Twintrospectives is 2 Years Old!

I'm two years into writing my blog and I can hardly believe how quickly the time has flown by, as well as how fast my little preemie guys have been growing right in front of me!

When I started this blog my main goal was to be able to think out loud (or in text) and share my thoughts and opinions, trials and tribulations of raising three busy little boys, as well as the ups and downs of raising preterm babies.  I think it is safe to say I achieved this basic goal. I have reached people all over the world; Japan, Ukraine, Germany, Philippines, Ireland, Australia, Belarus, Russia, Canada, USA and so many more. It amazes me every day to see how many people are dealing with raising twins, preterm kids or are just interested in learning more about this amazing and inspiring world of prematurity.

When I started blogging what I didn't realize was how many people I would reach, how many new friendships I'd make and collaborations that would come from them and all in the name of prematurity awareness. It's awesome and I love this online, world-wide community I have found.

Taking my blog details to blog hops and onto Twitter has been so much fun and they've taught me so much about other parents and their experiences raising multiples, their prematurity experiences, parenting issues, questions and concerns, as well as the true camaraderie you can find by sharing these experiences.

Here's a little rundown of my first 2 years in the blog world:

In the summer of 2011 I wrote the first Parent Perspective blog post for Peek-a-boo ICU's blog, thanks to one awesome NICU nurse, Jodi, who gave me this opportunity. The topic I wrote about was pseudomonas aeruginosa. She also hosted my blog on her preemie parents blog roll for quite some time. I'm very grateful to her for the opportunity! Jodi also included my 3 precious preemies in her first photo compilation video, released around Mother's Day 2011. Here it is on the Peek-a-boo ICU YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbr-X75iqOA. My little guys are seen in the hospital, as well as you'll see them in Future Heartbreakers red shirts, and again in blue bunny ears.

In October 2011 I was honoured to receive an online "award" called the Liebster Award from a woman by the name of Sharon in the NYC area. Sharon is a journalist and writes her own blog http://mamadoitall.blogspot.com. Right around the same time a "Blog on Fire" award came along. Although these are not tangible awards to put up on my mantle, they are very meaningful in that there are people out there taking the time to read certain blogs and letting fellow bloggers know, "Hey, you're doing a great job. Keep going!" I think the fact blog readers go out of their way to tell other bloggers they're doing well is such a great testament to what the blogging world is all about.  I'm very thankful for it.

Through Twitter and information sharing on prematurity and NICU support groups, Facebook pages and commentary on websites and blogs, I have connected with some pretty amazing multiple and preterm parents. I learned of The Painted Diaper, which popped up not long after the earthquake occurred in Haiti in 2010. This was another preemie mommy, determined to assist with the purchase and placement of a warming bed for preterm infants in Haiti. I also found a home on her blog roll. http://www.thepainteddiaper.com/

One thing I know about being a mom of preterm kids is this immediate urge to help others get through the stress and trauma of dealing with preterm infants in the NICU, as well as the aftercare experience - from how to get comfortable with feeding your baby through a tube at home without nurses around to dealing with all kinds of therapies and learning how to answer crazy questions coming from complete strangers.

In 2012 I found new connections with Multiple Births Canada and currently have an opinion blog post listed on their Media Inquiries page in relation to the EI Parental Leave for Multiple Births Families (in Canada) http://multiplebirthscanada.org/index.php/about-us/media-inquiries/

Most recently I blogged for the Canadian NICU Support Foundation on the topic of making it through the NICU with twins. http://cnsfoundation.blogspot.ca/

My blog hasn't been about making money or promoting products. That's not to say I wouldn't consider this if it was the right kind of product or idea, so I am definitely open to it. I did join Mom Central Canada as a blogger member quite some time ago and in February an invite came around that made sense for me to attend. I was able to head to the Eaton Centre in Toronto to attend Sears' Carter's Osk Kosh Launch Media Event, which several other "mommy bloggers" were invited to. There were about 20 of us there to meet the executive team that brought the line to Sears Canada. Carter's and Osk Kosh are actually my go-to brands of children's clothing because of their fun lines that come out each season and their durability, so I couldn't pass up this opportunity to meet other moms and of course...Shop!! I got to take some photos, make some new connections and share some fun new clothes with my kids when I got home that day. Here's the Carter's Osh Kosh line at Sears http://www.sears.ca/catalog/oshkosh-bgosh/100000776


