National Prematurity Day: Did you know?

In honor of Prematurity Awareness Day, I will be posting a series of blogs on this topic throughout the day. I ask that you join me in spreading awareness of the crisis of pregnancy and share information with the ones you love. If you feel called to do something, please consider donating to the March of Dimes' Fight for Preemies to aid in their life-saving research.

Before my own son was born ten weeks too soon, I knew very little about prematurity. I had no idea the long-lasting health and developmental repercussions that came with premature birth. Nor did I realize just how sick and fragile these precious babies start out. I certainly had no idea that so many lost the battle. That is why I want to share that information with you.

Did you know....

That 1 out of every 8 babies born in the United States will be premature (born before 37 weeks gestation)? That's 12.5% of all babies. 1,400 babies born premature every day. The only continent with a worst prematurity rate than North America is Africa.

That the prematurity rate has risen by 36% in the last 25 years? The only "good" news about that is the rise has been mostly attributable to an increase in late preterm births between 34 and 36 weeks gestational age.

That prematurity is the single greatest cause of perinatal death? Nearly 28% of babies who die in the first month, die from complications of prematurity.

That of the 13 Million Babies born this year worldwide, an astonishing 1 Million will die?

That only 17% of babies born at 23 weeks survive?

That only 39% of babies born at 24 weeks survive?

That only 50% of babies born at 25 weeks survive?

That most doctors will not intervene medically to help a baby born before 24 weeks?

That the youngest preemie to survive was born at 21 weeks and 5 days gestation and the smallest preemie to ever survive was only 9.9 ounces and 9.5 inches long at birth?

That ten percent of those born premature will develop a permanent disability such as chronic lung disease (my son Bennett), cerebral palsy, blindness or deafness?

That half of all babies born before 26 weeks gestational age are disabled?

That some of the most common complications a preemie born before 34 weeks gestational age include respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), bleeding in the brain, patent ductus ateriosus (PDA), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC - an infection of the bowel), and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP - the nerves in the eyes grow through the retinas and can lead to vision loss)?

That the risks of prematurity persist even after the baby is "ok" and into adulthood? Preemies are much more likely to be infertile, much more likely to suffer learning disabilities and more likely to die at an earlier age.

Yes, prematurity is a BIG problem indeed.

So, what can you do???

1. Support the March of Dimes. The March of Dimes has funded and supported research that has led to amazing tools to fight prematurity. Two of the most amazing accomplishments include the use of surfactant (an enzyme which is injected into the lungs of babies with respiratory distress to keep the lungs from collapsing, since many preemies cannot produce surfactant on their own) and the use of steroids to quickly advance the baby's lung development when a mother is at acute risk of delivering premature.

2. Educate yourself on the signs and symptoms of pre-term labor, pre-ecclampsia, preterm rupture of membranes, placental abruption - some of the main causes of premature birth.

3. Take folic acid even if you are not planning on getting pregnant, and definitely for a full year before you plan to try to conceive! A recent study showed a huge decrease in the rates of very premature births in women who took folic acid for a full year before they conceived!! How easy is that!?

4. Volunteer!

Let's band together and get this information OUT in the hopes that TOGETHER we can reduce the risk of prematurity. No baby should have to suffer so much so early. Every baby deserves the best start possible!

Elle's Guide to a Gleaming Home

After managing to get my entire house clean (for the first time in well over a year) on Saturday, I declared myself an expert on such matters and decided that you all needed me to impart my wisdom on you. I'd been having a bit of a pity party of late because I just couldn't seem to make a dent in the disaster area I called my home. I'd get one room clean, and by the time I got to the next, the prior room would be destroyed again. I just never seem to find a chunk of time to devote to housecleaning. Part of the problem is I have a pretty big house - 3500 sq ft - which I tell you not to brag by any means, but to illustrate my predicament. The other issue is my obsessive compulsive tendencies which makes me feel like a room isn't clean until it reaches model-home-like qualities. I blame my beloved step-mother who raised me for that (whom I also call Mom, so people are often confused as to whom I am referring, but you get the gist). Growing up, our home was always a beacon of cleanliness, organization, and well...perfection. With 4 kids (and their friends) running around, that was no small feat!

So, pumped up on caffeine and a compliant husband, I set about tackling my house Saturday. I developed quite a methodology that I simply must share.

Step One - Devise your attack plan and get prepared.
* Get a big bucket or tray and put your cleaning supplies in that you will need. In my bucket, I had Windex, Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, Kazaam Tib & Tile Cleaner, Pledge, a coarse bristle scrub brush, a Mr. Clean Eraser, several coarse white wash cloths and several yellow car detailing towels.
* Carry a trash bag around with you to empty the trash cans from each room and to toss random things you encounter.
* Wear rubber or latex gloves!!! This way you can focus on cleaning rather than keeping your hands clean!
* Start from the top floor of the house and move downward.
* Focus only on routine cleaning - save "projects" for later. Carry around a pen and a pad of paper with you to jot down things you want to remember to do later.
* Keep moving at a fast pace and put energy into it - cleaning can be quite a workout! Put on upbeat music and aim to finish each room in 30 minutes or less!

