Blog
My Journey as a Three-Time NICU Mom
When I share my story with new NICU parents, they are often astonished that all three of my children were in the NICU and that I made it through those challenging times. They may think I'm stronger than I am. Honestly, each time I got pregnant, I didn't believe my...
Grandparent Perspectives on Life in the NICU
I have always thought of my dad as being larger than life. He is 6’4” and worked in law enforcement. I never knew him to be scared of anything. But when my son was born 16 weeks preterm, weighing just a pound and a half, my dad who had come to my rescue so many...
Overcoming a micropreemie’s feeding delays, one microstep at a time
Sometimes when you’re trying to get your former micropreemie to advance with a life skill, it pays to try something weird. For example, putting banana in your ear. I brought his favorite stuffed toy, Blue Bear, to the table and made him say, “I’m going to chew...
Exclusive Pumping: A Different Perspective on Breastfeeding
I am all for breastfeeding. I am amazed by the life-saving power of breast milk, that I have witnessed first hand. I know that breast milk is both nutrition and medicine especially for the tiniest of babies. I understand why it is referred to as liquid gold. And...
Northbound and Down
As a child of the 70s, some of my earliest movie memories are of Smokey and the Bandit. The theme song “Eastbound and Down” has served as my anthem this summer as our Development Director Jennifer Hayhurst and I made twice weekly trips to Dallas for the first seven...
7 Ways to a Successful Road Trip with a Medically-Fragile Child
My son is the inspiration behind our switch from air travel to road trips. At first I dreaded the idea of spending 18 plus hours trapped in the car with my kids. But now we've found our jam, and I actually look forward to our road trips. We have lots of memories...
“Ready…Set…GO!” Kindergarten Readiness and My Preemie
“Mama, are the cupcakes ready?” my former 29-weeker, now 5-year-old son, asks for what must be the thousandth time in the past 5 minutes of the 20-25 minutes it takes for these darn cupcakes to bake. I try so hard to not get annoyed. Because first, let’s be honest,...
Christine’s Story of Loss, Healing and Giving Back
My daughter, Isabelle Dolores Anne, was born at 28 weeks on June 8th, 2004. I had picked an early morning midwife appointment so I could dash to the office immediately afterwards. With my mind very much on work, I casually mentioned to the midwife that I felt small...
10 Activities for Bonding with Your Child During Pregnancy Bed Rest
Some links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, Hand to Hold will earn a commission if you make a purchase. by Angela Davids of KeepEmCookin.com When I was pregnant with my daughter, my OB placed me on bed rest due to several...
Here’s the Truth About Postpartum Depression
I’m a strong woman. I’m a black woman. I had postpartum depression. I tried for years to have a baby. I prayed and pleaded. I had a beautiful birth experience. I still had postpartum depression. I was surrounded by a loving family and husband. I took placenta...
Staying Sane on Hospital Bed Rest
Some links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, Hand to Hold will earn a commission if you make a purchase. Bed rest and I were not friends. In fact, we were enemies. There’s not a bad word strong enough to explain how much I hated it....