And finally, because I am not already busy enough blogging for myself, my place of employment and other opportunities that I can get my hands on...I've started writing over at How Do You Do It? since this is a question I am asked on a daily basis by those who know me and complete strangers. http://www.hdydi.com/

I'm looking forward to many more years to come on Twintrospectives and I'm already planning some ideas for 2013. This month I will do a rundown of some of the more popular posts and add to or reflect on some of the ideas in them as well.

Thank you for reading and sending your friends and family my way.

Twintrospectives

Half the cost?

So last week I was driving into an underground parking lot and didn’t see the overhanging sign must have come loose and was left hanging on an odd angle after a brutal wind storm we had last week. Only when I heard the terrifying screech of metal on metal, did I realize what had happened. It was a fluke and it was all about timing as I drove under the sign and heard that grinding noise kick in.  It pretty much peeled back a chunk of the metal on my roof, much like a can opener on a tin can. It was a pretty unusual experience and I was shocked it was even possible to happen to me or anybody. It was just a matter of chance.

I didn’t have time for a random accident like this, let alone time to call in an insurance claim, but you gotta do what you gotta do.  I called it in and they told me to take it to a specific auto repair shop on their list of recommended places. So in I went the very next day. Considering it’s been -17 degrees Celsius more often than not for the past two weeks, I figure this unwanted moon roof that doesn’t actually close is top priority and since it’s covered by insurance I’ll get it handled A.S.A.P.

So I dropped off my car so the auto repair shop could take a look at the damage and waited for a phone call at work.  They did call me toward the end of the day and told me the “damage.” They said my situation is kind of unusual because of where the metal sign started to tear up my car. On closer examination they noticed the metal landed along the windshield seal and damaged that, as well as chipping the top edge of my windshield glass, dragging along the roof and cutting that up. So I knew about the ruined roof, but to be told it also seriously damaged my windshield was a major double whammy. I have a deductible, but I expected my insurance provider would pay the remainder of the cost. No. My insurance company decided the quote to fix the damage was too high and wanted me to take the car to another recommended auto repair shop. Seriously? I’m a busy person.

But off I went to the next best place, according to the insurance company. They too quoted about the same cost to repair the damage.

Do you know what the insurance company told me…the insurance company I’ve been paying thousands of dollars to without a prior claim? They told me they can only cover the cost involved for one issue, not two issues. So I can either have the damaged window fixed to avoid leaks and long term damage or I can decide to fix the gaping hole in my roof. They told me I can choose to cover the remainder (not including the deductible I will also have to pay.)

How silly is that? It’s just not right, right?

So this leads me to fess up and tell you this story is not true, but I hope it makes a point...

The point being that for those of us who pay into Employment Insurance, often for many, many years without ever accessing it (thankfully), and for those of us who happen to become pregnant with twins, it would be reasonable to anticipate an extra boost of support to cover the costs and needs of two babies while a parent or both parents take a Parental Leave. Newborns do much of their development in their first year of life. This is the optimal time for parents to develop confidence in their ability to raise multiples, which is doubly harder to do when one parent is not there or has to go back to work more quickly than he or she had hoped.

Currently there is question as to why parents of multiples should have their Employment Insurance time away from work (Parental Leave) increased to compensate for the birth of more than one child at the same time. My answer is because it only makes sense. Would you want to drive around with a half fixed car because the insurance provider you paid into for years and years tells you they will only pay for half the costs? Driving around in a car with a chunk of its roof missing would be cold, uncomfortable, stressful, not to mention frustrating. Imagine how it can feel for parents who want to do nothing more than give their newborn twins equal attention, which they do deserve from day one, but instead one parent will have to separate themselves from these young babies two or three weeks after they come home? This scenario usually leaves mom to fend for these new little bundles of joy for long periods of time alone. It can be exhausting, stressful, uncomfortable and outright mentally and emotionally draining dividing your attention between two dependent babies.

