In a 2003 study that explored “ambiguous loss”, American researchers Tamara Golish and Kimberly Powell affirmed how “parents of premature babies underwent various grief emotions as they mourned the loss of a full-term pregnancy and feared for their child’s life and health. However, they were often unable to allow themselves to feel their grief and were unsure how to communicate it because their baby was still alive.” In an environment where more devastating loss easily happens to other families, it seemed almost disrespectful to even acknowledge pain points here and there, and yet they were real, looming menacingly.
MMPPSG: Bringing Home Our Preemie
What I did get to do on those long sleepless nights when I worried about my baby in the NICU was read up on preemies: what to expect, what red flags to watch out for, and what support groups I can go to for help. I also cherished the late-night conversations I had with mommy friends who also had preemies who told me about their experience in raising a preemie baby.