How Pampers is Helping “Little Fighters” on World Prematurity Day (And my personal “Little Fighter Premie Story)

Disclosure: Sponsored content with Pampers. All opinions are 100% my own.

We all have a story. We all have a beginning and no story is the same, which is the beauty of life.

With World Prematurity Day today, November 17th, I’d like to share a little bit about my own beginning with you.

World Prematurity Day promotes awareness of premature birth.

My Personal Connection with World Prematurity Day

I was born on May 23, 1978 at 5:53PM via emergency c-section. The first baby girl for my mom and dad! As happy as they were that I was finally here, excitement was replaced with fear for my parents because I had arrived 6 weeks early, weighing a little over 4 pounds. Instead of them getting to kiss my forehead and hold me in their arms and take photos, I was rushed directly to the NICU. I was placed in an incubator in the NICU at Women and Infants Hospital in Providence, RI and stayed there for two weeks. Two of the longest weeks for my mother and father. Me being a preemie wasn’t in the “plan” for my birth. I was the first baby for my mother, so at 25 years old, 40 years ago, you can imagine how frightened she was for me, her tiny baby girl. There wasn’t as much information about preemies 40 years ago. There wasn’t the technology of today. With no social media, it wasn’t easy to connect and contact with people who could help, give advice or share their stories. If you ask my mother about my birth story she will tell you that, “it was the scariest time of my life”… but she will also tell you that she was surrounded by true angels on earth in the NICU during that time – the nurses, the doctors, the other parents, the other babies. Everyone is on the same “team” in the NICU, everyone is full of love and heart and hope and determination.

My mother has often said, “I never felt alone.”

I was a little fighter and I got strong and even my name AUDREY is a personal connection to my birth story. Everything happened so quickly when I was born that my parents hadn’t decided 100% on a name for me. It was either going to be Audrey Allison (my dad’s pick) or Allison Audrey (my mom’s pick). Audrey means noble strength and Allison means truthful one. My mother figured having that extra strength to help me fight to get bigger and stronger would be a good thing, so that’s how the “Audrey” came to be. My life started off this way, as a preemie baby, but it did something for our family that has impacted our entire lives. We’ve always been passionate about the March of Dimes, giving back to NICU nurses and doctors and facilities and been loyal to brands and companies who do incredible things for preemie families.

I have a special connection with World Prematurity Day.

Pampers Does its Part for World Prematurity Day

As many of you already know, I have had a longtime partnership with Pampers. It actually started over 9 years ago, believe it or not – at that time in my life I had 4 sons in Pampers at the same time! And, believe it or not again, I still have a little one in Pampers! We’re all about the Easy-Ups in our house with Victoria (Dora edition!). I have 13 years of experience with Pampers and it’s been the best time of my life. What I love about Pampers to the core is their passion for giving and do what they can for babies. When I heard that Pampers created the first-of-its-kind NICU flat diaper for babies who are too delicate to wear regular diapers, I literally teared up. That love and that devotion to babies is what Pampers is all about and it makes me proud and honored to be part of their Pampers family.

But what really touched my heart this year on World Prematurity Day was the latest news from Pampers…

Pampers is doing its part to help premies. They're the perfect partner to World Prematurity Day.

To champion the fighting spirit of preemies in honor of World Prematurity month, Pampers – the #1 choice of US hospitals – is providing a box to every NICU hospital across the country and donating up to $300,000 to the March of Dimes to continue their shared mission to care for the happy, healthy development of every baby – including the littlest fighters. As one of those “little fighters” I can’t tell you how happy this makes me. I think of my mom. I think of my dad. I think of all the preemies and all the families of those preemies and it just makes me happy to see what Pampers is doing with the March of Dimes for all of them.

You Can Help Premies This World Prematurity Day

Also, you can be part of this, too!

How?

If you subscribe for any new Pampers on Amazon Prime through tomorrow, November 17th, Pampers will donate $10 to the March of Dimes (up to $150,000). And that’s not all! You can also donate your Pampers Rewards points to March of Dimes and Pampers will match them during the month of November, (up to $10,000). I’m a points girl, so think about doing this with your points. It’s for such an amazing cause.

If you have a preemie story that you would like to share, submit your story on TODAY.com and Pampers will donate $5 to March of Dimes, up to $50,000. Now through November 19 at 11:59 EST. Submissions may be used within TODAY broadcast, TODAY.com and/or on TODAY social handles.

I love that Pampers is allowing everyone to help make a difference.

Thank you Pampers for continuously being a champion to little fighters. Your love and dedication means the world to so many babies and families. And to me and my family.

About Audrey

Audrey McClelland has been a digital influencer since 2005. She’s a mom of 5 and shares tips on her three favorite things: parenting, fashion and beauty. She’s also a Contemporary Romance Author.

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