LAMPASAS — November is Prematurity Awareness Month, a designated time to shed light on the number of infants across the globe born prior to their due date.
Preterm infants, according to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), are infants born prior to 37 weeks; which affect one in every ten born in the United States.
Amy Reisinger, a new mother in Lampasas, explained after attempting to conceive for ten years, on Mother's Day weekend of 2019, she and her husband learned they were expecting.
"As far as getting excited, we waited months, just because it had been out of our reach for so long, we didn’t want any more disappointment" said Reisinger.
She explained the pregnancy was smooth, but halfway through her seventh month she started feeling ill.
"I got nauseous , vomiting, I thought I had food poisoning" said Rieisnger.
She went to the doctor several times during her the week for stomach pain to no avail.
But just days later, after another doctor appointment she and her baby were diagnosed Reisinger with HELLP, a rare and potentially life threatening syndrome.
They immediately flew her to Saint Davids Hospital in Austin.
"Within a 12 hour window I went from thinking I had a stomach bug to I was having a baby."
On October 29 2019 through emergency surgery, she delivered her son, Cooper, who at the time weighed only 2.1 pounds.
Reisinger explained she was surprised how many families find themselves in similar situations.
"The night we delivered they were excited that they were down to 79 babies in the NICU."
Explaining even though Cooper has made strides in the past weeks, gaining an entire pound, the family finds this chapter in their lives difficult.
Detailing the commute families often find themselves taking once mother is released from the hospital while baby is still admitted.
"It’s hard, it’s hard being so far away from him, it’s hard financially."
According to the National Center of Biotechnology Information, preterm births often cost families more than $50,000.
"We expect to probably pay tens of thousands, and it’s not just the NICU, it’s his developmental appointments after he's released" explain Reisinger.
The Reisinger Family began a GoFundMe in anticipation of Cooper's medical expenses during his estimated three month stay in the NICU at Saint Davids. To help contribute click here.
