In the homestretch

Only four more days until Bryce's first March for Babies! Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has supported Team Squeaker and the March of Dimes with your generous donations.

They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well, it takes a lot more than just a village to turn this micropreemie:


into this bubbly baby boy:



In the first picture, Bryce is two and a half weeks old. It was the first time in his life that Christie and I were allowed to "hold" him, which meant we could cup our hands around his head and feet for a few minutes. As you can see, I could still fit nearly his entire body in the palms of my hands (and I have relatively small hands).

Eleven months later, you'd be hard-pressed to tell him apart from other babies the same (adjusted) age. Without a doubt, it's the amazing folks in the NICU who deserve credit for this outcome. However, the March of Dimes has played a big role in supporting NICU medicine behind the scenes. During his first month of life, Bryce had serious respiratory issues. Without treatments like artificial surfactant and nitrous oxide therapy, which were developed using research funds provided by the March of Dimes, it's very unlikely that he would have survived.

Furthermore, the March of Dimes is a great champion for prematurity awareness and prevention. Did you know that a baby born at 23, 24, or 25 weeks gestation could survive? Do you realize how many invasive and painful operations these babies must endure? Were you aware of the fantastic sacrifices parents make to provide a good life for children who are disabled due to their early arrival? More pragmatically, do you realize how much money is spent (often your tax money) to provide care for children who are born too soon? The March of Dimes works tirelessly to promote awareness of the issues associated with prematurity, and they also sponsor educational programs that teach future parents about easy steps they can take to lessen the risk of premature birth.

So, if you've already donated to our walk in honor of Bryce and Chloe, thanks again. And if you haven't, do you think you could spare a buck? Or maybe five? Your contribution could make a world of difference to a little guy like Bryce. Help us take the newborn (neonate) out of the NICU. Print this post