Massachusetts

Dorian,

Check out:

Hurricane Katrina Prayers and Action

Under the Folder: Get Involved

You will find some MOD ideas and *great* ways to help that are very much needed!

Thanks,

Melissa

http://www.shareyourstory.org/webx?230@@.eeb98f0/40

well I wanted to update you on my status so far we are 26 weeks our due date has been bumped up to the 21st of December, we still don't know what im having the lil bugger didn't want to cooperate. I already started preparations at work for maternity leave and for when I start lamaze class, im already starting to nest which is driving me nuts cuz it to me seems to early.
yesterday dh and i picked out the babies going home outfit.
im planning on buying my going home outfit some time next week, its a nice black velvet hoodie, and pants set, and i even asked my supervisor if i could wear it to work before my due date and she okayed it.
ive been noticing things that are different this time then they were with my daughter i've been noticing more movement, and i've had more energy then i did with my daughter i mean i have my up's and my downs but i guess thats normal.
 

oh and my daughters foot marker is finally in i dont feel comfortable taking a picture until the dirt is filled in around it, the company we had working on it did a crummy job filling in the dirt around the stone, or they didnt measure one or the other.
the stone does look pretty though, we got it in the pinkish red color that you see with some of the foot markers.
we also got since we own cats we got a little girl sitting at the bottom corner of the stone holding a cat.
dh let me know that it was in one night while i was at work i wanted to start crying but i was with dealing with a customer on the phone at the time and couldnt, but as soon as i was able to get up there to see it myself i did start crying i even sat down next to her and cried dh let me sit like that for it must of been a good half hour to 45 minutes before he helped me up. almost feel weird now going up there to see her i mean i know she knows i love her and i know shes watching over us but its just like whenever we go up there now to see her i have nothing to say because im running out things to tell her i mean besides that i love her. were hoping to buy what we saw in a catalog a cat stroller (yes they do carry them and it does have a screened in front so that they dont get loose) so that we can bring our cats up to see where shes buried. (granted i know it sounds weird but how are they supposed to really know that shes gone ya know), ive noticed changes in my cats since we lost samantha like 2 of them rarely go for "treat time" and our male cat now is kicking everyone off of the couch once i lay on there with him.
he also no longer will sneak into the nursery when im trying to work in there only 1 of the female cats that has had kittens does.
shes also very interested in the babies things like its clothes, and bedding like everything i move she goes over and smells it and rubs against it to get her scent on it and she fights me when its time to leave the nursery like she doesnt want to leave.
well i have to go for now if anyone wants to email me they can my new email address is zerocoolryo10605@aol.com .
take care
-jenn b

Hi, My name is Mary Jo and I am the mother of a 34 wkr, have 3 children, 25,24 & 13. I also am the grandmother of a micro preemie, Annora, who was a 24 wkr, 1 lb 4 oz. She was in the Brigham & Womans's NICU for 5 loooong months. Anyone out there in share, come on in !! hug's, Mary Jo

hi mary jo i received your email thought i'd track ya down here, well update on me since last post i had an ob appt my 32 week check up on tuesday my bp was higher than normal and i've gained 10 pounds since last visit ( i didnt tell hubby bout the weight thing i think he can tell just by lookin at me), but my ob did our regular check up had a hard time finding the baby had both hubby and i very scared and the dr to cause he knows about our daughter, it took him a good 20 minutes to find our baby cause i guess it didnt want to sit still.
so that part looked ok he did a cervical check on me because i've been having more pressure and discharge (tmi) than normal and that looked ok no signs of problems he didnt seem concerned about the blood pressure though. had an ultrasound yesterday everything looked fine as far as the tech was telling us and im measuring to my exact due date which is from what the tech told me some wheres around xmas e ve. got a call last night before my husband and i were getting ready to step out for the night from my ob telling me he had totally missed my blood pressure being high and didnt look into it until last night and said he wanted me to come back this coming friday for a check up and to see about my blood pressure. i dont know if he was serious that he a dr had forgot to check my blood pressure readings from the nurse or if something came up with my ultrasound that he needs to discuss it had me crying for almost a good half hour last night before we left because i was scared, and i still am he said that he's more concerned because my blood pressure shot up closer to the end with my daughter, and he wants to make sure its not a fluke. so if anyone is reading this please pray for me and my baby that we make it through this so far we havent had any problems to speak of and so far its been a perfect pregnancy.
take care
-jenn b

Jenn, It is good to hear from you! Are you aware of the upcoming PAD/SHARE event in NYC Nov 14&15? There will be a rememberence ceremony. Ck out the "Get Involved Link. I hope things work out with your BP, I Will keep you both in my prayers, and when I am in NY, I will think of you. Blessing's & Hug's, Mary Jo

well update on me since my last posting i've been in the hospital twice for preterm labor they've stopped it with 4 doses of terbutiline, i still have the high blood pressure and my dr is monitoring me closely.
we had a bio physical profile done saturday morning along with another non stress test i've lost count as to how many i've had, and the baby is doing wonderful im doing good im out of work now the dr pulled me from work last tuesday told me no more going back until after the baby was born.
during our ultrasound/bpp testing the nurse asked my ob if we could find out what were having or if it was to late he wasnt giving us a definete answer but the baby didnt want us to leave there without knowing so our baby flashed his lil "peanuts" at us showin us who he was. so were proud to announce were expecting a boy to our wonderful family my dr said that since im 35 weeks that he's going to wait a couple days and if my contractions start back up that he wont stop me from laboring,
he said the baby looks really healthy and hes happy with our test results.
well i have to go for now talk soon
email me if anyone wants to
zerocoolryo10605@aol.com
-jenn b

I am trying to find a decent local playgroup for infants + toddlers. My twins are 8.5 months and could use a little playtime with others. I can't seem to find any.
Thanks!!
Christine B.