What those who contest Bill C-464 may be overlooking is that those who pay into and qualify for Employment Insurance for parental benefit are receiving insurance monies, not tax payers’ dollars. There is a difference. They are two different things…just like twins.

The Great Canadian Twins Debate...

As teenagers, my friends and I would imagine having kids one day. We’d talk about what we might name them. We’d wonder if they’d be future NHLers or little ballerinas and even considered the thought of having twins and what that would mean. Out of my group of friends I really wanted twins. Seriously. I hoped for twins. Who does that? I do! My goal was to have twins “on the first try” and I held on to that ideal right until my first boy was on the way—a singleton. 

Back in the day, when we’d discuss my fascination with twins, my one good friend would recoil at the very sound of the word “twins” whenever I mentioned the prospect of having two babies at once. “Why would you want to do that??” she’d exclaim. “Well…why would I not want to??” Even at the tender age of 16, this friend, who is still my friend today, was thinking about the financial ramifications of having two babies at one time. No joke. She realized the costs involved with diapering two babies, feeding two babies, of losing sleep because each baby was likely to sleep on slightly different, if not completely different patterns. She knew being a mother to two babies at the same time would be exhausting and frankly, you’d have no life for a while. She was also fully aware that there was no consideration for the fact that there were two babies arriving at the same time and that the parents would be awarded a single maternity/parental benefit (if the parent had actually acquired enough insurable hours before the babies arrived.) This was my friend’s biggest bone of contention when it came to our twins discussions.

And you know what? My friend, that 16 year old was right! At that time in the mid-90s, a mother could get about 15 weeks maternity leave and 10 weeks parental leave. This was for one pregnancy, regardless of the number of babies that were born from that pregnancy. Same standard as it is today, except the number of weeks has increased.

I, for one, am definitely grateful to live in a country in which we do have the opportunity to receive employment insurance based on becoming a mother. I know this is an “opportunity” or a “privilege” and not an absolute. If you have not been employed for enough hours leading up to the time of the arrival of a baby (babies in some of our cases,) well then, you don’t qualify. Makes sense. I know we are ahead of the game in comparison to many countries, but at the same time there are other countries out there that have even greater benefits to parents.

Our Employment Insurance system is in the midst of a major transition. Many people are worried and unsure at this moment in time about what the changes mean to the average working Canadian when it comes to potential job loss. So perhaps the recent events of a Canadian couple attempting to change the rules surrounding maternity/parental leave are falling on deaf ears (and unaware minds.) The basic story making headlines today is, back in April 2009, when a couple’s twins arrived, Christian Martin and his wife, Paula Critchley, had each applied to Service Canada to take the full parental allowance of 35 weeks (CBC story 2013/01/24). Originally Martin and Critchely were each approved for a 35 week parental benefit by a Board of Referees, but then the benefit was retracted by an Umpire who cried foul. What are these kids? Pucks and Baseballs?  

For the past couple of years Martin and Critchley have been drawing attention to their Appeal. The feeling is that if a pregnancy results in twins, then why shouldn’t that mother and/or father receive double the benefit to be with their twins for an extended period of time? This makes sense to me. BUT I can see how it would be alarming and seem unrealistic to the average person who does not have twins, triplets, quadruplets…and yes, even octuplets. Today I’ve been reading enormous amounts of backlash and snide remarks, coming primarily from individuals who do not have multiples, based on how they describe their family make up. Once again, the argument comes back to the old saying, “Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in his shoes.” Please and thank you!

