Celebrating Joseph's 7th Birthday! Celebrating His Life!

Dear Friends, Family and Followers...

Where does the time go? Well it seems as though the holidays took over and the blogging stopped, but I am back and happy to begin blogging again.  I'm so happy to be back to working on my book and book proposal.

I can't believe it... my premature baby, who was born 10 1/2 weeks early, weighing only 2 pounds 13 ounces, just turned 7 on January 25th.... Yes, that's right! He is now 7!   When we celebrate his birthday, it's not a normal celebration to Stan and I.  We are actually celebrating his life.  He is our miracle baby and we celebrate the anniversary of the day his life began.  As parents of a premature baby, we realize how precious life is and how lucky we are to have a normal, healthy 7 year old boy.  We took him to Walt Disney World to celebrate his birthday.  (Just as we did when he turned 5!)  It may seem a big extreme;  can you celebrate too much??? the gift of life, the gift we were given seven years ago. To us, we can't celebrate enough.

So, on his 7th birthday, he decided to be a pirate! Daddy and Joseph were made into pirates and we celebrated his birthday in the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World!

Braxton Hicks or Preterm Labor

Hello ...It was about this time seven years ago, that I started experiencing pre-term contractions.  I drove from the office right to the doctor's office.  I was hooked up to a monitor and although the patterns of the contractions were irregular, I was told that everything looked ok and it was probably Braxton hicks.  So things went on as planned and we got ready for Christmas and drove from Greenville, SC to Philadelphia, PA for the holidays.  I continued having the same pains, but being a 1st time mother, I went along with the diagnosis and celebrated Christmas with my family.  Honestly, I didn't even know what Braxton Hicks contractions were, so tonight I thought I dedicate my blog with information about Braxton Hicks.  I wish someone would have told me this.... If something doesn't feel right, don't  dismiss it. Only you know your own body. I convinced myself that I had Braxton Hicks and everything was fine. I was wrong. Listen to your heart, if something doesn't feel right, then something isn't right. Be your own advocate for you and your baby.

Information found on American Pregnancy.org

What are Braxton Hicks contractions?

Braxton Hicks contractions can begin as early as the second trimester. However they are most commonly experienced in the third trimester. When this happens, the muscles of the uterus tighten for approximately 30 to 60 seconds and sometimes as long as two minutes. Braxton Hicks are also called “practice contractions” because they are a preparation for the real event and allow the opportunity to practice the breathing exercises taught in childbirth classes.

Braxton Hicks are described as:

• Irregular in intensity
• Infrequent
• Unpredictable
• Non-rhythmic
• More uncomfortable than painful (although for some women Braxton Hicks can feel painful)
• They do not increase in intensity, or frequency
• They taper off and then disappear altogether

If your contractions are easing up in any way, they are most likely Braxton Hicks.

What causes Braxton Hicks contractions?

There are possible causes of these contractions. Some physicians and midwives believe that they play a part in toning the uterine muscle and promoting the flow of blood to the placenta. They are not thought to have a role in dilating the cervix, but might have some impact on the softening of the cervix. However, as Braxton Hicks contractions intensify nearer the time of delivery, the contractions are often referred to as false labor. When this occurs, it can help the dilation and effacement process.

What triggers Braxton Hicks contractions?

The following are triggers of Braxton Hicks:

• When mother or the baby are very active
• If someone touches the mother’s belly
• When the bladder is full
• After sex
• Dehydration

What can I do to alleviate Braxton Hicks contractions?

• Change positions. You can lie down if you have been standing or go for a walk if you have been sitting or laying.
• Take a warm bath for 30 minutes or less

• Because contractions may be brought on by dehydration, drink a couple of glasses of water.
• Drink a warm cup of herbal tea or milk

If none of these steps work, you should contact your health care provider.

Donate to the March of Dimes

The March of Dimes will send you a 2014 calendar, when you make a donation of $25 or more. It is 12 months of the cutest babies anywhere. This limited edition calendar will remind you every day of your generosity and steadfast commitment to fund research to find the causes and preventions for prematurity. In your community and across the country, the March of Dimes is helping moms take charge of their health and supporting families when something goes wrong.

Here is the  Link to March of Dimes Website

Joseph Nicholas

NOVEMBER 17th is WORLD PREMATURITY DAY

This Sunday, November 17th is WORLD PREMATURITY DAY. Learn more about helping the March of Dimes in their fight against premature births by visiting facebook.com/worldprematurityday to learn more and show your support.  

World Prematurity Day is observed on November 17, 2013. World Prematurity Day is an observance held on the 17th of November. Approximately 15 million babies are born prematurely each year accounting for more than one in 10 of all babies born worldwide. It is estimated that the world's 39 highest-income countries could cut around 58 000 premature births annually by implementing interventions to prevent preterm births, amounting to roughly US$3.0 billion in economic cost savings. World Prematurity Day aims to raise awareness for prematurity and the concerns of preterm babies and their families worldwide because infants born preterm represent the largest child patient group. World Prematurity day was started in 2011 by the European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (EFCNI), March of Dimes, Africa-based Little Big Souls International Foundation, and the National Premmie Foundation of Australia and has since been taken place in more than 50 countries.

I will be spending this weekend working on my book proposal...only a few more sections to go.  This weekend is dedicated to "analysis of the competition".  There are 39 books available on amazon.com and I need to look up each one and write a paragraph about the book's subject's matter and how my book is different.  So, I guess I'll be spending much of my weekend on amazon.com and at Barnes and Noble... at least they have a lot of coffee.

Writing the book is the easy part. Putting together the book proposal is much more difficult!  Keep your fingers crossed I get through the 39 books and don't find any more. hahaha! 

Hopefully sometime next week, I'll have the pictures ready to post from the March of Dimes event.

IT's CELEBRATION TIME for the 75th ANNIVERSARY of the March of Dimes Signatures Chef's Event

SHOWTIME...This weekend we are putting on the final touches to make this year's March of Dimes Signatures Chef's Gala in Greenville, South Carolina the BEST ever because all those sweet little angles born too soon deserve it!

It's the 75th Anniversary, so it's time to celebrate! As a mom of a premature baby, it's time to come together and celebrate the work the March of Dimes and to thank all the supporters who make these events possible.  Hopefully the event on Sunday evening will be our best event ever.

Not only will we raise our glasses but we will raise money so the March of Dimes can continue to do promote awareness about premature births and continue their research that saves the lives of our little unborn babies.

I'll be there with bells on and I can't wait to tell you how it goes.

JOSEPH STORTI - MIRACLE BABY "THROUGH TRAUMA and TEARS to TRIUMPH"

 I am in the process of writing a book, “Through Trauma and Tears to Triumph”, which is my personal story of having a premature baby. He was born 10 ½ weeks early. He weighed 2 lbs., 13 oz. The perfect life I planned for was very different than the life I was about to live.

There are many books available about having a premature baby. There are guides and reference books that explain how to care for your premature baby.  However, my book is unique.  My book differentiates itself from the rest, because it’s not just about the painful experience of having a premature baby. It’s not a just a guide or reference book.

Statistics on premature births

Each year in the United States, nearly a half a million babies are born prematurely out of the four million babies born each year; that means 1 out of every 8 babies, will be born too soon.  One of those babies may be related to you.  One of those babies was my son. 

Tell me about your story...