Today Show Story Former Nicu Baby Now Plays Music for Nicu Babies
The birth of a premature infant is a story that resonates with many. The long days-that-plough-to-months visiting baby in the NICU. The daily return home to an empty plant nursery. The await for baby to grow and thrive.
One Columbus, Ohio, dad has captured the ache, and ultimate joy, of his preemie infant'southward journey from nascency to coming dwelling house in a about 7-minute film that has gone viral, with more than than 3 million views on YouTube.
Ben Miller created the video, which chronicles son Ward, from his premature nascency on July 16, 2012 (he arrived iii and a half months early on) at ane.five pounds, through Oct 31 of this year, his one year homecoming anniversary. It was a surprise birthday souvenir for Miller's wife Lyndsey, who turned 32 on November 1.
"He always has a photographic camera in his hand, but I had no idea it was this," Lyndsey says of the souvenir from her husband.
In the opening moments of the video, it's astonishing to see how teeny Ward is – his head fits in his mom'due south palm – equally Lyndsey holds him for the first time, four days later on his nascency. Every bit the NICU nurses at Nationwide Children's Hospital adjust all the wires attached to Ward and help him get settled in his mom'due south arms, Lyndsey's enraptured look -- a poignant smiling that shows joy and relief likewise as hurting – is the epitome of maternal beloved. She doesn't hold back tears, and as viewers, we can't either.
The film shows the Millers driving to the hospital, something they did for each of the 107 days Ward was there, and the crib-side vigils they held as their little angel first battled to breathe on his ain and and then, somewhen, smile with eyes wide open up. The last tertiary of the video shows baby Ward finally at habitation, growing, laughing, and getting love from family pet Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Mick and Sampson.
The whole yr was the "hardest time of our lives," says Ben. "It was very draining physically, emotionally and spiritually."
The video is a dearest alphabetic character to his wife and son, says Ben, who is a lensman for Abercrombie & Fitch and also runs his own wedding photography and video business organisation.
"I but wanted Lyndsey to have a really cool film she could spotter of her and her son," says Ben. "I knew all the tender moments really meant a lot to her, and that a lot of people would chronicle."
He hopes people will get the film's ultimate bulletin: "Dearest can practice a lot."
"Y'all've got to love your baby. You take got to be at that place. We spent every single day there [in the NICU] and there were so many babies whose parents merely came twice a calendar week," says Ben, 29, who adds they gained enormous comfort from the prayers and support from friends and family all over the country.
"Our faith was rocked and I wondered, 'Why?' But now I accept an answer. God knew that I was going to brand this video that would be shared by so many. A lot of people go through really hard times. It shapes who we are today," he says.
Lyndsey, who works part-time as a dental hygienist, says she never realized what a club you lot become a part of after having a preemie babe. "When you lot are going through information technology, yous feel similar you are in the minority. Only then you realize and so many people accept gone through it."
"That was one of the things that gave us conviction," says Ben. "We met so many people who would tell us they had a preemie infant and they would say, 'Well, now he'southward xiii feet tall,' or something comforting like that. Nosotros'd hear about people who were built-in as preemies 30 years ago and are fine now. It gave us promise," says Ben.
Today, Ward Miles Miller, who is named after his paternal grandad, is 16 months former and weighs xx pounds. His mom calls him a "decorated body…a mover and a shaker," who crawls all over the identify and is learning to walk.
And despite lingering issues associated with inflammation in his esophagus – which makes him vomit badly – Ward is doing really well, his parents say.
"His pediatrician said in all the years she has been a doctor, Ward is the best looking 25 weeker she has ever seen," Ben says.
As for the overwhelming response to the video, Ben says he never expected so many people would view it and is and then glad it has been received then lovingly, particularly by people who accept had a shared experience with a preemie baby.
"All of them thanked me for giving them a tool to show others what their stay at the NICU was like," says Ben. "Whether yous are a parent of preemie, or going through anything like this, you just have to hang on. Dig in, have faith, and keep on keeping on."
Source: https://www.today.com/parents/dads-poignant-video-chronicles-preemie-sons-journey-nicu-home-sweet-2d11653418
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