Christopher, 2½, Pittsburgh, PA
"At 22 weeks, my water broke and I had no measurable fluid. I was told that my baby would be born early and while we would try to stay pregnant, the chances of that were not good. Christopher made his way into the world at 24 weeks, weighing 1 pound, 11 ounces, and was 12 inches long. His first few weeks were filled with frightening moments, and there were even a few times when he almost didn't make it through the night. Seeing my baby on a ventilator and watching his heartbeat slow down on the monitor is one thing I hope I never experience again. When he was finally able to come home, he had to spend 5 months attached to an apnea monitor, to measure his breathing and heart rate. We have been very lucky: I am happy to say that Christopher has done remarkably well. He is now a healthy 2½-year-old, and is always running, jumping, talking, and asking to go to the playground to see his friends."
 -- Kristie, mom of Christopher

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