A Preemie Story

By Holly Ames/Medstar

M30o93H7pQ09L8X1t49cHY01Z5j4TT91fGfr A Preemie Story

Published: Fri, October 19, 2007 - 3:07 pm
Last Updated: Fri, October 19, 2007 - 3:22 pm

Parents love telling the story of their baby's birth, and that goes for moms and dads who experience a preemie birth, too. This month, the March of Dimes is launching a new campaign, "Every Baby Has a Story."

P.J. Zavorski was born at 28 weeks and weighed under two pounds. For Melissa Zavorski and her husband, P.J.'s early arrival was overwhelming. Melissa says, "We had not idea what to expect. We had never seen a premature child before our own." P.J. became part of the ever expanding world of premature infants.

Dr. Amy Zucker is a neonatologist. "The incidence of preterm birth is going up. In fact, it's increased by almost a third over the past fifteen or twenty years."

According to the March of Dimes, that increase means more than 14 hundred preemies will be born today. For their parents, it's a transforming experience.

Dr. Zucker explains, "First reaction is one of shock and disbelief and denial, as it is with any major life trauma or stress. And then once it's accepted, because it has to be, it's redefining the experience and accepting the child that you've received instead of the one that you expected."

For many of these babies, birth is just the first hurdle. Some have respiratory problems and visual impairment.

Melissa encourages parents who are just beginning this journey to reach out to the March of Dimes. "There's 'Share Your Story,' there's the ability to get involved, so that you can feel that comfort, you can feel that sense of community with other people who are going through what you're going through."

To add your baby's story to the "Every Baby Has A Story" celebration go to http://www.shareyourstory.org/

For more information on the March Of Dimes, go to http://www.marchof dimes.com/

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