Warren & Dean's Preemie Prints NICU Grad Photo Shoot

Please enjoy Preemie Prints' families inspirational story & photos. Consider supporting our mission to share hope with families who have a baby born prematurely or critically ill. We thank our supporters, Preemie Prints volunteers, and donors for allowing us to continue touching the lives of NICU, preemie, and angel families.

We pray these special memories from Preemie Prints 
will help families heal and remember how strong 
they were in overcoming their NICU journey together.

A NICU STORY | THOUGHTS FROM MOM

"I had twin boys born June 29, 2013 at 26 weeks 6 days. Their names are Warren Andrew and Dean Michael. They were both born weighing 2 lbs 5 oz. I had numerous pregnancy complications and a total of just over 7 weeks of hospitalized bed rest to help these little ones get closer to their due date. We were told 4 separate times during the pregnancy they would never survive. And when I went into labor at 21 weeks, they prepared us for the worst. (our daughter was born at 21 weeks the year before). Thankfully, they were wrong, and our boys hung in there another few weeks to get closer to my 3rd trimester! An emergency c-section was performed as contractions hit every 2 minutes and I was dilated 5cm. It was the most amazing thing to hear my babies cry as they were born 1 minute apart.

We spent a total of 87 long days in the NICU. Our journey was a little different than most in that I knew from week 8 on that I would have preemies. The doctor at that time told me to just hang on to 28 weeks. Well, I didn't quite get that far, but our twins have done great anyway. Knowing in advance they would be very early helped me to sort through the emotions of that over a longer period of time. There were definitely some scary moments in the NICU, don't get me wrong, but I was just so grateful they made it! That they weren't fighting against my body anymore, that they could be well cared for, and that God was in control. I had the unique opportunity to watch them develop outside the womb, to learn things about your child no one else could possibly know with a term baby. To celebrate milestones those outside the NICU know nothing about...learning to breath, learning to suck on a paci, learning to eat, keeping the heart rate up, keeping the temperature up. So many little reasons to celebrate each day. I do remember the moments of terror when the phone rings and shows the NICU number, when multiple x-rays are done to figure out why your child isn't digesting anything, to see their weights drop so low, to hear those monitors going off - signaling that, yet again, he is not ready for lower oxygen or lower settings. Up and down always. But, they really do get it. We are living proof that medical odds are not always truth. As our boys beat the odds during every conceivable pregnancy complication, extremely early birth, and are now home and doing well. My blog meghansavant.blogspot.com shares all the details of our journey through infertility, loss, pregnancy, and NICU trials"

Preemie Prints Volunteer Photographer:

Bekki LaVine, With Love Photography - Charlotte, NC

 A note from Bekki -

"I got lost on my way to the park and ended up just parking the first place I found that I could. Andrew walked over to me from where he and Meghan were waiting for me, to help me unload. They were so nice and things went so smoothly. Warren and Dean are so blessed to have the most caring parents ever, whose love for each other and their little sweet family can been seen just by looking at them. I am so glad that I got to meet them and provide them with their boys first bithday pictures." 

Photos belong to our volunteer photographers, families, 

and organization please do not use for any purpose. 

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Preemie Prints is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization sharing hope with NICU families through a variety of support programs. One of those programs is the gift of NICU photography and preemie photography. NICU families from across the US can request a no-charge photography session by a Preemie Prints volunteer. The family request from can be found on the right side of our website. These sessions are free of charge and for any NICU family, regardless of time spent in the NICU. The NICU photo shoot can take place inside the NICU or after baby is discharged and at home until their 1st birthday. Facing time in a NICU with a premature or critically ill baby is an extremely difficult time for families. Preemie Prints has a mission to share hope by letting families know they are not alone. Preemie Prints currently has over 100 volunteers nationwide. We are always looking for more volunteers to share in our mission! If you are interested, please email sherri@preemieprints.org and visit our website at www.preemieprints.org. To date Preemie Prints and our volunteers have gifted over 400 NICU family sessions. 

This was a Preemie Prints NICU photography session that took place near Charlotte, NC.

We're thankful to the family for sharing their story & memories in support of other NICU families.