I look at what lays ahead and the responsibility that comes along with what we are doing, and all I can do is thank the Lord that I have him to guide and lean on. I don’t have to be overwhelmed with anything. I take everything, except the prayer and support, lightly. My motto is trust in the Lord and what is meant to be will be. So as I write “my vision” for Preemie Prints please remember this is only what I see when I close my eyes. It may be God’s vision or The Spirit may have different plans entirely. I am perfectly at peace to wait and see!
The mission of Preemie Prints is to share hope with moms and families who have a premature or sick baby in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). Merriam’s definition of hope is “to cherish a desire with anticipation, to expect with confidence”. I feel that defines our mission perfectly which is why after much prayer I chose to focus on the word hope. Hope is what these moms and families need to hold on to. We want to encourage moms, bring a smile to their face, listen to them, and in the midst of their “roller coaster of emotions” we want to make sure they remain hopeful even when faced with an extremely serious and scary situation. I know that is easier said than done, but that is why organizations like ours exist. The nurses in a NICU are wonderful but really their purpose is to provide care for the baby. A hospital may have one or two social workers on staff but their time is spread thin. We exist, guided by the Lord, as advocates for the families and especially the moms!
We offer 5 ways to share hope through Preemie Prints. The first way is information. Each mom will feel more involved and more like parenting in a NICU situation if they are informed. Most moms have just delivered a baby naturally or by csection, hormones are raging, moms are often on medication, extremely fatigued, and yet expected to bond with their baby. The last thing thing on their mind is researching NICU information. However, if they were provided with it, they would really be more equipped and better able to face this time in their life. We help by having the most up to date information all in one place on our information blog and included in an information binder in their NICU gift bag, which they are provided upon their baby’s admittance. The gift bag contains many items to help transition mom and baby into the NICU. Another way we offer hope is through the gift of complimentary photography to help preserve memories. A mom’s experience in a NICU with her premature baby will empower her for the rest of her life. Pictures will help to keep the experience from fading away and also are therapeutic during the time they are their. Pictures help with bonding, help to later decrease postpardum depression, and can even help with milk production when a mom can’t be with her baby. We really encourage moms to take pictures along their journey. Next is our support system which is made up of one on one meetings with moms, a support group, message board, online chat by appointment, facebook page, and emails that can be sent anytime of day. Last but certainly most important is prayer. We have a prayer page that we invite all families with a premature baby to utilize and we invite everyone reading this to join in prayer with us. I have established a large network of prayer partners nation wide who are checking our prayer page daily and praying for our babies. The Lord truly created this page for preemies. I hope one day we are praying for babies world wide.
HOPE THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY, SUPPORT, AND PRAYER!
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The Apostolate of Hannah's Tears 
Thank you Therese. 🙂 You mean a lot to me & I've never met you. God is wonderful…one day we will meet!!! Love, Amber
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