photos of preemies

NICU Stories

  • Life after Preterm Birth Tuesday, February 17, 2009 - 15:25

    We all must recognize that we are no longer the same person after we have endured life through the NICU. We are more knowledgable, stronger, resilient and overall better people. However it is not easy to recognize these traits while we are in the throws of trauma in the unit. It is only once we have broken through to the other side and are on a plain of gratitude for the life's we hold in our arms who lovingly look up at us and almost knowingly smile a silent thank you.

    This is the reality of life after prematurity. It is a journey that will forever change us. Maybe not in the way you would expect but definately we have changed, for the better.

  • My Womb Betrayed Me but my Son is Wonderful Wednesday, February 3, 2010 - 23:12

    I used to say that things in life happen for a reason. After my water broke at 19 weeks gestation and my son was born premature, I stopped using that phrase.

    We are Lesley and Bruce Donaldson, and our son Torran was born at Mt. Sinai in March of 2008. His early birth is a result of my oligohydramnios, a condition where there is a lack of amniotic fluid. It happened when my water broke at 19 weeks of pregnancy. The oligohydramnios was likely caused by the marginal placental abruption (subchorionic haemorrhage) with bleeding that I’d experienced since 6 weeks gestation. Recently, I found out that I had a uterine infection which caused the abruption and early delivery. I never even felt sick.

  • Life Lessons Friday, January 15, 2010 - 21:22

    It is sometime in the early morning hours of August 12, 2005, my due date, when the contractions start. Subtle at first and about 7 minutes apart. I hop in the shower to relax and to go over the delivery in my head, something I had been doing over and over the past 9 months. As they get closer together I call my Doula and get the hospital bag that has been sitting by the door for weeks. My husband is calm and ready to do whatever he needs to do. I am hoping for an all natural delivery, using some meditations that I have adapted from my prenatal yoga classes, summon the Wild Woman in me to do this drug free, 4-5 pushes and she should be out. That is the way I have envisioned it. Isn’t it funny how life has its way of surprising you…

  • Our Story Tuesday, January 19, 2010 - 12:40

    So heres the story... we found out i was pregnant in April, at 10 weeks, my first ultrasound we were stunned to find out i was having twins.. it was'nt untill 26 weeks that i found out they were girls!!
    6 days later to my surprise i went into labour and had an emergency c section and had my beautiful gurls alana(oct 17th 12:14am) weighing 960grams and Alexis(oct 17th 12:15am) 1024grams. they were imediatley seen by a team from sick kids, and 6 long hours later they were finnally brought into my room were i saw them for the 1st time for 2 minutes before they were taken to Womens college down town. where they stayed and a day n a half later i was finnally transfered down there so i could see my little gurls.

  • Morgans Story Tuesday, January 19, 2010 - 22:08

    I had a very difficult pregnancy with PIH and Placental abrubtions which lead to me loosing more then half of my aminotic fluid which then caused Morgan to constrict her cord leading to her having severe IUGR.  After being on bed rest at home from 9 weeks pregnant I went for a routine ultrasound at 29 weeks to check her growth and thats when my life changed.  They then realized that she was no longer growing and was the size of a 24weeker, so I was rushed by ambulance to a hospital 5 hours from my home where I spent one week on monitored bed rest.  Then I had a huge abrubtion and developed a blood clot so it was decided then that for the sake of Morgans life and mine she needed to be born.  She was born June 27th 2003 weighing 2lbs.  She did really well and was only on c-pap for 18hours.  We spent a total of 1 week in the hospital 5 hours away in Windsor when we were then life flighted back to Kitchener, where she spent 2 months.  After coming home

  • MY THREE STORIES Friday, February 12, 2010 - 11:20

    My Arrival