Mission Statement

Having a premature baby can be a lonely and miserable experience. In our communities there may be very few people who understand the specific problems that face parents of very early babies. Often our babies are transferred to hospitals far from home and this can make us feel even more alienated and lost. However there is a resource for families in this situation. The world wide nature of the internet makes it possible to reach out and contact other families who can give support and answer the questions that only other parents could ever answer.

Preemie-l is a mailing list and web site that exists only on the internet. It is that support group that every parent needs during the critical NICU period, and then at home raising a premature child. Preemie-l is mainly a forum for parents of premature children of all ages and gestations but other members include authors, medical personnel, and adult ex-premmies.

The purpose of Preemie-l is:

  to support families of premature babies while their babies are in hospital and as they grow up;

  to provide a window into the workings of NICUs through the contribution of medical personnel;

  to provide links to current research and a forum for the discussion of the medical and ethical issues of prematurity;

  to provide a base of knowledge for research into parent perspectives of prematurity;

  to support the provision of access to Preemie-l in hospitals with NICUs;

  to support a Preemie-l newsletter with highlights of discussions from the group, so that those without internet access can see that there are others with similar concerns.

It doesn't take much technology to "plug in" to Preemie-l. The isolation of parents of premature babies makes the internet an invaluable medium for finding support and advice, and for sharing experience. This is why Preemie-l exists and flourishes.

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