Elyse was born at 24 weeks, weighing only 1 lb 10 oz. When I arrived at the hospital that day I had no idea I was about to deliver my baby. Elyse was conceived by IVF and the pregnancy had been difficult. When the NICU staff arrived to transport her to Portland, they were so… More
When I was 14 weeks pregnant, I was diagnosed with cancer. The news was extremely hard to process, as we were unsure what this meant for my health and whether or not I would be able to carry the baby full term. A team of doctors, including oncologists and high-risk obstetricians affiliated with Maine Medical… More
Cameron was born at 26 weeks via emergency c-section because I had developed HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelet count.) He also suffered from severe IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction) and was only the size of a 23-week-term baby. His birth weight was 14 oz (410 grams), which then dropped down to 13.75 oz… More
Our family of three was headed for one last vacation before we became a family of four—a trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands—when contractions began. Instead of going to the airport to begin our vacation, we headed for the hospital to welcome our son. Jack was born 10 weeks early, on February 10, 2013. With… More
My son was born at 26 weeks gestation, weighing 1 lb 4 oz, and 11 in long. He was the size of a 24-weeker due to extreme IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction). This was my first pregnancy and I had been closely monitored due to many complications but mainly a bulky placenta. It was slowly failing… More
