Kingston mom shares experience of dealing with babies born prematurely

World Prematurity Day is this Sunday.

A Kingston woman is sharing her story about children born prematurely ahead of World Prematurity Day.

Kelsey Ross is a former educational assistant and currently a stay-at-home mom to three children, all were born prematurely at 33, 32 and 34 weeks. 

She tells us her experience delivering her first-born at a hospital in Yellowknife, NWT.

Ross' husband works for the Canadian Armed Forces and they had no immediate family in Yellowknife. She says it was a stressful expereience having to be without her newborn while it is being cared for at a hospital in another province.

Fabrina Bacchini, Executive Director of the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation, points out that children born prematurely are often behind developmentally compared to those who born around the due date.

Ross' two older children are now five and three years old and are starting to live a normal childhood.

She says parents have to make some adjustments when taking care of a child born prematurely.

Bacchini says World Prematurity Day aims to bring attention to the struggles children born prematurely have as well as their parents.

She says every baby should have access to neo-natal follow up and it is important for governments to fund these clinics.

World Prematurity Day goes this Sunday.

Story by Ken Hashizume