Blog
Meet the Professional: What Does a Lactation Consultant Do?
Many people assume that because breastfeeding is nature’s way of meeting our babies’ needs that nursing should come naturally. But many of us struggle to learn the carefully choreographed dance between mom and infant to make feeding successful! This is especially true...
Kindness Matters
How do you give back to the people who have helped saved your child’s life, go out of their way to be kind, and help lift you up when you fall? In honor of National Random Acts of Kindness Day on February 17, here are some random and creative ways we gave back to...
Helping is Healing: Accepting Help in the NICU
Accepting help in the NICU is tough. My son, Brooks, was born at 29 weeks after a month-long hospital stay on bedrest because of PPROM I developed at 25 weeks. There was so much help I needed from the time I was hospitalized. I was almost completely helpless, it...
Hand to Hold Forges New Partnership with Seton Medical Center Austin
On Tuesday, January 22, 2019, Hand to Hold Ambassadors Christine Tester and Cristal Carrasco handed out dozens of NICU parent bags and NICU Milestone Bead necklaces to parents in the NICU at Seton Medical Center Austin. This Tuesday marked a special day - the...
Pregnancy After a Preemie
People often ask me how it feels to be pregnant after a preemie, and honestly, sometimes it’s surreal. You see three and a half years ago, having another baby was far from our minds. I had given birth to our son Jaxson at 22 weeks, 6 days, and we endured the NICU...
Our First Year Home With Our Preemie
Our story Our daughter was born at 26 weeks gestation weighing only 1lb 8oz. due to severe preeclampsia. As soon as she was born, I remember asking, “When is she coming home?” and the countdown began. Most babies come home around their due date, which in our case...
A Family’s First Christmas in the Hospital from a Dad’s Perspective
by Charles George I remember our first Christmas with our son, Thomas. It was December 2012. Neither my wife nor myself anticipated being in the hospital, over an hour away from our home, with our son on Christmas day. Thomas was born at the University of Virginia...
Gotcha Day! Celebrating Our Micropreemies’ Arrival Home
Birth day: a day to celebrate the birth of your child Gotcha day: a day to celebrate taking your child home; i.e. “getting them” Some of us don’t leave the hospital three - five days after giving birth with typically eating, breathing, growing babies. Yet, many of...
Discovering Courage Through My Preemie
Nine years ago, I built my life on the worldly definition of success and career-oriented values. Complications in my pregnancy led the life I built to crumble. This led to burnout and hopelessness at a time when most people experience joy. Giovanni was born two and...
Preemies are Built of Stronger Stuff
The first time I held my son, I was terrified he would break. It took the help of a nurse to collect all the wires and place him curled and snuggled into my chest. What if I accidentally pulled on a tube or did something to inadvertently hurt him? I imagined the...
The Story of Francis Junebug
by Kelsey Londos I was admitted to the hospital when my midwife discovered my blood pressure was through the roof. She suspected preeclampsia and told us to expect to stay in the hospital until I gave birth. I was crushed, knowing I would not have the natural home...