Although I do think it would be amazing to be able to have a husband or partner take off 35 weeks of work simultaneously with the mother to care for their infant twins, I can see how that can raise big question marks in peoples’ minds. If parents of twins get 35 weeks each, then do parents of triplets get 70 weeks each and so on? Well of course not. Evidently, there needs to be a new approach to the fact more people are having multiples (twins are still much more common than triplets or quadruplets,) regardless of how the pregnancy came to be (I.e.: assisted vs. au natural.) I think that it would be reasonable to have a happy medium, so that parents who do conceive and bring into the world some multiples can have extra time to spend with extra offspring. It seems reasonable!

Going back to my friend’s philosophy…having twins doesn’t add up. Doesn’t help the bank. Doesn’t help the sanity. So true…and so…if parents of multiples were able to benefit from even a slight increase in the number of weeks able to spend with their young babies, such families would fair better for the long term. 

So to respond to the nay-sayers now…who are probably huffing and puffing at this thought of an increase in benefit weeks…Did you know families of multiples suffer greater rates of divorce? Did you know mothers of twins are more likely to suffer greater levels of Post-Partum Mood Disorder and Post-Partum Depression than those who have singletons? Did you know both parents can suffer from such depression before and after (for many years) due to the experiences involved with bringing multiples into a family unit?  Did you know more multiples are born pre-term than their singleton counterparts? Did you know this experience can also add to the strain, physical and emotional well-being of the parents and other family members, as well as the infants living in the NICUs? Did you know that parents can suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to the preterm arrival of their multiples? Did you know that many twins born pre-term also go on to live with chronic and potentially debilitating health issues, which the parents must learn to manage on a day to day basis? Such parents must learn CPR before their pre-term infants can leave the hospital. Such parents may have to equip their home with medical technology, not to mention the doubles of cribs, bassinets, bottles and diapers. Having twins (multiples) is not a walk in the park like many parents are indicating all across the web today.

An unaware person’s rebuttal to the above may be something like, “I have two kids and I’m just fine.” Yes, yes, you do. But, you didn’t have two kids born at the same time, with two different personalities, maybe a few special needs thrown in there, both having to be attended to at the exact same time with breastfeeding or bottling, bum changes, learning to use a spoon at the same time and so on. Usually it’s mom who is doing about 95% (that’s my guesstimate) of this work during the day. Alone. 

Imagine if the mom and dad could take the time off at the same time or dad follows up after mom is ready to go back to work when her parental leave time ends? The children would have more time dedicated to them for a longer period of time, since honestly, when it comes to twins (or more) the attention given to them must be divided from day one. There is no choice in the matter. They don’t have it quite as nice as that singleton. I know, so I can say this. I had a singleton first. I had a singleton when I didn’t know he was a “singleton.” He was also a preemie, I might add. The concept of singleton vs. multiple really and truly had no solid meaning in my mind until my multiples arrived. When they arrived I had that “A-ha! Moment.” This is the difference! I really don’t sleep! I thought I had it hard when I had baby number one and felt sleep deprived. For the first several months after the twins came home, I really, really did not sleep. I also took my twins to 298 specialist appointments in the first 11 months after they were discharged from their 3+ months’ NICU stay. My husband was at work, so he couldn’t help dress the kids, help me pack up two infants in their car seat carriers and get their older brother into his back row car seat to get on our merry way for another run to the hospital. And these nay-sayers say having twins is no different than having one at a time. Yeah, right. There are many other issues I could bring up here and point out to the unenlightened, but we multiples parents know what is accurate and what is not. The goal now is to assist the Martin/Critchley family with building a better, stronger, undeniable case for when they approach the Supreme Court.

Goodbye 2012

I held off posting during the month of December. The month of December has always been important to me.  Afterall, Christmas is my favourite holiday of the year.  Aside from the 1st Christmases of my three preemies, this Christmas has been one of the greatest times for reflection and thankfulness I can recall. Going into my oldest son's afternoon Christmas concert only minutes after hearing of the unthinkable act that took place in CT was like a slap in the face and yet another dose of reality that a child's life is so precious and you never know when the unexpected will happen.  I think we all know how much I appreciate my children, but if it's even possible, that event made me appreciate them even more.  Initially I wanted to get to my blog and write a rant about the entire situation, but I figured the media was doing a good job of it on their own. They're the professionals. I avoided my blog and my desire to rant and I was able to put my focus on something else--the things that really matter--my kids. So December was filled with even more time focused on kids, snuggles, playtime, craft time and hanging out. It was a wonderful month with my family, especially the over the holidays.

