Love, Francesca
“Dear NICU Mama, as another year comes to a close, I hope you celebrate your resilient and courageous self.
While you were wheeled into the NICU for the first time and saw your baby in their isolette surrounded by wires, tubes, monitors, and machines, you were resilient and courageous.
When you left the hospital for the first time, walking away from the NICU without your baby and your heart in a million pieces, you were resilient and courageous.
While you had to sit back and watch the nurses and doctors care for your baby, you were resilient and courageous.
When you held your baby for the first time, not wanting to let go, you were resilient and courageous.
While you held back tears as you talked, sang, and read to your baby, you were resilient and courageous.
When you felt alone, exhausted, and overwhelmed with emotions, putting yourself last, you were resilient and courageous.
As your NICU sister, I know how hard it may be to end off this year looking back at what you and your baby overcame. But sweet NICU mama, know that all the times you looked at your baby with every emotion under the sun, your baby looked back at you and saw a resilient, loving, and courageous mama.
So mama, as you look ahead to the new year, although it may be uncertain, I want you to remember that courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the voice in your head that reminds you that you made it this far. And the resilience you carry within you will continue to bring you further.”
Love,
Francesca
More of Francesca + Eliana’s NICU Journey:
“On May 8th, 2022 on my first Mother’s Day I was 26 weeks pregnant and I started dilating. I looked down and saw blood, I started thinking of the worst. My husband and I rushed to the hospital, where they admitted me to run tests and check on our baby. We found out I was 1 cm dilated. Panic and worry set in as this meant that our baby could come now at anytime. I was put on bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy in hopes to keep our baby safe and in my tummy for as long as possible.
10 days later, my water broke due to PPROM (Premature Preterm Rupture of Membranes). We tried to keep our baby in as long as possible, but she had other plans. 9 days later at 30 weeks pregnant, our daughter Eliana Rae was born weighing 2 lbs 10 oz.
Our daughter had a 38 day NICU stay, during which we found out that she has Wolff White Parkinson Syndrome after a scary episode of her heart rate hitting over 300 for a brief period. Thankfully, she continues to grow stronger and fight harder each day, and hit all her milestones.
Our NICU stay was the hardest thing we’ve endured, but we left as a family of three and stronger than ever before.”
