Emery and Dylan ~ A Twin Miracle Story & NICU 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. Preemie Prints support programs include NICU photography and NICU graduate photography (the gift of photography at no charge for a NICU family), the gift of handmade items, group events and meetings, information, and prayer support. Our mission is to connect parents and let them know they are not alone. 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 remember how strong 
they were in overcoming their NICU journey together.

A NICU STORY | THOUGHTS FROM MOM

"I had our twins early at 30 weeks 5 days due to preeclampsia. Emery had also been diagnosed with IUGR ( intrauterine growth restriction) at week 22 and I was put on bed rest. Emery only weighed 1 lb 12 oz at birth and Dylan weighed 3 lb 8 oz.

We had been so concerned about how Emery would do if they were born early because she was so small, but she entered the world a fighter. She was breathing on her own within a few days. They say that girls develop sooner than boys in the womb and that IUGR babies are "stressed" in the womb so that causes their lungs to develop sooner too. 

Dylan had to be on a ventilator right away to help him breathe and then CPAP and finally just a nasal cannula as you can see in these photos. Dylan also had a serious infection in his blood and lungs which was a set back but he fought through that. 

These photos were taken when they were 4.5 weeks old and Dylan weighed 5 lb 4 oz and Emery weighed 3 lb 6 oz. It is currently one week later and Dylan is completely off of oxygen and they are working on bottle and breast feeding. The doctors say we should be able to take them home in 1-2 weeks! 

The NICU journey is hard plain and simple. The wires and tubes and beeps from the monitors are so overwhelming at first, but gradually you learn what they are for and how they are helping your babies and you get used to them. And there are days of joy and amazement and other days of sadness, anger and guilt. But our babies wouldn't be here if it weren't for the NICU and we are so blessed that they have had that care.

Preemie Prints Volunteer Photographer:

Teresa Coleman - Plano, TX

A note from Teresa:

"Emery and Dylan were perfect. Emery was so small yet so alert and quiet. Dylan was the bigger of the two and he was so sleepy yet showed off his set of lungs. Mom and Dad were great as they did their normal routine with the babies and pretended I was not there - which made my job easier. I was able to capture images of them focused on their babies and not the camera. I was ecstatic to hear how much they weighed at birth and how much they weighed as of the day we did the photo session. I cannot wait to see these two sweet babies grow to be strong willed and strong minded. They will be the generation that changes this world into a much better place!"

 

Baby Easton's Preemie Prints NICU Grad Photo Shoot

Please enjoy Preemie Prints' families inspirational photos and consider supporting our mission to share hope with families who have a baby born prematurely or critically ill. Preemie Prints support programs include NICU photography and NICU graduate photography (the gift of photography at no charge for a NICU family), the gift of handmade items, group events and meetings, information, and email support. Our mission is to connect parents and let them know they are not alone. 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 will help families remember how strong 
they were in overcoming their NICU journey together.

NICU STORY | THOUGHTS FROM MOM

"My sons name is Easton. He was born early on March 10, 2013 at 35 weeks weighng 5lbs 9ozs, and had a rough start in the beginning. My pregnancy was perfect, but when my son was born he was not breathing. Immediately he was rushed to a different hospital. We found out he had been drprived of blood and oxygen during my labor and had IVH grade 4 & 3 brain bleeds, seizures, and severe HEI. After multiple MRI's and EEG's we were told he would not survive off of life support due to the amount of damage done and if he did survive he would not be able to move, see (because he would be cortically blind), eat or breathe on his own. We took him off of all support at 5 days old expecting him to earn his wings. But God had a different plan for him. After a few minutes of not breathing, Easton took a breath and has been amazing us every since. He breathes perfect, eats like a piget, he can see just fine and movest perfectly. He is our miracle!