During the month of December my youngest son (Twin B) and I could be found in our region's McDonald's Restaurants on the serving tray sheets. Of all places I thought my face might show up, it never occured to me that it would be on the trays people eat food off of. Why would our picture be on such a strange thing? Well, we were able to help the Ronald McDonald House Hamilton with their fundraising again and it was a great experience. A lovely photo of me and my son was found on the sheet, along with one of my many thoughts about how much the Ronald McDonald House offers families with sick children in the hospital...The timing of this photo and quote is bittersweet. 

The quote goes like this...
"When I pictured having babies, the picture never included medical interventions and long term hospital stay, beeping alarms, hospital gowns and gloves. When the unthinkable happened, and my babies had to stay at McMaster Children's Hospital 50 km from my home, the one ray of light was Ronald McDonald House Hamilton. At RMHH my husband and I found a comfortable place to call our "home away from home" so we could be at our babies' bedsides at all times of the day and night. RMHH allowed us to provide our babies with the type of care that only a parent can."

As much as our children have changed our lives, the RMHH and hospital did too...

And the photo looked like this...

Overall, the year 2012 was very productive for my family, including me.  We were introduced to the world of Junior Kindergarten. Our twins continue to develop and catch up to their peers. They are turning into such spunky, funny little men--all three of them.  I completed 3 months of training to become a certified Peer Health Worker for my region's Public Health unit and I will be carrying out this role in my local Parents of Multiple Births Association, which goes into effect tomorrow, January 1, 2013.  I look forward to this role, as I'll be able to connect with and provide guidance and advice to expectant and new parents of multiples. I also started working on a voluntary basis with Multiple Births Canada on the Preterm Birth Support Network, which is a brand new network and I am working with a wonderful woman who has 30 years' experience working with expectant parents and parents of multiples (having multiples herself.) We are currently developing the "PBSN" and we look forward to working with parents of preterm multiples across Canada. This is an exciting venture, which will kick into full gear in 2013.  My actual paid, full time work, has also been very exciting throughout 2012 and I look forward to my gaining even more knowledge and experience with my online work with clients and through social media.

Finally, here is a little list of my Top 10 Things to be Thankful for in 2012...
1. My kids
2. Family/Friends
3. Health and progressive development
4. Our employment
5. Our house over our heads
6. Our daycare provider
7. Our support network-specialists, therapists and anyone who has helped us along the way
8. My local Parents of Multiple Births Association and the friends I've made there
9. Multiple Births Canada
10.New opportunities

Best wishes to everyone in 2013! May it be all you hope and dream.

Ribbon Decisions...

A great question came up today on The Linden Fund's Facebook page, which I have questioned as well, and I know many others have too.

Where did this purple ribbon for "prematurity awareness" pop up from all of a sudden? Where did the pink and blue concept go?  Why is one agency using purple and others pink and blue?  In case it's not obvious, we premature parents focus on the little things as soon as our little premature children hit the scene.  Little things matter.

If you look around the world at all the prematurity awareness agencies and campaigns-you will mostly see the colours pink and blue.  Then this year purple appeared in a wave as each country went into the dark hours of the night on November 17. Purple in Toronto, Purple in Niagara Falls, Purple in NYC, Purple in Disneyland! Purple throughout South America, Istanbul, Italy, Ireland, Australia...you name it, many chose to get in on the display of purple during the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth Global Illumination Initiative. Did you know that's what it was called? Purple was present last year for World Prematurity Day as well, but on a much quieter level.

How is it possible the choice of purple swept over the world?  Excellent marketing management, I would say.  Strong outreach and communication across the world with other partners, such as those in the Global Alliance, working hard to decrease birth defects, preterm labour and delivery, and infant mortality. March of Dimes does this.  After what I would call a simple "re-brand", they started using the purple ribbon in recent years after many years using the pink and blue as their preference for birth defect and prematurity awareness.

