At 19 weeks we were told our daughter Zoie had a fatal condition and probably would not make it to birth.  Sadly, just 23 weeks into the pregnancy, our daughter’s condition had worsened and she passed away in my womb.  The anxiety of losing one of our babies was extremely overwhelming.

Just six days after Zoie's passing the complications continued and I found myself in the hospital dilated to a six with no turning back. By immediate, emergency cesarean all three babies were born on October 2, 2003 at only 24 weeks gestation. Liam, the first born weighed 1 pound 4 oz. and was12 inches in length.  Aiden weighed 1 pound 6 oz., also 12 inches and Zoie, 2 pounds 5 oz, 11.5 inches in length.

We had a long road of recovery ahead of us. Of the two boys, Aiden had a rougher NICU start overcoming a pneumothorax just two days after birth, seven chest tubes, grade 3 and 4 brain hemorrhages and a rare congenital eye disease leaving him blind in his left eye. Both boys endured most of the common preemie complications including PDA ligations, apnea, bradycardia, feeding tubes, blood transfusions, ROP, JET ventilators, oscillators, and blood infections that threatened their lives for months. 

Our babies are miracles. The odds were against them, yet after a 133 day NICU stay, Aiden was able to come home with Liam tagging behind six days later.

Liam and Aiden will always face some effects due to their prematurity, yet without the medical advances and research, they might not even be here to continue to bless our lives.  The March of Dimes provides research funding to assist in finding the cause of prematurity and treatments for complications. We feel this research is the key to preventing prematurity along with the serious complication that can result from it.
 
This is our third year walking as the family team “Belnaps and Crew” in remembrance of our daughter Zoie.  Why walk you ask?  We walk for love, life and the desire that every baby will be born healthy!  I encourage everyone to take part in March for Babies.  If not walk, sponsor a walk.  Take the step in aiding research to prevent premature births for future families like ours!