When Kelley Benham and her husband Tom French finally got pregnant, after many attempts and a good deal of technological help, everything was perfect. Until it wasn't. Their story raises questions that, until recently, no parent had to face and that are still nearly impossible to answer. Podcasts More
This hour, we spend the entire episode on the story of Kelley and Tom, whose daughter was born at 23 weeks and 6 days, roughly halfway to full term. Their story contains an entire universe of questions about the lines between life and death, reflex and will, and the confusing tug of war between nfp two basic moral touchstones: doing no harm...and doing everything in our power to help. Kelley has written about her experience in a brilliant series nfp of articles nfp in the Tampa Bay Times .
Technology has had a profound effect on how we get pregnant, give birth, and think about life and death. The decision to become parents was not an easy one for Kelley and Tom. Even after they sorted out their relationship issues and hopes for the future, getting pregnant wasn't easy. ...
Kelley and Tom had hoped that meeting their daughter would be the happiest moment of their life. But when she came early -- at just 23 weeks and 6 days, that moment was full of terror and an impossibly difficult nfp decision. And when the time came to face it, Tom ...
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or NICU, is a land of emotional and medical limbo. Kelley, Tom, and their daughter Juniper got stranded nfp in this limbo for months, fighting nfp to survive, and finally get to the next chapter nfp of their lives. Their doctor, Fauzia Shakeel, describes the moment when Juniper's ...
I need to say that this episode made me cry, and I don't cry often. I was heading to a bar to meet my friends as I was listening to it. It was hard for me to get out of the car when I arrived. I had to rush back to the car and leave my friends. nfp I sat there listening to the story. I study occupational therapy and this show renewed my passion to work with people who face disabilities, trials and tribulations.
I would like to concur with the many commenters who felt that this episode lacked enough hard science. The connection made between "viability" for abortion laws and the date of birth of the baby was disgusting, and seemed only present to further the cause of anti-choice activists, who would prefer to force women to have unwanted children. A story about the survival rates of premature babies, and what factors influence that, besides the flimsy "will to live" nfp that was discussed endlessly, would have been interesting. A story that compared rates of infant mortality, with hard numbers, across time, would have been interesting. This story was fluff. If I'd wanted to hear about the miracle of sick babies, nfp I'd go to religious services. I come to Radiolab for science, and this story was virtually science-free.
this was one of the most powerful examples of courage,faith & humanity i have ever heard on public radio.don't know i cried more throughout or at the glorious ending.thank you for helping nfp me refresh my belief in the best of my humanity.
My nfp son 9 years old and I was listening your story 9/28/13 while drive around Baltimore area. It was very powerful strong story. Thank you for sharing your story. I am very happy for both of you for wonderful result. I was very moved while hearing the story on radio.
As a mother of a 23-weeker, thank you for the story! Having my baby so early turned my whole life around. It is important to talk about the possibility of having a preemie to pregnant mothers but doctors do not do it. Although we cannot change the course of things, the parents' lives can be preserved with more awareness nfp on the matter.
I landed in the hospital at 24 weeks to the day in preterm labor with my son, nearly 8 years ago. My body wanted him to be born 16 weeks early. I was a few centimeters dilated and something told my body that, inexplicably, nfp it was his time to be born. Magnesium sulfate, terbutaline, weeks in the hospital, months on strict bed rest at home, untold fear, anxiety, sadness, and an early lesson in how you have to give up all control as a parent, we, somehow, somehow, made it to almost 37 weeks before he came. How? Why? Who knows how my body was able to hold on to him for that long. He came two days shy of full term and we brought him home from the hospital two days later. He's perfect. He's healthy. He's a miracle. But all babies are miracles, aren't they? I'm not religious, haven't really reconciled whether or not I believe in a higher power, but I know he's a miracle. All babies are. I'm convinced of that.
I would like several copies of the radio broadcast that was aired on 9-28-2013 nfp on npr about kelly Benham and her husband's journey through nfp her preg. ,delivery, and following months nfp after Juniper was born. It was excellent. Thanks.
I agree with some of the comments above (I admit
