly came in and out. Those chairs became our “home” for that season. It wasn’t comfortable especially trying to recover from a c section, and it wasn’t restful, but being near her was the only place we wanted to be.

While Ruth was in the NICU, the rest of the world seemed to pause. It felt like a lifetime, and we honestly never thought it would end. The last hurdle was feeding, and it was frustrating. One day progress, the next day setbacks. Until one day, it just clicked.

On Easter Sunday, Ruth’s doctor told us she was ready to go home. She asked if I was ready, and I could not have said yes any faster. We were at home on the couch less than an hour and a half later surrounded by family and friends.

Our family and friends carried us through that season. Their support meant everything. Ruth had visitors in the NICU constantly, she was rarely alone.

For a long time, I saw the NICU as a thief. so many moments I felt like we lost. But now I try to see it differently. For every moment we missed, we gained a lifetime with her. Without the doctors and nurses who cared for her, our world would look completely different.

That’s why I’m so passionate about the work of March of Dimes. Ruth’s birth and time in the NICU really opened my eyes to how quickly things can change and how overwhelming it can feel for families in those moments. It showed me just how important support, education, and community are when you’re going through something like that, and how much of a difference they can make.

I know now that if we had waited any longer to go in the night she was born, Ruth would not be here. Her only warning sign was a sudden, complete change in her movement. If I hadn’t been monitoring her movements I may have missed it entirely. That experience taught me how important it is to pay attention to your baby’s normal patterns and to trust your instincts if something feels off. Whether it’s decreased movement or a noticeable increase or change from what is typical for your baby, it is always worth getting checked out. In our case, acting quickly and going in right away is what gave Ruth a chance at life

Today, Ruth is thriving. She’s the happiest little girl I know. She loves bath time, string cheese and her family, in that order. I am so grateful for the people who saved her life, and for organizations like March of Dimes that support families through their hardest moments.

Thank you for being part of that support.














This is Ruthia’s team, she has definitely been impatient since birth so our name felt fitting!

Ruthia was born 6 weeks early after getting wrapped tightly in her umbilical cord which decreased her movement and slowed her heart. She spent the first month of her life in the NICU receiving the care that saved her life. If we had waited any longer to go in, our world would look completely different.

We love the March Of Dimes because every family deserves quality care and support in their scariest moments. We could not imagine having gone through our birth and NICU experience without the support of our amazing family and friends. Thank you to every single one of you!💜