March of Dimes Do-It-Yourself Fundraising

Leading the Fight for the Health of all Moms and Babies

Six years ago, on Saturday, March 18^th at 6:42pm, our daughter, Nava Elle, was born. I was 31 weeks and 6 days pregnant. When a baby is born by emergency c-section more than 2 months premature, there’s a lot of people in the operating room with you. One of those people (I don’t remember who) let us know the exact time of her birth. I remember turning to my husband, Gabe, and saying how much I liked that time because it would be easy to remember: 6 = 4+2.

                Over the next several weeks that we spent in the NICU, that time took on a particular significance for me. Nava’s early arrival was such a shock; it would take years for me to fully understand that the decision to deliver her so early was a lifesaving one. But on the day she was born, even hours before her delivery, we were told that there was nothing to worry about, that we’d be sent home very shortly, that she wouldn’t make her appearance for at least several more weeks. So, when I was being rushed into OR, I kept thinking that this was all some big mistake. It felt like she was being taken away from me, rather than being given to us. So, every Saturday night, at 6:42pm, I had an agreement with our team of nurses that no matter what else was going on, I needed to be holding my daughter. This is no small ask when you can only hold your child twice a day and it needs to be scheduled around her feedings (my breast milk delivered through a tube). But on Saturday nights at 6:42, while our daughter was in the hospital, I needed to hold her and know that we still belonged to each other, that despite the fact that we couldn’t be her primary caregivers just yet, that I was still her mom, and we still had each other.

                Nava spent 32 days in the NICU, coming home for the first time on April 19^th. Every year I honor those 32 days through a personal physical challenge. The first two years I did 32 days of hot power yoga, and we assembled a team to fundraise and walk for the March for Babies. The third year my yoga studio- and the world- shut down days before Nava’s 3^rd birthday. Without a team to assemble or a studio to practice in, I decided to embrace a new kind of challenge and ran a 5k every day, while sharing my progress and creating a personal fundraiser. The fourth year- you guessed it- I ran 4 miles a day. And then last year, trying to prevent the running related injuries I had sustained the summer before, I decided to run more (naturally) and did 5 miles a day + 32 days of cross training.

                This ritual is a powerful tradition. It is a time for challenging myself, reflecting and healing, and allowing myself to move through the myriad of emotions I felt while my daughter was in the NICU. Having a child in the hospital can be an overwhelming experience, and while I am so grateful to the incredible team of doctors and nurses who cared for us, it was hard to not feel powerless much of the time. These 32 days have become a time to move with intention to feel empowered and free. The best is coming home to my daughter who is so overjoyed to see me and know that I can hug her and hold her as much as she wants that day, and every day.

                It has also been really meaningful to share our family’s journey with so many others, and invite folks to join this effort however they are able- whether to donate, move with me, or just take a few moments to read our story.

                This year I will be taking on a new challenge- what I’m calling a 6-4-2 challenge:

 I’ll be running 3 times a week: a 6 mile run, a 4 mile run, and a 2 mile run.

I’ll also be doing:

6 strength classes a week

4 spin classes a week

2 yoga classes a week

                It’s going to be hard, and fun, and I’ll be eating non-stop. And we’re planning something awesome with our friends at B/SPOKE so you can join in the fun. Stay tuned!