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Channel: Fatherhood | Hand to Hold
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Dog Days of the NICU: One NICU Dad’s Advice

Since my son’s birth, I have talked to several fathers of preemies, and most of the conversations start with, “As a man,” or “As a father.”  I believe fathers need to hear the experiences of another...

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Holidays with a NICU Grad

With the Fourth of July here, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about holidays with your NICU graduate. For the majority of families, holidays are a time to spend with each other, to have fun,...

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Primary Nurses, A.K.A. Your Baby’s Guardian Angel

While our son was in the NICU, we had the opportunity to meet two wonderful people who helped our son thrive while he was there. I’m talking about his primary nurses. These people are a God send and I...

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{Friday Feature} One Dad Reflects on Sending Forth His Champion, James

Matthew Chambers and his wife Victoria welcomed their son James into the world on March 19, 2010. The next few months were filled not only with multiple surgeries and medical interventions – but also...

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What the NICU Reunion Did For Me

If you have a baby in the NICU one of the daily rituals that have been introduced into your life is your daily trip (or trips) to the NICU to visit your little one.  For me, it was very difficult to...

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Holidays Through the Eyes of a Former Preemie

As we near the holiday season, I can’t help but think about all of the things we are so very grateful for. Our pregnancy was far from perfect. But in hindsight our circumstances could have been far...

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NICU Advocacy Through Social Media

When I take a moment to step back and look at the the big picture, access to information these days can be equal parts blessing and curse. The idea of privacy is slowly becoming obsolete. While there...

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NICU Dads Do Cry

Having a baby in the NICU will probably be the most emotional period of a parent’s life.  During this time mothers and fathers feel sadness, guilt, anxiety, anger, etc.  I know when my son was in the...

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Parenting Both a “Normal” and Special Needs Child

For me, the hardest thing about being a parent to a special needs child is watching Caleb, our son who was born with VACTERL, go through what he has gone through: a NICU stay, four surgeries, numerous...

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A NICU Dad Says, “It’s Okay to Have Feelings”

When you have a traumatic event in your life, you will feel a variety of feelings.  It is no different when you have a baby in the NICU.  For my wife and I, we felt the entire gamut of feelings.  There...

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Confessions of a Preemie Papa

As our son Jayden closes in on three, I have learned so much as the parent of a former preemie. We have seen all sorts of ups and downs, laughter and tears, milestones and obstacles, and I wouldn’t...

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Embracing Delays For Our School Bound Preemie

Our son Jayden has accomplished so much in his first three years. How he has grown as an explorer, learner, and social butterfly has been quite exciting. Since his second birthday, Jayden has been...

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You ARE Ready to Bring Your Baby Home!

May will always be a special month for me.  For most, May brings with it the end of the school year, vacation planning, and other events that mark summer’s arrival.  For me and my family, May holds a...

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Thank You to the Fathers of Preemies

Our Kylie was born ten weeks early due to my diagnosis with preeclampsia. I knew something was wrong when I was 29 weeks pregnant and my head hurt so bad that I was vomiting and could barely see. My...

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The Strength of My Husband, An Amazing NICU Dad

Having a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit is a very personal experience. While we face many similar circumstances and the same uncertainty of what the future holds, how we cope from day-to-day...

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Joel B’s Birth Story

I know that when we think of birth stories, we typically assume they’ll be told from the mother’s point of view.  Today, we have a special treat – a birth story from the father’s perspective!  This...

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Supporting Your Significant Other Through the NICU Journey

By Joel Brens of Papas of Preemies The NICU is a scary, foreign place for those who are entering its doors for the first time. I was certainly overwhelmed by the constant noises and alarms that went...

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Empowerment, Advocacy for Your Child in the NICU and Beyond

The day my son was born, it’s safe to say I felt the entire spectrum of emotions. Since he was in relatively stable condition, it was a cocktail made mostly of unwavering joy and crippling fear. Being...

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Rehashing Old NICU Feelings

Despite a relatively quiet 25 days in the NICU, I still had a hard time managing the ups and down that come with it. While I was thrilled to be a father for the first time, I was overwhelmed not only...

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A Father Shares His Poignant Story of Loss

I have been promising myself that I would write about the death of my twins when I was ready. Ever since that fateful day more than 11 years ago, I have tried to write, dozens of times, but my attempts...

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