If you look at the March of Dimes' website, the ribbon pin for sale is called "March of Dimes Awareness Pin," not the "prematurity awareness pin." <Click the link for a pic. March of Dimes focuses on the health and well-being of the mother during prenatal care, as well as the health of premature and term infants.  I'd say their purple ribbon encompasses the overall health and wellness of mothers and babies--not just based on prematurity alone.

Other prematurity support agencies use purple, green, pink or blue, or blue and gold in their own specifically designed Prematurity Awareness pins or materials.  I kind of like that many countries take on their own unique style and prefence when choosing their awareness pins.

As we are well aware, March of Dimes in the United States has a preference for purple.
Little Big Souls in Africa prefers purple for wrist bands and blue, gold and white for other awareness items.
European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (EFCNI) likes purple.
National Premmie Foundation of Australia has gone with purple and green.
Irish Premature Babies uses pink, blue and white.

Now, I am writing from Canada...just outside Toronto.  On Saturday night I went down to Toronto to see our beautiful CN Tower lit up in purple.  In Canada there is no one, strong and well-funded formal organization that works with those impacted by preterm birth or the aftercare of preterm babies. We have The Linden Fund, which I refer to often (and I LOVE), but they are no March of Dimes or larger organization.  Sadly, I didn't hear a peep out of our media until after all of Toronto wondered why the CN Tower turned purple on Sunday night.  As I walked through downtown Toronto, I heard several people wonder aloud, "why is it purple tonight?" There was a little bit of news leading up to it, apparently, but not much. This fact is seriously disappointing to me.  In a country this size, with this many people and a serious need for population replacement, nobody seemed to know about the importance of Saturday, November 17--aka World Prematurity Day.

Then this month, leading up to World Prematurity Day 2012, a new organization arrived on the Canadian scene.  The Canadian Premature Babies Foundation.  The founder is also a mother of twins, born at 27 weeks.  I can only assume she also found it very hard to get the right type of support and guidance during her preterm experience with her multiples.  We do live in Canada, known for its amazing healthcare and universal benefits, but we lack in the area of prematurity awareness and support...according to me. Perhaps this is why we are undecided on colours for awareness purposes. We are thousdands of parents, working hard to find the answers, connect with the right people and best services we can find for our preterm infants and young children, which we often do alone.  Many preterm families are slipping through the cracks and I hope this new Foundation, in partnership with The Linden Fund and a Quebec organization called Prema-Quebec can build a stronger network for preterm families and those who provide lifesaving services to them (hospitals, medical staff, and additional support agencies.) 

Now back to the awareness ribbon that got me started on this topic...Perhaps once we build a stronger preterm network of parents and medical professionals, we can choose our awareness or cause colours...but in the meantime, I suggest pink and blue with two small purple butterflies on the lower ends of the ribbon.  Why butterflies and not baby footprints? The butterfly in many cultures across the world represents the "soul."  The butterfly was described as, "It’s connection with the soul is rather fitting. We are all on a long journey of the soul. On this journey we encounter endless turns, shifts, and conditions that cause us to morph into ever-finer beings. At our soul-journey’s end we are inevitably changed – not at all the same as when we started on the path."  This is a perfect description for how a mother and father are impacted right to the core--the soul--when they face the uncertainty of having a preterm infant, the ups and downs in a NICU, the baby's strength and ability to often pull through.  This is why I feel the butterfly belongs on a Canadian prematurity awareness ribbon. 

Preemie Power Tower! World Prematurity Day 2012

So I heard a few days ago that the CN Tower in Toronto would be lighting up purple in honour of World Prematurity Day and I got all excited at the prospect of seeing it myself.  How could I justify a trip down the highway-about a 45-50 minute drive away on a good day-to see a Tower I'd seen thousands of times before.

Think, think, think.

