Prematurity Awareness Day 2015

Here is the video of me holding my sweet baby guy, Redd, for the first time <3 <3 <3 Today is Prematurity Awareness Day! Due to me developing HELLP Syndrome and severe pre-eclampsia Redd was born at 35 weeks and 3 days via emergency c-section.

His birth experience was everything and nothing we ever wanted at the same time The first 34 hours after he was born were some of the hardest of my life--I wanted nothing more than to snuggle my babe and cheer him on as he learned to breath on his own. Unfortunately, my body wasn't up to that and I had to stay behind when Redd was transferred to the NICU at a nearby hospital. It was heartbreaking to watch the Panda team wheel him away :'(

BUT that beautiful cry we heard when Redd was born was the best sound I had ever heard! <3 All the pain, worry, sadness and grief to get him here was worth it!! The joy of hearing that my baby was alive and crying is something I can't adequately describe! A part of my heart that had been broken and was longing to hear that sound was healed in that moment. I replayed that sweet cry over and over in my mind as I willed my body to stabilize enough to get to my sweet boy!!

Life can be really tough but it is always worth fighting for our dreams <3 <3 <3 So grateful for my sweet little premie! xo