Our journey with Children’s Hospital started weeks before we even ended up there. At 29 weeks I (Erin, mom) unknowingly had a rupture of membranes that would throw us into the whirlwind of what started Lorraine's birth story.
After going into the doctor for what I thought would be a routine check up, I quickly realized that was not going to be the case at all. I had no idea as I kissed my husband George and 15 month old daughter Arlie goodbye, that I would not be coming home for almost 7 weeks. As the nurses discovered that my amniotic fluid levels were extremely low, I was admitted immediately.
In the first couple of hours I was told so much information. I met with multiple doctors and nurses. The conversation quickly changed as I was given information about preterm babies and the NICU. The real scary, reality shifting, the "no one wants to hear while pregnant" information. I was given steroids to help with Lorraine's lung function and magnesium to help lower the risk of cerebral palsy and motor dysfunction, and antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection due to rupture. I wasn't even sure what was happening, let alone thinking our baby was coming early. I'm not sure we even thought that was a possibility yet. Doctors said if she stayed in until 34 weeks we would induce. Leave it to her to stay in, but stay breech, so csection it was. Lorraine has made it very clear her whole life that she wants to do things her way. The caesarean went wonderful. Lorraine was born December 27th 2015, shortly after 8am. She let out a little cry and was quickly brought to Children's NICU.
Seeing her in her little isolette with so many cords and so many machines hooked up to her was terrifying. But watching the team of doctors, nurses and specialists care for her as their own was beyond comforting. To get to this point took an entire team, our village. Along with our amazing medical team, we had our family, friends, coworkers, and complete strangers supporting us through the most rewarding challenge of our lives. She, in a moments time, changed things in all of us that we didn't even know needed changing. During our 6 week stay we received so many little gifts, from gift cards to local restaurants, even Lorraines baby blanket was given to us from someone we never met, but had been where we were years prior. These small gestures were the catalyst to this current mission of ours. We knew we had to pay it forward! We are trying to raise as much money as we possibly can to donate to the hospital that helped Lorraine thrive and grow into one of the best little things in our lives.
Along with our online fundraiser we collect baby blankets to donate to Children’s NICU on Lorraine’s birthday each year. We are beyond grateful for all our loved ones that support us and this mission of Little Lorraine’s Big Love. To date we have donated over 150 blankets and can’t wait to see what we can drop off this year!