march for babies blog

It’s Prematurity Awareness Month, when everyone’s focused on premature birth and the families touched by it.

In our country alone, more than half a million babies are born too soon each year, some very sick. Maybe you had a premature baby yourself. Or you may know someone who did.

This November, do something special for a baby you love. Click over to marchofdimes.com/fightforpreemies and create a virtual band in honor or memory of a baby in your life. Your gift funds research and programs that give premature babies a fighting chance.

If you have a blog, help us spread the word. Unite with thousands of bloggers around the world and post about premature birth on November 17.

FDR and Basil O Connor

During the Great Depression, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt asked America to help defeat that era’s biggest threat to our children – polio. He called on all families to collect dimes, just dimes. Did you go door to door? Did your grandparents? Times were tough, but millions of people sent millions of dimes to the White House. Those dimes added up fast and helped researchers find the cure.

Now, $10 can help defeat prematurity. Just ask for $10 for babies. And then ask if your sponsor could ask two others to give $10, too. That’s what I’ve always done, and I’ve watched my fundraising total go up and up.  And, in more good news, I’ve always been amazed by how many sponsors donated more than $10 – much more!

America remembers polio. America needs to know about prematurity. Try connecting the dots. Then tell us if it works for you!

There are many great causes that deserve our time and money. Why do I care so much about this one?

Haden was born right when he was supposed to. He weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces - some of his first baby outfits were snug from the go. I have seen the tiny babies in their isolates. I cry for them, I can’t help it. But I won’t pretend to know the pain their parents feel.

As a working mom, when I’m not around Haden, I worry. Will he eat his breakfast, will he be warm enough if he goes outside, will he stay away from the road? This is what I’ve never had to worry about: will he make it through the night, will he be able to start breathing on his own, will he get through the surgery to repair his heart?

No mom should have to worry about these things. When a baby is fighting for his life, a life that has only just begun, it makes me sad. It makes me angry. It keeps me up at night. And it makes me want to do something, anything.

I feel responsible. I am responsible. We all are. As moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandparents and everyone, it is our job to protect not just our own babies, but all babies.

There are many great causes. But this is mine.

How about you? Why do you care so much?