We are hoping to do something a little special each month to help put a face to what we are doing here at Early Bird Foundation! We’d like to give a voice to these families, to celebrate their journeys and their homecomings with them! Each month we will try to feature a new story from a NICU family we’ve worked with through EBF!
Introducing our very first NICU Family of the Month!
Charissa Phelps has given her permission to share their story:
On August 28 I woke up with generalized discomfort and after multiple times repositioning myself, I finally decided to wake my husband up. After hours of studying we decided to go to our local hospital to just ease our minds! I was really assuming it was fine, I’m 31 and 5, nowhere near delivery date! To make a long story short, in less than an hour I found myself with multiple interventions and in the back of an ambulance to Baptist Health Lexington in full blown labor! We were able to hold delivery off until Wednesday which made me a full 32 weeks and I received 48 hours of steroid therapy!
August 30 2017 11:09
3 lb 13 oz 16 inches
So many emotions!!!!! We watched our guy fight sooooooo hard and, before I knew it, I was in the middle of my new normal! 36 total days in the NICU! I experienced all the different stages of grief! ALL of them!!!! We live a good distance away so my husband returned to work and continued to make the drive back and forth to visit us and I stayed at the Ronald McDonald house which was such a blessing! God did answer every single prayer, including sending me this support group when I needed it most! None of this was part of my plan! Seeing people who had weathered my same storm was helpful to me. I had gotten so caught up I couldn’t even imagine the day we could take our baby home! That day did indeed come and it was a wonderful day! The NICU will teach you so much about life and your tiny blessing even more! Now that it’s behind me I can say I wouldn’t trade it for anything! We made friendships that are solid and we bonded to our baby in a way I cannot explain to you! We are not the same people that walked into the NICU but we are better for it! God bless Early Bird Foundation and God bless you if you find yourself standing where I was! Pray and believe everyday! So thankful for my nurses who not only cared for my child but for me too!
Day 1 vs day 36!
I could talk about our NICU experience all day, but I won’t 
😃! This journey wasn’t part of my plan but it was Gods plan and I am forever thankful for it!
Charissa, Jason, & Baby Lincoln
Early Bird Foundation is so thankful to have been able to play a part in your all’s NICU journey and to be able to pray for you and your sweet baby boy! We are so excited for you all to finally be home together and continue to pray for you as you adjust to your new reality at home! Thank you for sharing your story with us!
Early Bird Foundation, Inc. 