Let's Get a Little Personal

I don't often get personal on this blog, rather it is a place to post breaking, pro-life news...  But we had a situation yesterday that I just can't ignore...

We took our infant twins, Bobby and Maya, to a developmental clinic yesterday.  They were born early at 27w5d, after spending 174 days growing in the womb.  They had a previous assessment at just shy of 3 months old and assessed at 2mo-3mo, and this assessment was scheduled for 6 months old.

Because we have been so blessed with good health and no developmental delays, we dont adjust their ages for prematurity.  The state assessors that came told us that, developmentally, we didnt need to, and our pediatrician has told us that based on their sizes (they began life outside the womb at 2lbs13oz and 2lbs5oz, respectively, and are now almost 17lbs and 12lbs) and the passing of milestones on par with full term babies, it was unnecessary.  So we tend to "forget" corrected age.

But something that the NICU doctor we were talking to yesterday said really struck a cord in us.  In spite of their developmental ages and sizes being on par with 40 week babies, the clinic will always assess them via corrected age.  Because they are the brain age of a 361 day old baby.  Or, when you subtract 266 days for a full term pregnancy, the age of a 95 days-outside-the-womb baby: a 3 month old.

It may not be initially clear, but this NICU doctor said what those of us in the pro-life community have been saying for years.  The womb matters.  Life in the womb matters.  It makes a difference.  A huge one.  As any preemie parent can tell you, watching your baby in the "mechanical womb" of the NICU is a life-altering experience.  By the grace of God, we are blessed with children that did just as well- or maybe even better- outside of my womb, as they did in it.  But their age- their "true" age- the age that the specialists weigh them against- is 361 days.  Their 174 days in the womb and (as of yesterday) their 187 days out of it.

Stunning, isn't it?  Peter and I talked about it this morning and, honestly, he was the one that pointed out to me just how important the prenatal months, weeks, and days, are...  How what we do then makes not only a huge difference on how babies live on the outside, but the fact that they are given the gift of life on the outside.

In light of how broken hearted I was yesterday morning, this morning's conversation really opened my eyes.  Wide.

Thank you, God, for the gift of my life.  Help me to realize that all life, from the first day of my conception to the day that you call me home, is a gift from You and plays a role in everything I do.  Help me to protect life, from the moment of conception to natural death.  Amen.