Deborah L. Davis - Parenting Your Premature Baby and Child: The Emotional Journey

Parenting a preemie takes its emotional toll on mothers and fathers. This book offers practical tools to help parents take better care of themselves so they can take better care of their baby. Its an invaluable resource. William Sears , M.D., co-author of The Premature Baby Book

Deborah Davis and Mara Tesler Stein have created a gentle and safe haven for the entire family to feel through their prematurity experience. It is evident that the authors both deeply and sensitively recognize all that is lost through this experience, but much more importantly, all that is gained. Liza G. Cooper , CSW, neonatal social worker

With a caring and compassionate voice, this book guides parents through the complex and ever-challenging emotional journey of parenting a premature infant. This book should be at every preemie parents bedside from the moment they realize the possibility of the early birth of their infant. Dianne I. Maroney , former NICU nurse, co-author of Your Premature Baby and Child

Over the past seven years I have communicated with thousands of parents coping with the intense emotions generated by the prematurity journey, and I am overjoyed that they will benefit from this invaluable resource. Allison Martin , Preemie Child www.prematurity.org

With great insight, understanding, courage, and empathy, Debbie Davis and Mara Tesler Stein not only relate the story of life in and beyond the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), they enable thousands of parents to tell their own. Brian S. Carter , M.D., FAAP, associate professor of pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Parenting Your Premature Baby and Child: The Emotional Journey charts new ground in articulating the complex experience of premature birth and its aftermath. The overall themes of grief and healing resonate with both the authentic voices of parents and the depth of understanding and insight that the authors bring to their work. At every stage of the emotional journey there is both validation and practical advice. Anne Casey , Preemie List www.preemie-l.org

Written with compassion and grounded in extensive research, The Emotional Journey is a comprehensive guide to the tumultuous and varied emotions that attend the birth and growth of a premature baby. I believe this book will be of enormous help to every parent caring for a baby born too early. Susan Madden author of The Preemie Parents Companion

In my position as Pregnancy.orgs founder and owner, I meet many parents who are dealing with and preparing for premature babies. This book provides a complete and caring road map to guide parents in that preparation. I recommend it as a must-read! Mollee Olenick , Pregnancy.org

As preterm birth rates rise and high-tech medicine saves ever-more-vulnerable infants, a large and growing number of families must cope with a new, traumatic form of parenthood. Davis and Stein present a comprehensive examination of the emotional and practical issues confronting these families. The wealth of wise counsel and heart-wrenching, insightful quotes from experienced mothers and fathers make this book a must for high-risk expectant couples; parents of preterm infants and children; as well as the friends, family members, and professionals who wish to help them. Helen Harrison , author of The Premature Baby Book

Parenting Your Premature Baby and Child: The Emotional Journey is a small wonder. The voice of parents is present with great authenticity, as is the clarifying and calming but never denying or saccharine voice of the authors. Among the many aspects touched on that I most appreciated was the time devoted to listening and speaking to the fathers feelings about their child, their wife and relationship, and themselves. Ed Tronick , Ph.D., associate professor of pediatrics and psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; chief, Child Development Unit, Childrens Hospital, Boston

Nothing can replace the dreams stolen by premature birth, but this book fills some of the aching, empty spaces. What a comfort this book will be to parents. When the world seems dark, disorienting, and full of endless suffering, hearing someone articulate, Yes, this is crazy but youre not is a priceless gift. Rochelle Barsuhn , author of Growing Sophia: The Story of a Premature Birth

Invariably, upon the birth of their premature child, parents are warned that an emotional roller-coaster awaits them. Nothing can change the extraordinary daily dramas that unfold in a neonatal intensive care unit, subjecting parents and babies alike to a dizzying succession of devastating lows and euphoric highs. Boldlyand with remarkable depth and insightDeborah L. Davis and Mara Tesler Stein have written a book that will help preemie parents navigate this harrowing path. What a noble accomplishment for Davis and Stein, and what an enormous asset for parents of premature babies. Elizabeth Mehren , author of Born Too Soon

As a neonatologist who has had the privilege of caring for hundreds of premature babies and their families, as a mother who lived and survived the premature birth and death of a child, and as a teacher who will incorporate this book into the academic curriculum of the neonatology trainees in my program, I applaud and laud Parenting Your Premature Baby and Child: The Emotional Journey . Deborah Campbell , M.D., FAAP, professor of clinical pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; director, Neonatology, Childrens Hospital at Montefiore

This book reflects both authors experiences with the wide range of emotional reactions of parents and families when they have a premature birth. Thanks to the authors for their seven-year effort. It certainly shows up in the thorough, all encompassing, high quality of the book. Dr. John H. Kennell , M.D., Rainbow Babies & Childrens Hospital, co-author of Bonding

An exemplary book. Drs. Davis and Stein take parents step by step through not only those first difficult weeks and months with their premature infant and child but also through the repeated developmental hurdles of the childhood years. They sensitively integrate the emotional intricacies and day-to-day realities that parents face. With wise, compassionate, and incredibly helpful suggestions, the authors give solutions to many of the challenges parents confront. Caregivers and those who support parents will also benefit by reading this book. Marshall Klaus , M.D., and Phyllis Klaus , MFT, co-authors of Bonding

Parenting your Premature Baby and Child is a beautifully written, deeply felt testimony and resource for the ever-growing number of preterm parents. This book is full of knowledge, hope, wisdom, and reflection, and goes far beyond available books for preterm parents. Davis and Tesler Stein are truly gifted; they connect deeply to the readers humanity and capacity to nurture and care. A remarkable accomplishment that will guide the fields progress for many years to come! Heidelise Als , Ph.D., (psychologist), Harvard Medical School and Childrens Hospital, Boston

In this comprehensive volume Drs. Davis and Stein help their readers navigate through the multifaceted and often complex journey of parenting a preemie. They provide a skillful balance of informative text and helpful aides to facilitate understanding, and help further the healing process. This fine work is destined to become a classic. Priscilla Hernandez Hacker , Ph.D.

About the Cover

We were drawn to the image on this cover because the tandem footprints reflect the journey you are on with your baby or babies. The parents foot next to the childs foot implies both the protectiveness and connection you experience as you walk with your child on this emotional journey. Being in the sand, the image, like the journey, includes both genders and all skin tones. Footprints are also evocative because they are usually one of the first images recorded in baby books. However, we want to assure you that we know that the baby footprint on the cover would completely engulf that of your baby at birth and for months afterward. Especially if your baby is still hospitalized, we hope that when you look at the cover you see hope for the future, when you and your growing child can make your own footprints in the sand. And just now, as we write this, it is occurring to us that this image perfectly coincides with the last heartfelt quote in Chapter 23. Like so many things about the creation and production of this book, it is synchronicity and pure magic.