Love, Leylin

“Dear NICU Mama, I cannot wait to see the ways you will climb this year.

Although this year may bring difficult times, I hope you continue your climb. Difficulties do not mean that you're back to square one and have to start over. Difficulties can instead be reminders of where you've been and be rest stops along your journey.

There might be reminders of tough days, ones where you were surrounded by monitors, tubes, and uncertainties. But there will also be reminders of how strong, resilient, and brave you are! Reminders of how loved you and your baby are: loved by the nurses who explained everything, loved by your family members who helped you take care of yourself, and loved by your friends who constantly checked in and supported you. Reminders that, even in the darkest season of grief and anxiety, joy and hope can also exist.

So, take the breaks you need to while you climb. Lean into the reminders of where you've been and how far you've come. Then keep on climbing—whether it's your Everest or just a hill. There will be friends to rest with you along the way, family you can lean on when you're tired, and perhaps some sadness, but also happiness on the way up.”

Love,
Leylin

More of Leylin + Her Daughter’s NICU Journey:

“In my 3rd trimester, I started having episodes of bleeding. We were in and out of the hospital for about a week and at 31 weeks we were admitted until delivery because I had my 3rd bleeding episode. Luckily, all of my vital signs were stable and so were the baby's!  After some ultrasounds, the doctors assumed I was having a chronic placental abruption and the goal was to try and keep baby in there until 34 weeks. We MADE IT! On day 34.2 I had another bleeding episode and as soon as it started I knew that this one wasn't going to stop. They wheeled me in for a C-section and my daughter was born on 7/21/22 at 4 pounds 5 ounces. That 3 week hospital stay for us was followed by a 3 week NICU stay for her. She was luckily very healthy, just little and needed some time to learn how to feed and put on some weight! In the NICU she had phototherapy (a few times), a feeding tube, and was on and off oxygen. After three weeks she was able to come home with us (on oxygen but still home!!) weighing 4 pounds 10 ounces, was able to bottle feed very well and breastfeed with some assistance. She got off oxygen within a week of being at home and has been growing and healthy thus far! She is now 5 months old and weighs 12 pounds!”