Part of keeping my sanity through our NICU journey and beyond has involved finding online support groups to draw strength from. It is incredibly comforting to know others have been where you are and survived. Not to mention how helpful it is bounce questions off people with experience and insight. Sometimes I feel like they know me better than I do; answering questions I haven’t even thought to ask yet.

One of the groups I’ve followed for quite a while is Preemie Babies 101. They have a very active facebook page with question and answer sessions and helpful links. They also have a blog written by an amazing group of people who all have their own experiences with prematurity. I am honored to be the newest contributor to their blog. I feel a little out of place amongst such an incredible group, but will do my best to keep up. My first post for Preemie Babies 101 was published today, and every couple of months another post will be featured on their blog. If you don’t already follow them, I encourage you to check them out. You won’t be disappointed.

Here’s an excerpt from my blog post for Preemie Babies 101:

The Pediatric ICU: Navigating a Hospital Stay After the NICU

When James was intubated the tube was in the way of him sucking on his wubby, but just holding it and having it close gave him comfort.

We work so hard to keep our children healthy this time of year. I say work because it can feel like a job sometimes. We manage family and friends who want to visit, making sure they aren’t sick and haven’t been around anyone sick. Some of us go into “lockdown” through cold and flu season; nobody in and nobody out. We stock up on sanitizer and take on cleaning in OCD mode. But even with all these precautions our children get sick, often requiring hospitalization. And a hospital stay is scary. Whether it’s one night or several, you’re reminded of just how fragile your child still is. It can also bring back an avalanche of memories from the NICU, and suddenly you’re reliving your worst nightmare.  (Continue reading)