My mother pointed out this week, that once I set my mind to something, I usually make it happen.  So I thought and thought...and began looking into a reason I could take the trip.  Luckily, a pretty special event was happening downtown, which I've never actually seen.  The Cavalcade of Lights.  The Christmas tree and city hall area being lit up with lights for the coming holiday season. Perfect!  A night of nothing but looking at pretty lights.

Date night for Proud Preemie Mom and Dad!  That never happens!

Off we went down the 401 to see a tower I grew up 20 minutes away from. A tower I've seen thousands of times. Yet I've never seen this thing purple! The fun part of tonight was my husband had absolutely no idea what I was up to (because he would have thought I was a little looney,) so heading down the highway he's guessing and guessing.  Finally it occurred to him I'd slapped a purple ribbon on his jacket just before we headed out, I was wearing one, as well as a purple shirt and scarf. By George, I think he's got it.

So we wound up having a nice date night out on the town. Took pictures at the CN Tower like only tourists do. Had an awesome dinner. Then saw the lights festival.  A special evening wrapped up a special day.

Earlier in the day I did my share of tweeting and Facebook posting to spread the word about World Prematurity Day. I stuck a camera in my 3 preemies' faces more than they approved of and earlier today I still wasn't 100% sure I was going to get to Toronto, so I asked anyone that may be in the area to take a picture for me. Thankfully I got some of my own and here are a few.

HAPPY WORLD PREMATURITY DAY 2012

November's such a busy month!

With International Multiple Birth Awareness Week last week, Remembrance Day, the overall month of November being "Movember" raising awareness for men's physical and mental health and then coming up this Saturday, being World Prematurity Day...it's hard to choose one topic to focus on. So I didn't!

For this house, multiple birth awareness week is every week of the year! Our twins are just two and still look so similar that it's a common occurence to talk to people about their twinness, their birth experience, their NICU experience, their current status of development and everything else related to the twin life.  The fact that I have taken on two recent formal roles to raise awareness and help families of multiples and families of preterm birth multiples only adds to the fact that I pretty much live and breathe "multiples."

For those that aren't in the know I have taken on a role to work as a peer health worker for my local POMBA.  The role officially kicks in January 2012, but I'm taking some heavy duty training for certification, on top of my full time job and full time mommy duties.  It's been exhausting, but a very rewarding and exciting time!  In addition to that I am now co-chairing the Multiple Births Canada Preterm Birth Support Network (PBSN,) which is brand spanking new and being developed right from scratch.  As a mom of preterm children-my tiny singleton and my teeny tiny twins-I know how challenging it was to get the right kind of support for my family in the early days and even after we all came home together.  It was a lot of late nights up researching at my computer, looking for answers and guidance.  With determination and many cups of coffee and tea, I did find leads to great things for our twins beyond the standard referrals to occupational therapy, speech and physio.  There are many services and agencies available to provide support if you know where to look...which I know from talking to moms and dads, we don't know where to look. We don't necessarily know the questions to ask.  I credit my background in social services and research for finding things, but had I been able to refer quickly to one source of support and get the information right away, we would have saved a lot of time.  The fact I had 3 little boys to manage during the day meant my research really could only be done when everyone was fast asleep. So we hope the MBC Preterm Birth Support Network will be the go to for Canadian parents of preterm multiples for support, guidance, advice and referrals. So if you are Canadian and are preterm multiples parents or know of a family that is in need of support or even just needs a few questions answered, please refer them to Multiple Births Canada's website, linked above.  There are many great benefits to becoming a member of Multiple Births Canada, the PBSN being just one of them.

Now on to Movember. I live in a house with 4 males, thus Movember is definitely important to me! So here are my 3 sons saluting this important month of awareness for men's health...

This past sunny, unusually warm Sunday, November 11, we made our way to one of the local cenotaphs to remember those who have fought to keep Canada strong and free, including a certain great-grandpa and great-great-uncle. Their WWII stories will continue to be passed on from generation to generation.

So it's been a very busy month and it's only half over! 

And coming up in 2 more days this page will turn purple...