I know that there are some Mamas out there that will “Tsk, tsk” me when I say this: I’m not a big fan of mothers’ groups.
However, there is one particular group that I do my best to go along to every second Thursday.
It’s the Miracle Babies Foundation NurtureGroup which is especially set up for mums and their premature bubs. There, I feel most comfortable because I’m surrounded by other women who have gone through the same journey of having an untimely birth and have dealt with the roller-coaster ride of the NICU (Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit).
Even when your premmie babies are finally discharged from hospital, there are still endless hurdles to overcome.
For instance, for our family, we went to extreme measures to avoid infections or contagious illnesses from the big, bad world outside. We pretty much kept our 5 week premature twin boys quarantined at home until they were 3 months. (Cabin fever much ???)
2 litre pump bottles of anti-bacterial hand gel were a big staple in our household. If you were a visitor unwilling to co-operate in using the stuff…at the front door you stayed.
From the advice of doctors, we got our whooping cough and swine flu shots, we made sure that grandparents got the same jabs.
Then there is the constant concern of wondering when your baby will reach a comfortable position in that blasted percentile graph – badgering you that you’re child is still “catching up” to other “normal”, average-sized babies.
It is piece of mind that, for us mums of premmie pumpkins, there is a support group to turn to. A crutch where all these worries are shared by all the mothers in the same room.
A couple of weeks ago, a television camera crew came along to one of the group sessions to do a story. It was then aired last Monday morning on Channel Nine. Hence, the attached video.
Even Little N&K managed to squeeze themselves in the limelight. (Don’t blink though, you might miss them). It’s just a shame that it was for a cheesey program like the Kerri-Anne Show…*ahem* *cough*
Anyhowdy-hoo…as they say, any publicity is good publicity.
No doubt, the Miracle Babies Foundation is deserving of every ounce of attention and community awareness.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUqN_7Y9uxo]