Woow, a boy! Stay inside little one, till it's time!( The Grammie says so) lol I remembered you both while I was in NYC for the MOD"s PAD events. Keep in touch, and congratulations, I know it's been tough but you can do it! Blessing's and Hug's, Mary Jo

Since you are nea the MOD Mass Chapter, you might want to contact them to see if they have any resources on play groups near your area. Also check to see if there is a local Community Center, they may have a listing also. Good luck! Mary Jo

Hi , My name is Mary Jo, and I would like to invite Massachusetts to get involved! Come onin and SHARE, find your NICHE, and let's get working on giving each baby 9 months!!!!

I had a 35.5 weeker in Boston Massgeneral Hospital. I have a blog called my little yoda and a short story called my little baby guy.

hi everyone-

wanted to introduce myself to all of you. my name is marla wolk and along with my husband jeff and my beautiful boys ian and oliver, we are thrilled to be this years massachusetts state ambassador family. i look forward to getting to know many of you this year and hopefully meet you and your families at walk. even though it still is feb., walk is not that far way, and this is a wonderful time to be gearing up for the big day. i have been joining in on walk since the first april that the boys came home from the hospital, and last year we formed our first family team - "team ian and oliver". walk is now one of my most favorite days of the year. it is a day to support the march of dimes and raise money for future research, and it is also a day to celebrate, heal and remember. if you haven't started thinking about starting a family team, i urge you to become part of this wonderful tradition. we as families are connected in such a profound way, and we have the power to achieve great things. i hope that many of you will be able to make it on feb. 23rd to our boston kick-off event which will be held at the copley plaza in boston, and/or our worcester kick-off which will be held on march 9th. both should be fun events and a chance to connect with other families prior to walk day. if you haven't received info. on either of these events, feel free to call the ma office and let them know i sent you .

also want to share with you another wonderful opportunity. i have had the privilege of being involved with another wonderful program for families of preemies that has recently started up in the boston area. it is called fragile beginnings, and basically, it is an in person equivalent of share. it is a parent to parent support network which matches a new mother of a preemie (either while still in the nicu or after discharge) with a mother who has previously walked the same road. it is an opportunity to be supported by someone who truly gets it and someone who can offer guidance, kindness and even just an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on. if you are a new mom of a preemie and are interested in learning more, please feel free to email me. in addition, if you are a mother of a preemie who is at least three years out and would like to be a mentor to a new mom, email me as well. like so many of you, i found out first hand how little support and programs (before share was what it is today!!!)where out there for me when i first came home from the hospital with my little ones close to three years ago. just like share, fragile beginnings hopes to fill a very big void for massachusetts families.

anyways, i think i have taken up a lot of space, so thanks for listening. again, i hope that over the upcoming months i will meet many of you in person and get to be friends. us preemie moms need to stick together

sweet dreams-
marla

Hi there everyone, I feel terrible that i've not posted in a zilliion years, between work yada yada i have all i can do to stay awake past Kendalls bedtime! Lordy, okay well HELLO YALL, I was just updating my information on Kendalls Walk America Home Page, I hope to see everyone at the Walk America this year, last year was a blast! Take care and I'll hear ya'll soon...

Love to all

Sue

Hello everyone!
I'm new here, but I need some advice...
I live in Marlborough, MA and I'm 37 weeks preg. and I need to find a good pediatrician around here... don't have a lots of friend with kids on this area, so we are kind of lost....so, if anyone knows any good pediatrician around here I would appreciated some advice!!!
Stay well,
Thanks
Fla

HI:

My name is Yokaira and i want to get in contact with parents of premmies, i move to Boston in March 06, and i am kind of , because i don't know nobody here in MA.

Well i hope to get to meet some of you.

Yokaira

Hi, everyone. I wanted to introduce myself to this board. I gave birth to 24 week triplets (Julia, Peter and Lucy) in 2001. Julia died shortly after her birth in the NICU, and Peter and Lucy are happy kids who have since been joined by a now 1 year old full term singleton brother, Teddy.

I cannot do a better job than my friend, Marla, did talking about Walkamerica so I won't repeat her earlier Feb 4 post welcoming everyone to walk. I will say, however, that the March of Dimes Massachusetts chapter has hired me to work on a temporary basis (until walk) helping Family Teams and that I am a resource for all of you. If you have any questions about walk, feel free to email me at kmarous@marchofdimes.com.

You guys are all heroes!

Kathryn (Marous)

Dear Community Members:

I am a doctoral student in Boston, MA currently conducting important research on the experience of fathers of premature infants. I would love to meet with fathers and learn about their experiences and the unique challenges they face. The information gathered may be used in the future to inform changes in policies, procedures, support services, and psychotherapeutic approaches for families with premature infants.

If you are interested in participating, or know someone who might be, please see the flyer below and contact me with any questions. Thanks so much.

Crystal

ATTENTION PREEMIE DADS!
Research is currently being conducted in the Boston area on the experience of fathers of premature infants. Your participation will include an interview and the completion of two short forms and will take approximately 75-90 minutes. The interview may take place in your home or at a mutually convenient private location. To participate, you must meet the following criteria:
• A father over the age of 21 who has had 1 or more children born full-term before becoming the father of a premature infant.
• Your baby was born between 25 and 35 weeks gestation.
• Your baby must have spent a minimum of 2 weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
• You must be living in the same home as your baby and report actively participating in the care of your child including the activities of feeding, changing, bathing, and putting your baby to bed.
•Your baby must have been discharged from the NICU between 1 and 6 months prior to the interview.
•You should not have a current report of child maltreatment filed against you or involvement with the Department of Children and Families.
To participate, please email crystal_harvey@mspp.edu to confirm your eligibility and set up a time for an interview.