Step Two - Realize that its gotta get a whole lot worse before it can get better! Meaning, you're going to have to make a mess before you can clean up the room. Don't worry about keeping things neat - focus on cleaning.
* If its a linens day, strip all the bed sheets and towels at the start and throw them in the washer while you clean.
* When you go into a room, take every item that does not belong in that room and throw it in the hall and forget about it (for now). Then put everything that does belong in that room away. Everything should have a home - any wandering items get thrown in the hall and dealt with later.
* Then clear all surfaces and put the items on the floor.
* Moving around the room in one direction, use a yellow car detailing towel and pledge and dust all furniture. After you dust a particular piece of furniture, then dust the items that belong on them and put back where it goes. If you encounter glass, use a different detailing towel and Windex to clean it.
* Clean everything as you get to it, don't back-track. Say you reach a window, clean the window sill and window ledges.
* After the room is dusted and cleaned, make the bed with clean sheets.
* If you haven't done it in at least 3 months, go around the circumference of the room one more time and clean the baseboards with Pledge and a detailing towel.
* Finally, use a disinfecting wipe or Lysol spray and disinfect the light switches, door knobs, telephone receivers, mouse/keyboard, etc.

Step Three - Bathrooms.
* Remove all bath mats, shake out on carpet/floor outside. Nothing should be on the floor. Sweep bathroom out to the exterior floor.
* Remove all things from the counter tops and from inside bathtub, set outside. If you are feeling super ambitious, remove the shower curtains and wash. Every few months, I wash my white shower curtain liners with bleach to keep them looking new.
* Squirt toilet bowel cleaner in toilet. Then use bathroom cleaner and spray down sink and counter and inside of tub and shower walls. These cleaners work by chemical activation, so leaving them sit for a minute works better than using elbow grease.
* Return to toilet and clean. I use the disinfecting wipes because that is my preference. Don't forget the exterior and the pedastal portion that has an odd way of getting filthy! Once that is cleaned, use your toilet brush to clean the bowel and rinse by flushing with the brush still in the water.
* Use coarse dry wash cloth to wipe down sinks.
* Move on to the tub and using the same wash cloth, wipe down shower walls and exterior of the tub. Then use scrub brush with some water to scrub the inside of the tub and any surfaces that things sit on that accumulate gunk. Rinse with water.
* Use Windex and detailing towel to clean all mirrors and metal surfaces like toilet paper rings, towel bars, faucets, etc.
* Use Lysol or disinfecting wipes to clean light switches and door knobs.
* Re-stock toilet paper, bath towels, hand towels, hand soap.
* Grap you mop and mop your way out.
* Clean anything that sits on the sink counter like cups, tooth brush holders, etc. These get dirty quick. Once floor is dry, replace everything to where it goes. You're done!!!

Step Four: Kitchen
* Clean out fridge - throwing away anything that is expired. Wipe down shelves and remove bins and shelves and handwash in sink real quick if necessary.
* Unload dishwasher, reload with any dirty dishes in the sink. Hand wash turn plate from inside microwave real quick.
* Take anything that is on the counter tops that does not belong in the kitchen and throw in hall. If it does belong in the kitchen, put away.
* Clear off all counters, placing things on the floor like cannisters, spice-racks, etc.
* Clean inside of sink until it gleams. If you really feel in the mood, disinfect with bleach! Clean faucet while you are at it.
* Spray all countertops with your preferred cleaner, use a detailing towel and polish until they shine. Replace countertop items.
* Use Windex and detailing towel to wipe down the exterior of all appliances. Also clean inside microwave.
* Sweep floor.
* Mop floor.
* Use disinfectant to clean door knobs, light switches, etc.

Step Five: Hallway
* Now is the time to deal with all the crap you threw in the halls. Put things away that have a place to go.
* If an item doesn't have a place to go, find a new home for it. Rubbermaid bins are your friend!
* Dust all wall hangings, clean glass with Windex.
* Clean baseboards it it has been a while. Don't forget stair banisters and railing too.

Step Six: Vaccuum entire house, moving from the top down. Use your hose attachments to suck up any cob webs you find along the way.

Step Seven: Finishing touches
* Make one last walk through the house and look for anything you've left behind to do.
* Use your Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to wipe marks off walls as you go.


Step Eight: RELAX!!!!!!!!! You did it!!!

I know this SOUNDS like a lot - but it really isn't bad once you get started. The key is to KEEP MOVING. If you feel sluggish, push through! It helps to have a spouse or partner to work with you, or to keep the kids distracted! If you have little helpers, give them a towel and a spray bottle of water - they'll be in heaven! Don't stop until you are done. I started at about 12:30 on Saturday and finished completely at 6:45 p.m. Ace helped some. There is NOTHING like a clean house!!!

Now, the next challenge is to do a little something every night to keep it this way!!!!!

PS - Head over to Bennett's Journey to see our pictures from the March for Babies we did this Sunday!