Jazmyne
Jazmyne, mother of Crimson. Crimson was diagnosed prenatally with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) and lived her 5 months, deeply cherished, in the NICU.
1 / 11

Finding my voice as my daughter’s mother. “Yes, I’m angry, and it just happens I’m black, and a woman. Here I am.”

A prenatal diagnosis of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia and living into an uncertain prognosis

Microaggressions: “We need more [BIPOC] representation in the NICU.”

A mother on learning she needed to take care of herself while her baby was in the NICU.

There was never a thought in my mind that she would die from this. I called her the Comeback Queen. . . . Then I had to get ready for that day.”

Moving beyond the anger after the death: “At diagnosis and birth, hope and faith took over. I didn’t realize how sick she was.”

A bereaved mom: “I battled with guilt for a long time. Did we do her a disservice by keeping her on this earth for 5 months? I am learning to relinquish that because we had no clue.”

A NICU mom on learning to recognize that the experience was traumatic and that she has PTSD.

“When we’re in the hospital, don’t ask me how I’m feeling. I’m in survival mode.”

Advice to the mom that I was with my baby in the NICU: “I would say to give myself more grace.”