Our NICU experience was a very hard roller coaster of a ride. We had our ups, and a ton of downs, but we gained an entire new family when we were there. Our doctors and nurses were truly amazing and treated us like family. They prayed with us, cried with us, and laughed with us. The other families we met during our NICU experience have also become a big part of our lives. Becoming a NICU parent is something nobody ever wants to be, but we learned quickly a new world of being in a NICU, and that in the end it is an honor to be one, because you get to experience miracles every day. You learn to rejoice in every small thing, like baths and diaper changes."

 
Preemie Prints Volunteer Photographer:

Beth Pate - Oscala, FL

A note from Beth:

"I was really honored to do this shoot since it was dear to my heart. I met Baby Easton and his family when he was in the NICU across from one of our Quints. It was a pleasure to be able to do this session. I had a chance to see how much he has grown and overcome everything that they said he would never do."

Dear NICU Nurse & A Beautiful Baby Poem!

 

Dear NICU Nurse...    "Dear NICU Nurse, To be honest, I never knew you existed. Back when our birth plan included a fat baby, balloons and a two-day celebratory hospital stay, I had never seen you. I had never seen a NICU. Most of the world hasn’t. There may have been a brief, “This is the Neonatal floor” whilst drudging by on a hospital tour. But no one really knows what happens behind those alarm-secured, no-window-gazing, doors of the NICU. Except me. And you.I didn’t know that you would be the one to hold and rock my baby when I wasn’t there.  I didn’t know that you would be the one to take care of him the first 5 months of his life as I sat bedside, watching and wishing that I was you. I didn’t know that you would be the one to hand him to me for the first time, 3 weeks after he was born. That you would know his signals, his faces, and his cries. Sometimes, better than me. I didn’t know you. I didn’t know how intertwined our lives would become. I know you now.  I’ll never be able to think of my child’s life, without thinking of you. I know that in the NICU, you really run things. That your opinions about my baby’s care often dictates the course and direction or treatment as you consult with the neonatologist every day. I know that you don’t hesitate to wake a sometimes sleeping doctor in the nearby call room because my baby’s blood gas number is bad. Or because his color is off. Or because he has had 4 bradys in the last 45 minutes. Or because there’s residual brown gunk in his OG tube.I know now that youare different from other nurses.I know that, at times, you are assigned to just one baby for 12 hours straight. You are assigned to him because he is the most critically sick and medically fragile baby in the unit.  I’ve seen you sit by that baby’s bedside for your entire shift. Working tirelessly to get him comfortable and stable. Forgoing breaks while you mentally will his numbers to improve. I’ve seen you cry with his family when he doesn’t make it. I’ve seen you cry alone.I’ve seen you, in an instant, come together as a team when chaos ensues. And let’s be honest, chaos and NICU are interchangeable words. When the beeper goes off signaling emergency 24 weeker triplets are incoming. When three babies in the same pod are crashing at the same time. When the power goes off and you’re working from generators. In those all too often chaotic moments, you know that time is more critical in this unit than any other, and you don’t waste it. You bond together instantly as a team, methodically resolving the crisis until the normal NICU rhythm is restored. Yes. I know you now.  I’ll never be able to give in return what you have given to me. Thank you for answering my endless questions, even when I had asked them before. Thank you for your skill, you are pretty great at what you do. Thank you for fighting for my baby. Thank you for pretending like it was normal when I handed you a vial of just pumped breast milk. Thank you for agreeing to play Beatles lullabies in my baby’s crib when I was gone. Thank you for waking the doctor. Thank you for texting me pictures of my sweet miracle, even when it was against hospital policy. Thank you for crying with me on the day we were discharged. Most of the world still doesn’t know what you do. They can’t understand how integral you are to the positive outcomes of these babies who started life so critically ill. But I do. I know you now. I will never forget you. In fact, our story can never be told without mentioning you. So the next time you wave your access card to enter the place that few eyes have seen, know that you are appreciated. I know you, and you are pretty amazing."  Your fan forever, A NICU Mom

 We're here praying for preemies, babies, & families in the NICU!  Our next Bryan College Station NICU Family Support Meeting will be held this Friday May 9th from 6:30-8:00 pm at S&W Hospital on the third floor. Please join us if you are a current NICU family looking to connect with past NICU parents! Bryan College Station, TX is home to three neonatal intensive care units (NICU) that offer treatment for premature babies and those born critically ill. We offer support to NICU families in a variety of ways. Please look through our website to find out how or contact us directly.  

