Did you know that every year, nearly half a million babies are born prematurely in the United States? That is equal to one baby born prematurely every single minute.

One in nine babies is born prematurely in the United States each year. Both of my children were among them.

Unlike most pregnant women, I was in a position where I knew beforehand that my babies would be born prematurely. The days and weeks leading up to their births were terrifying, not knowing just how early they would be born or if they would suffer long term consequences from coming into the world before their little bodies were ready.