Monday, August 25, 2014

Baby Hope's NICU Grad Session in Norfolk, VA

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
At ten weeks pregnant I was told I was having a miscarriage and the baby was given less than a 1% of surviving. A couple days later I was told that there was 15 cm blood clot in my uterus where the placenta was detaching. I was told since it wasn't completely attached and more than likely the placenta was going to detach, but they didn't know when. I had several bad bleeds, several doctors appointments, and several ultrasounds. At 23.6 weeks I was hospitalized and given steroid shots. The next morning they thought my water broke. At 25.2 weeks after several medicines including a morphine drip and several CBCs I was induced because I lost too much blood, but first I was given blood transfusions. Thirty hours after induction my daughter's heart rate dropped to 35 so I had an emergency c-section. On March 27, 2014 at 1:36 Hope Mari Pastoor was born at 1 lb 12 0z and 13 inches long.
Hope was born with several bruises on her face and limbs due to her hitting my pelvic bone in the birth canal. She was intubated and was diagnosed as being sepsis and was getting dopamine and a couple other medicines including two blood transfusions. She had a PDA they treated with indicin twice, but it grew back so she had a ligation. She has hypothyroidism and will be on synthroid for a minimum of 3 years. After 2 failed attempts Hope was extubated at 7 weeks old. At 10 weeks she received avastin shots in her eyes for ROP. At 36 week she had a NEC watch and sepsis again. When it was time for her to eat she caught on fast and mastered nursing. On July 8th, we roomed in the NICU for two days totaling 104 days in the hospital. Hope graduated from the NICU coming home on 1/8 liter of oxygen weighing 5 lbs 7 oz and was 18 inches long!  
 
 This picture was taken when she was 8 hours old. She had severe bruising due to her being faced 
the wrong way and her head hitting my pelvic bone.
 
 
Preemie Prints Volunteer Photographer:
Katherine Haskins, Glimpse In Time Photography - Norfolk, VA
 
 



 




 A note from Katherine:
I really enjoyed photographing Hope. It's truly amazing how far she has come after everything she has gone through. Hope was asleep for the most part of the shoot, but once she opened those gorgeous eyes of hers you could see her personality start to shine. I just can't wait to get these photos to her parents!
 
 

 
 
Photos belong to our volunteer photographers, families, 
and organization please do not use for any purpose. 
____________________________________________

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 graduate photography session that took place near Norfolk, VA.
We're thankful to the family for sharing their story & memories in support of other NICU families.
 

 

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