From July 6th, 2021 to October 8th, 2021, my grandson was in the NICU at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Rochester, MN. When I found out it was NICU Awareness month, I wanted to learn more about it. In my research, I discovered that one of the most effective ways to support others is to share stories about your own NICU experience. Luckily, I have the means to do that!
September is NICU Awareness Month
NICU stands for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where babies get round-the-clock care from expert nurses and doctors. There are many reasons a baby will go there, but in my case, my grandson, Mason, was born 12 weeks early, so his tiny little body wasn’t developed enough to go home. He could breathe on his own, but he needed a lot of time and care to finish what should have been happening inside his mom.
According to this beautiful post by Natalie Gordon,
- Premature labor occurs in about 12% of all pregnancies.
- In 4 out of 10 preterm labor cases, there is not an exact known cause.
- More than 380,000 babies are born prematurely each year.
Mason had ups and downs during his NICU journey. I was able to visit him in the beginning; I even got to change his diaper! At one point, the hospital restricted visitors, so I watched from the outside, being very thankful for Angel Eyes, a camera we had access to and could watch 24 hours a day.
We also did what we could to help his parents. It is an exhausting experience for them. Being there and loving Mason while still maintaining a household, Sam works, minding their pets, traveling back and forth, and Natalie pumps every two hours. All while trying to stay positive and hopeful and advocating for their son. It’s a lot.
“No NICU family gets through their journey alone. It is a rollercoaster with days watching miracles happen and tough days that you just want to be over. Friends and family need love, help, support, and prayers for those experiencing the NICU. Any reaching out or acts of kindness helps and can turn around a day.” Natalie
So, during NICU Awareness month, I want to honor all of the babies, parents (past and present), nurses, and doctors who help create miracles every day.
According to the NICU Awareness website, here are a few things we can do:
https://www.nicuawareness.org/toolkit.html
Random acts of kindness – to a specific NICU family or anyone in honor of a NICU baby. Check out my blog post on kindness for ideas.
Send gifts to nurses – The nurses are fantastic. I am a little jealous but very thankful for the nurses who watch and hold Mason around the clock. I know he is loved when Sam and Natalie are not there. You can send thank you cards, coffee cards, baked goods, granola bars, or even compression socks! Anything to let them know they are appreciated!
Donate – $, swaddles, blankets, or books. You can find organizations to donate to on the website above.
Make care packages for families – Some options for items are tissues, lotion, pens, notebooks, snacks, hand sanitizer, or books. Sam and Natalie received one when they first arrived, and it meant a lot. (See a portion of their story below.)
Share your story – Once Mason was born and more people were finding out he was only 2 lbs. 11 oz., I heard so many stories about other babies born as preemies and how they are thriving now. Those stories bring so much hope. If you have a story like that, share it however you can. You can also comment below, and I’d love to hear it!
So much more can be said about the amazing things that happen in the NICU, but for now, I just wanted to spread the awareness and offer a few ways you can help. Keep the NICU in your thoughts and prayers every day.
I’ll leave you with a few quotes.
“It was the hardest thing we both have ever gone through. The days are so incredibly long, and often we struggle to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I want you to know that it is truly okay not to be okay. I can’t promise that everything will be fine in the end, but I can promise that right now, your precious baby is fighting for you with everything they have to give. We witnessed miracles every day, and as our Grace turns 2, we still witness them. You will discover a great strength, a strength that comes at a tough cost, but a strength like no other.” From a NICU parent
“You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.” Bob Marley
“The walls of NICUs have heard more prayers than churches.”
“Life is full of twists and turns, but when you live marvelously, you accept what is, love, learn, and live as joyfully as possible!” Laurie Jonas
