Love, Nathalie

“Practicing gratitude in a season of grief can look like searching for stars in a cloudy sky.

There may be times when it's too hard to look beyond. You deserve the space to hold your anger and sadness, but mama, you also deserve to see the bright side of your story. I wish for you nothing more than to embrace the beautiful moments that were also part of your NICU experience. And believe me, sister, you may have to dig SO HARD through the pain, but it's worth it. This journey takes so much from us, treasuring the precious moments is almost an act of justice.

More than once, I found myself envying other mothers as they shared their birth stories... laughing, sweetly telling their children, ‘That's how you came into the world!’ I hope with all my heart that one day, you'll be able to tell yourself that the first time you held your baby wasn't just painful, but beautiful too. You deserve to feel the sparkle of happiness when sharing your story, too." 

Love,
Nathalie

More of Nathalie + Her Child’s NICU Story:

“I gave birth at 12:31 AM, and everything seemed to be going well. The next morning, during  the medical check-up, they found a strange noise in S's heart. Congenital heart disease. We  spent 15 days in the hospital, with catheterization, medication, and continuous check-ups… No  one prepares you for this life-changing experience. We will never again be the same  inexperienced parents who entered that hospital, and in a way, that has also been a gift,  although one we would have never wanted to receive.”