Love, Cori

“Dear NICU Mama, You may not be the same woman you were before your NICU journey, but you are exactly the woman your baby(ies) need to love, support, and advocate for them as they grow. From the moment you became pregnant, you were their mama. You took charge of your prenatal care and OB appointments. You may have even accepted bed rest and hospital stays. As you completed each task, you expected there would be a light at the end of the tunnel. Then life pushed you in a different direction, and you needed to respond in a different way. You became your baby’s advocate, something so scary yet so meaningful and beautiful at the same time.

Your baby’s NICU stay was the beginning of their journey to grow. Little did you know, you too embarked on a journey of self discovery and growth. While only one of you grew in physical size, you both grew in strength and resiliency. You discovered how far love can carry you and keep you afloat. You became your baby’s lifeline as you navigated multiple doctors and made hard choices regarding their health and development. You learned to survive while living in everyone’s worst nightmare - your child fighting for their life. 

You may have endured a terrible loss along your journey, such as the life of one of your multiples. Despite this trauma and loss, you kept yourself from sinking and continued loving, praying, and always advocating for your baby. Their life will continue to bring purpose and meaning and guide you and their sibling(s) along the way.

NICU Mama, you are a woman of valor. You feel all of your feelings, and you are nonetheless courageous and ready to take on anything thrown your baby’s way. You are a mama of miracles. Your love for them makes the rough waters you’ve sailed worth it. You became a survivor, a never-ending supporter, and you crossed the finish line to your front door at home. While coming home may seem like the end, your journey of love, growth, advocacy, and even fear has only begun - and it is the most rewarding ride.”

Love,
Cori

More of Cori + Her Sons’s NICU Journey:

“My twin boys Ezra and Rowan were born at 22 weeks and 1 day gestation. Ezra's water broke at 20 weeks and 6 days, but he was able to stay put a little longer. The boys were born at 1lb 0.9 ounces and 1lb 1.3 ounces and were both able to be intubated. Sadly, Ezra died after 20 hours of life. Rowan spent 129 days in the NICU. He came home without any oxygen or feeding needs, just turned a year old, and is thriving! We found out coincidentally after birth that Ezra's name means "helper." In Judaism, when the soul leaves the body, it means it has completed everything it needed to do in life. We believe that Ezra knew he needed to be born early in order to save Rowan, and has been helping him grow all along. It's been a hard year celebrating and grieving at the same time, and while it hasn't been easy, I've grown not only into a mother to two beautiful boys, but a stronger woman as well.”