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My baby is a preemie. His name is Zillan Albus S. Martinez, he was delivered last February 29, 2008, he was at the NICU for 35 days, and those days was quite really hard for us especially to me. I visit him everyday, treasuring the limited hour we have. I usually cuddled and touched him every now and then and yet although I came there to visit him there everyday, when I arrive home I can still feel the sad, even cried at night. Most of the time, I keep myself busy so that I can't see that time was running by. April 4, the doctor's told me that he was well enough to go home. So by that time, we are very happy but 18 hrs after Zillan experience apnea... he was black and lost for almost 20 secs....I cried so hard, I was holding him... I thought he was gone... but suddenly he came back to life but almost weak to imagine. I rush him to emergency room and then the doctor told me that there are cases like this, APNEA OF PREMATURITY. So this happen to my baby, I was asked by the doctor to monitor him and prescribed a medicine for my baby. and he was back.. Adjusting to his everyday life. But after one week, he then again experience apnea, by that time, I hesitated that he should be confine at the hospital and have oxyzen to support his breathing... It was traumatic to me, I keep on thinking why he had suffered this hard. My baby was just a month to experience all of this procedures. But still we never give up on him.... and luckily he was still with us now. He out of the hospital after a week of confinement and we feel a bit of relief but we still monitor him every now and then to make it sure he was well and okay. I can now see his smile everyday and hear his cries.. I'm very happy that he survived and very glad he came to my life.

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I am writing this to encourage other preemie parents. Our son was born at 29 weeks with severe RH disease. He suffered from VSD, brain bleeds (grade 2), BPD and was on a respirator for several weeks. He also developed an infection in the hospital where he spent the first 59 days of his life. And initial testing indicated a hearing loss (which turned out not to be true.) This was 24 years ago. He graduated from a private, hard-to-get-into high school with a straight A average, was co-captain of the tennis team and a long-distance runner. He also won piano and trombone competition. He graduated from a prestigious university summa cum laude and made Phi Beta Kappa. He has been accepted into many law schools for next year. We were always told not to expect too much when he was born and during the first 5 years of his life. But we just took him as he was, one day at a time, and loved him with all our hearts. And little by little, it all came together. Jacki Cooley His initial development was erratic but we had good medical care and support services.

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my baby was born 5 months pre-maturly (20 weeks)and suvive until today thank the lord for the great miracle.for picture and more information called filomena ph# 679-9203581 fiji.

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I wrote earlier about my son, Daniel, who was born at 23.4 weeks gestation. He is a miracle. No brain bleeds, no surgery, no ROP. We spent 4 months in NICU. What I need to tell you is this... When they tell you as a parent to rest.. do it. When they say, go home, we'll take care of him/her/ do it... The reason being?? Your children are in good care. They are with nurses and doctors who chose this profession b/c they are concerned and care about preemies. They will do their best for your baby. Yes, it's scary being in the NICU, but LEARN from them. Because at some point you have to bring your baby home, and they are not there. So LEARN from your "staff" and then, sleep. And then, when your baby comes home, be the nurse, parent, doctor. Freak for about 2 weeks, then let go. Realize your time in the NICU taught you something. Realize you know your baby now ( after 2 weeks) realize that ultimately it is not your hands but Gods. Sounds Easy??? harder than hell. But if you are not right in your mind and spirit, neither will your child. And a child that survives NICU can survive a lot. ( It's the parent's that have problemss) all parents.. it's sucks, it's heartwrenching, it's unbelieveable, but we and your kids can do it.

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Richard was 1 pound 2 ounces and was smaller than my hand when he was born. It has been a struggle to say the least. He is doing very well but is far behind in school and other "normal" kids. He is very lovable and tries very hard at everything. When he was three he only knew about twenty words but wrote his name in small print in cursive on his wall. I know it is in there, we just have to help him bring it out. Dad