My #RSVAwareness Story #Sponsored #PreemieProtection #MC

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for MedImmune. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

All three of my children are the impatient sorts. From the start. I swear I have no idea where they get it from. (If I was you, I’d back away from electronics – I know I did after I typed that…)

My oldest son made his grand appearance at 30 weeks.

My youngest son was really ready to get this show on the road as I went into pre-term labor at 20 weeks. With the help of bed rest and weekly progesterone shots, we were able to keep him put until 38 weeks.

My little diva. Have mercy. As soon as my doctor confirmed my pregnancy, he began laying out my birth plan and just how we were going to keep her put as long as possible by being proactive versus reactive. I made it to 39 weeks with her.

My oldest son and I were able to spend three awesome months home together until I returned to work. August, September and October 2001 seemed to fly by! There was a lot going on in our country during that time period and I have to admit, I was in a bubble. Immune to most of it as my days were spent caring for him and juggling the numerous doctor appointments we had to ensure he was developing okay.  The four pound, one ounce baby I birthed finally made it to a little over six pounds just in time to start daycare as my maternity leave came to an end.

At his three-month check-up, his pediatrician had a conversation with me about RSV – a common, seasonal virus contracted by almost all children by the time they turn 2.  For full-term babies it causes mild to moderate cold-like symptoms.  For premature babies, there’s an increased risk of developing severe RSV and they are twice as likely to be hospitalized from RSV-related symptoms.

You guessed it. We fell into the category that developed severe RSV and spent the majority of November and December at home.

A sick baby is scary.

When you’re a new mom, with a premature baby running a high fever – it’s hard not to panic. Especially when you jump online to find out more about this virus that you really knew virtually nothing about and read statistics about RSV being the leading cause of hospitalization for babies during their first year and up to 200 infant deaths each year.

Thankfully, I had a great support system with my family, friends and co-workers. They joke now that my home was like Ft. Knox – virtually no one was allowed in. Why? RSV is highly contagious. It can easily be spread through touching, sneezing and coughing.  The virus can live on surfaces AND skin for hours!

There’s no treatment for RSV so prevention is the key. November through March is typically the time of year that most cases are seen. Here are few tips to help prevent the spread of RSV:

• Make sure everyone washes their hands – with soap. Hand sanitizers are big nowadays, but not a replacement for soap and water.
• Keep your clothes, blankets, bedding, toys, etc clean
• Avoid crowds and other young children during RSV season
• Don’t smoke or allow others to smoke around your baby
• Avoid contact with those who are sick or have recently been sick

A great resource to learn more about RSV is  www.RSVprotection.com – the site even gives you data about RSV in your area and suggestions on how to talk to your pediatrician about your child’s risk factors.

November 17th is World Prematurity Awareness Day – a day to raise awareness about premature birth and how it can be prevented. Even if you’re not a parent or your children are older, you can play a vital role in helping keep young babies healthier by knowing the risks and supporting the cause via your social media reach.

Related Article: Click here to read more about World Prematurity Awareness Day