World Prematurity Day.

Saw this this morning Today is World Prematurity Day, 

Objective:
Every year, an estimated 13 million babies are born too soon and too small. More than a million of these tiny babies do not survive.

November 17 is World Prematurity Day. Last year, bloggers across the United States joined together in the fight for preemies. This year, help spread the energy and message around the world. This year they are asking bloggers to join in and spread the word, and you can link up here to read other people stories

in her incubator at a few days old

Please celebrate the lives of preemies everywhere...those with us and those that God took to be with Him, (taken from here)  and thought it appropriate to join in as tomorrow is Fifis' birthday, and I was doing a post for that anyway.



Fifis' story is one of these stories she was born on 18th November 2002, at 29 weeks and 6 days weighing a fairly healthy 3lb 3oz.
She was born by emergency section after her mums waters broke whilst at work one day and we nearly lost both  of them. The whole pregnancy wasn't an easy one with pains and bleeding throughout.

out of her incubator but still very tiny next to a coke can

 Nobody can prepare you for the feeling of helplessness, as a mother all I could do for my daughter was be there for her and give her the strength and encouragement to encourage her daughter.

My daughter was robbed of the chance of having a natural birth, with feeling all the pain and excitement that comes from giving birth naturally.  Deprived of the cuddles, the contact and the all important bonding that goes on in the first few days and weeks.

Nothing was ready, things were not bought, nursery wasn't decorated, there was no rush all this was going to be done when she stopped work for maternity leave...well that never happened.

 Fortunately for us apart from having reflux for a few years she never suffered any problems from having been born early, and she came on on Jan 7th 2003 at 7 weeks and 2 days old...not bad for somebody who was not due till nearer the end of January.