Love, Trista

“Dear NICU Mama, You can celebrate your warrior's journey and still long for normalcy. You can celebrate the weight gains, an increase in ounces and one less cord, yet still long for the normalcy of what could have been. What would have been. What will be.

You can celebrate the many obstacles your baby has overcome, how far they’ve come in such a short amount of time, and how much YOU'VE evolved as a NICU mama. You can celebrate the miracle of your baby’s early fight in this world and still long for them to be home with you. The empty room and quiet nights bring an inner conflict of joy and sorrow.

You can celebrate the will of your tiny warrior. Yet you can still long for strength, resiliency, and the relief to know it will all be okay. Your warrior will always have that extra perseverance given all they’ve battled so young. They somehow know exactly what they’re doing and just how they plan to write their story. You are now a part being written in their story, just as they have been a part of yours until this point.

Being a NICU parent is an indescribable, anxious, traumatizing, lonely and yet incredibly rewarding journey. You never knew such a tiny being could have so much determination and pull so much strength out of you. This is your journey now. You can celebrate it, yet still long for “normal,” though this is your normal now. You have created this journey, and it has created you. Never let go of the tenacity you have gained, NICU mama. Your baby won’t either.”

Love,
Trista

More of Trista + her daughter’s NICU journey:

“We didn’t know if we would be able to have children or how long it might take after we lost a pregnancy and fallopian tube in January 2018. My husband and I were lucky enough to fall pregnant that spring, expecting in December 2018. However, our daughter had other plans. I had premature rupture of membranes at 32 weeks and 6 days, and I was hospitalized a day after attending the Sanford birthing class! The doctors told us that I would not be leaving the hospital until I had my baby, which was terrifying at best. They also noted that our baby would not be coming home with us even in the best-case scenario. Despite the tries to stop labor, my daughter decided to make her way into the world at 33 weeks. With terror and joy filling my heart, our daughter was placed in the Sanford NICU for almost 3 weeks. Her strength was impeccable to have graduated that early. She continues to carry on that determination every single day, and she couldn't make us more proud to be her mom and dad!”