Honoring Prematurity Awareness Month: Stories of strength, compassion and hope at Main Line Health

November marks Prematurity Awareness month. This is a time to honor the 1 in 10 babies born too soon and the families who face the unexpected with courage, love and resilience.

Through our affiliation with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), we provide world-class neonatal care to babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) across all Main Line Health acute care hospitals. This collaboration ensures that even our tiniest patients receive the highest level of specialized care close to home. We are proud to share stories that reflect the strength of our patients and the unwavering compassion of our care teams.

Gabrielle's story: a journey through Lankenau Medical Center

While she was pregnant with her son Luca, Gabrielle was placed on bed rest. She received care across Lankenau Medical Center's Labor and Delivery (L&D), Antepartum, Postpartum and NICU units.

Though Gabrielle and her husband were already parents to a three-year-old daughter, stepping into the NICU brought a wave of uncertainty. But they were met with a team whose compassion and expertise made all the difference.

"While every single staff member made a difference in our journey, I especially want to recognize Emma and Ellie in the NICU. Emma was with us from the day Luca was born until the day he was discharged five weeks later," explained Gabrielle.

"Both Emma and Ellie always had a smile on their faces, shared their wealth of knowledge and never hesitated to patiently teach us everything we needed to know as first-time NICU parents. And boy, was there a lot to learn."

Though the NICU days were challenging, they were also filled with unforgettable moments of connection and care.

"My most cherished memory was feeding Luca his first bottle, guided step by step by Emma and Ellie, who answered every single one of our million questions."

Gabrielle and her family are deeply thankful to every person who supported them during their NICU journey. But Emma and Ellie will always hold a special place in their hearts.

"We couldn't have navigated this journey without them."

Today, baby Luca is a thriving nine-month-old. And his family remains forever grateful for the kindness, knowledge and support they received at Lankenau.

Allanna's story: a nurse's personal perspective

Allanna, a nurse at Main Line Health, experienced the NICU from both sides of the care spectrum. Diagnosed with severe preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy) at 33 weeks, she delivered her baby at 34 weeks and one day.

"A NICU Nurse Practitioner, Charlene, sat with us before delivery, carefully walking through the risks of prematurity and what the road ahead might look like. It was overwhelming, terrifying even, but also a glimmer of hope and reassurance that we weren't alone and fully supported."

Still, nothing prepares you for meeting your baby and not being able to hold him.

"More than 24 hours passed before I finally met him and held him. Those first moments were filled with wires, monitors and the constant reminder that our baby's start to life was different than what we had dreamed. Thankfully, our NICU nurses stood by our sides with empathy and encouragement and helped us find the joy in every moment."

Her baby spent three weeks in the NICU, supported by oxygen, an isolette and a feeding tube. Though the early days were filled with uncertainty, the empathy and expertise of the Bryn Mawr Hospital team transformed fear into hope.

"The joy of my baby's arrival was wrapped in fear and unknowns... but also a glimmer of hope and reassurance that we weren't alone."

"We couldn't have done it without Main Line Health's caring hearts, compassion and support."

Now over 15 months old, Allanna's child is thriving. And she remains deeply grateful to the care team who stood by her side during one of life's most vulnerable moments.

Jacqueline's story: Bryn Mawr Hospital's gentle guidance

"It felt like everything happened so fast. One moment we thought we still had weeks to prepare, and the next, we were being told we had to deliver our baby girl in just a few days to keep us both safe."

During her hospital admission, Jacqueline and her family met with the NICU team, who patiently answered every question and helped prepare them for what to expect during delivery and in the days that followed. One moment with her doctor Gordon Y. Chang, MD stood out:

"We met with Dr. Chang the evening before Rory was born. His parting words were, 'I'll see you tomorrow morning at the birthday party.' I'll never forget how that turned our anxiety into excitement. We were going to meet our long-awaited baby girl."

Aurora spent three weeks in the NICU as a "feeder/grower." Leaving her at the hospital was just as difficult as Jacqueline had imagined. But knowing Aurora was in the hands of people who truly cared made all the difference.

"Rory is now a bright-eyed, healthy, smiley almost five-month-old! She amazes us every day and is the joy of our lives. We cannot thank everyone who worked to get her home with us enough."

Today, Aurora continues to thrive. Her family remains forever grateful to the Bryn Mawr Hospital NICU team for their skill, compassion and unwavering support.

Anna's story: the Murphy triplets

Anna welcomed her triplet rainbow babies (Crew, Archer and Margot) at just 30 weeks gestation. Their NICU journey at Bryn Mawr Hospital spanned over 85 days, filled with love, support and milestones.

"It wasn't the first home we envisioned for our babies, but the love everyone gave them made the times we had to leave them a little easier."

With mom, dad and big sister Mia cheering them on, the triplets were surrounded by a village of support — from doctors and nurses to occupational and speech therapists, unit secretaries and leadership staff. Every person played a role in helping the family through their long stay.

Margot came home first after 74 days in the NICU, followed by Crew after 84 days and finally Archer after 85 days. Now eight months old, they're thriving at home. This includes rolling over (on each other!) discovering their feet, trying new foods and recently celebrating their first Halloween.

Anna shares heartfelt advice for other NICU families:

"My best advice is to embrace all your emotions. Whether the journey is long, short or somewhere in between, it can feel like your postpartum experience was taken from you. It's okay to feel angry, sad or scared. Your feelings are valid."

"Just remember, your babies will graduate and come home to you. That day is the best feeling in the world. You remember not only their strength, but yours as well."

Robyn's story: delivering prematurely as both a mother and general surgery resident

Robyn's prematurity journey began unexpectedly when she was diagnosed with preeclampsia at 33 weeks. Having just graduated from her general surgery residency at Lankenau and starting her fellowship, she recognized the signs — severe swelling and high blood pressure — and knew something was wrong.

A growth ultrasound revealed her baby was severely growth restricted. After multiple antepartum admissions, Robyn delivered via C-section at 36 weeks. Bella was breech, and the experience was a whirlwind. It was truly the scariest time of their lives.

"I had always expected a 'normal' pregnancy and full-term delivery. Learning our experience would be different was devastating and terrifying. As a physician, it was hard to give up control and become the patient."

The team at Lankenau offered unwavering support to Robyn.

Bella spent 15 days in the NICU, working on gaining weight and learning to eat. Robyn and her husband, Evan, were deeply grateful for the team's compassion, patience and guidance.

"To families who may experience something like this: it's not your fault, you're in incredible hands and you can't do it all alone. We feel so blessed to have had such an amazing team taking care of us and Bella."

Today, Bella is thriving. She is growing, smiling, cooing and bringing her family immeasurable joy.

Celebrating premature babies and their loving families

This Prematurity Awareness Month, Main Line Health celebrates the resilience of families and the dedication of our NICU teams. Premature or preterm birth is filled with uncertainty. But it's also a story of hope, of babies who fight with every breath and of caregivers who walk beside them with skill, empathy and heart.

Next steps

If you, or someone you know, are expecting a child, Main Line Health's Maternity program is here to help with it all, including:

• Treating high-risk pregnancies or complications.
• Providing midwives throughout pregnancy and childbirth.
• Testing for prenatal genetic risks.

Related articles

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How diversity in clinicians can reduce premature birth rates

Coping following a preterm birth