Joanna Taczanowsky

Tiny but Mighty Joanna Taczanowsky

Publisher Marketing: When my boys were born when I was only 24 weeks pregnant, I immediately purchased the few books I found on preemies and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to try to prepare for the journey ahead. However, I found almost nothing that was helpful because none of the books went into detail about micro preemies (babies born before 26 weeks gestation), how different they are from premature babies (babies born before 36 weeks gestation), and what they might face during their stay in the NICU. Micro preemies can face very specific and very different obstacles compared to other premature babies. Most resources I found only offered a few sentences here and there about the hurdles specific to micro preemies. I was also immediately bombarded with questions from friends and family as to how they could help us. Looking back over the last year and a half I now have a new perspective on what we went through and how I could have better asked for help. Having a baby in the NICU can be a terrifying roller coaster ride. Now on the other side, I thought sharing my story might be of benefit for someone just beginning their journey. If I had found a resource to provide my family, I think they could also have had an easier time supporting us through our time in the NICU and beyond.