Adorable Anna's Preemie Prints NICU Grad Photo Shoot

Please enjoy Preemie Prints' families inspirational photos and consider supporting our mission to share hope with families who have a baby born prematurely or critically ill. Preemie Prints support programs include NICU photography and NICU graduate photography (the gift of photography at no charge for a NICU family), the gift of handmade items, group events and meetings, information, and email support. Our mission is to connect parents and let them know they are not alone. 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 will help families remember how strong 
they were in overcoming their NICU journey together.

NICU STORY | THOUGHTS FROM MOM

"Anna was born 9/24/2013. She was 33 weeks and 4lbs 6ozs. During our standard 20 week ultrasound, there was a noticeable amount of fluid built up in Anna's abdomen in conjunction with a bowel obstruction. At that period in time, we were told she would have a 20% survival rate. If they could find the cause, our chances would increase exponentially. 

They never found a cause.

In week 32, all of the fluid disappeared, but caused my amniotic fluid to decrease and it was necesary to deliver. She was a loud, vocal and alert preemie! -And beautiful. She progressed quickly in the NICU, but we found we couldn't get her oxygen support below a significant amount of 3L.

Once she reached full term, they performed a lung biopsy and found she had a Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease called PIG. This rare lung disease is very unknown and there are only a small handful of cases. We did a round of steroids that had significant improvement and prognosis is good that as she grows bigger and stronger, her lungs will grow with her. We have lots of hope. 

After 86 days in the NICU we were dicharged home!! (YAY!) We are home now on a 1/2L of oxygen support and feeding tube. She thrives and grows every day. 

Preemie Prints Volunteer Photographer:

Daneane Robinette - Cincinnati, OH

A note from Daneane:

"I had a wonderful time meeting and photographing Anna. She was a perfect model showing off her beautiful smiles and bright blue eyes. I love the close up of her glancing back with a sweet smile on her face. She heard her mommy’s voice and was looking for her. I was happy to capture that expression of pure admiration a baby has for their mother.  I can tell she is a happy and loved little girl."

 

  

New Location Map!

We're excited to announce our new Preemie Prints volunteer location map that is searchable by city and zip code. This will make it easy for a NICU family to find out if we are in their area. Please help us spread the word so that together we can reach more NICU families. We have many Preemie Prints volunteers across the US and Canada supporting families who have a baby born prematurely or critically ill. All of our Preemie Prints photo sessions are given at no cost to families inside the NICU or once a baby is discharged and at home (up to 1 year of age). The session request form can be found in the links located on the right side of our site.

Please visit our volunteer list & see are our map. If you are a photographer interested in joining the Preemie Prints mission please email Sherri!

Welcome Our First International Volunteer Photographer!!

Please help us welcome Preemie Prints volunteer photographer, Christie! Christie will be helping give the gift of photography to preemie and NICU families in Canada!! 

Christie Bodden 

Blog: www.Christiecole.com
christie@christiecole.com

Service Area: Victoria, BC
Hospitals: Victoria General Hospital

About Christie:

"As both a new mom and a new photographer, I want to help make bringing a child into the world as joyous and amazing an event as possible!"

www.preemieprints.org

Welcome New Photographer, Beth!!

Please help us welcome volunteer photographer, Beth! Beth will be helping give the gift of photography to preemie and NICU families near Gainesville, FL!! 

Beth Pate Photography

www.facebook.com/BethPatePhotography
bethpate83@me.com

Service Area: Gainesville, High Springs, Lake City
Hospitals: Shands of UF, North Florida Regional, Lace City

About Beth:

"As a mother of 5 preemies born at 25 weeks, I know the importance of documenting every little milestone. I've enjoyed capturing those moments with my own preemies and want to help other to do the same."