Love, Sarah

 “Dear NICU Mama, From one sister to another, I hope you give yourself permission to laugh. Maybe not today or tomorrow, some days are heavy and it’s hard to find levity. But, in certain special moments, I hope you smile and let laughter bubble up out of you. The NICU is full of beeps, alarms, machine noise, and quiet whispers. It can be full of laughter too, even if only a few short moments. It may feel strange at first, but I hope you don’t hold it back or push it down when it comes. Laughter and joy can be found amongst the tears and the pain of the NICU. Give yourself permission to do whatever feels right wherever you’re at.”

Love,
Sarah

More of Sarah + Her Son’s NICU Journey:

“While in the NICU I mostly sat alone staring at my sweet boy. When I was finally able to hold him I was full of joy and trepidation. The NICU really is an emotional meat grinder. There were tears and laughter during our time in the NICU and neither were easy to share, often it was easier to just be stoic and show no emotion at all. But I do remember laughing with his nurses in the NICU many times over poop; he permanently stained a giraffe, hit a computer, one nurse had to check her hair and face, and one of his bay mates had to dodge his far flung projectile poop. We used to play guess baby’s weight, price is right rules, for starburst… Mom usually won. I even laughed when I noticed one of our favorite nurses would absent-mindedly make a Ferris Bueller noise.  5 years post NICU, I am still growing and learning from the indelible mark the NICU left on my life. I think I always will be.”