Tonight I am going to stray from my normal updates about my pregnancy and share something I came across today from my preemie support group. It's been a particularly exhausting week with my youngest daughter refusing to sleep. This is her norm. We've tried so many things to try to make sleeping through the night part of her routine, following advice from her neurologist, and other specialists, but nothing works. Afterall, she's literally a few weeks from turning 3, shouldn't she be sleeping by now? But it's part of the joys of raising a premature child who has a lot of "quirks."
Those of you reading this blog who also have preemies will appreciate Erma Bombeck's view of preemie moms I am sure. In fact, when I read it I was on my Inspire Preemie Support Group site searching for someone who might also have a child who shares the same sleep disorder as my daughter. The story made me cry, but I welcomed the tears as it was a reminder that even in this moment, when I am sleep deprived and praying that my baby girl will decide she finally needs to rest for the evening, she will always be our little miracle.
How Preemie Moms are Chosen
by Erma Bombeck
Did you ever wonder how the mothers of premature babies are chosen?
Somehow, I visualize God hovering Earth, selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger.
"Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron Saint...give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."
Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles. "Give her a preemie."
The angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy." "Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter? That would be cruel."
"But does she have the patience?" asks the angel.
"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea of self-pity and despair.
Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it.
I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence so rare and so necessary in a mother.
You see, the child I am going to give her has a world of it's own. She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy."
God smiles. "This one is perfect. She has just the right amount of selfishness. "
The angel gasps, "Selfishness! Is that a virtue?"
God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied.
She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says "momma" for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know it.
I will permit her to see clear the things that I see - ignorance, cruelty, prejudice - and allow her to rise above them.
She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."
"But what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in the air. God smiles.
"A mirror will suffice.
God only chooses those of us strong enough to face tough battles. It's what makes us stronger. A sweet story.
ReplyDeleteI was a micro preemie. I am now a healthy, thriving, perfectly normal adult with no issues whatsoever except for the rare flare up of allergies, but who doesn't have those anymore?
Your daughter is such a beautiful, strong little fighter. Perhaps she's just a natural born night owl, although I'm sure that's no consolation to the rest of the household. I know how it feels to have someone in the house who refuses to sleep, thus causing sleep deprivation to others, but we love them and will go through anything with them.
I do not know how you feel about natural remedies, but this was a last resort for me, and with VERY small doses, my little night owl now sleeps peacefully through the night and is ready to go the next morning mood free for the most part. Check into melatonin. This is a natural hormone that our body creates, but sometimes, for whatever reason, we do not create enough. It can be found in some meat, grain, fruit, and vegetables and also taken as a supplement you can purchase from any health food store. Again, my night owl is taking only one-fourth of what is called for, otherwise they would be sleeping for days!
Hopefully this is an encouragement and help to you.