Anna Faris and Raise founder Jessica Butler talk preemies, co-parenting, and of course, mom guilt. Anna is an actress and author, creator and host of the podcast “Anna Faris is Unqualified,” and mom to 6-year-old Jack, who was born 10 weeks premature and spent one month in the NICU. Anna is also a supporter of the incredible organization GAPPS — Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth. GAPPS is a collaboration of global health organizations, foundations, hospitals and universities, and U.S. and international government agencies who work together to further research, education an ..read more

Adopting a child from a different state often requires at least one parent to remain in the baby’s birth state for an extended period of time. And if your baby is born on a weekend, when court is not is session, your stay can last even longer. When my son Levon was born, I was standing alone in the dark next to our outdoor grill, the phone pressed against my ear. His grandmother was on the other end, her voice steady and calm. “His vitals are good.” “His,” I asked? Is it a boy?” “Yes, it’s a boy.” His gender reveal. A private event attended by only the two of us. Levon’s birth mother went int ..read more

What brand of bottle did your preemie use? Levon was born at 30 weeks, before his body knew how to suck, swallow, and breath. He received donated breast milk thru a feeding tube in his nose before transitioning to Dr. Brown’s bottles. In honor of Prematurity Awareness Month, I’m sharing my favorite products for preemies. Levon exclusively used Dr. Brown’s bottles from the time we came home from the NICU until he begin using cups with straws. They were recommended by our hospital and helped Levon eat with ease. Click here to buy Dr Brown’s on Amazon. What bottle(s) did your preemie prefer ..read more

What brand of diaper did your preemie wear? Levon was born weighing 2 pounds, 7 ounces, and came home from the hospital weighing less than 4 pounds. In the NICU, he wore Pampers made for micro-preemies, and after we came home, he transitioned into Pampers Swaddlers. Levon's First Diaper. Our family LOVES Pampers! Not only were they gentle on Levon’s delicate skin (he NEVER had diaper rash), the brand is committed to supporting premature babies. To celebrate Prematurity Awareness Month, Pampers introduced a first-of-it’s-kind flat diaper for preemies, in addition to donating $100,000 to M ..read more

Mom was crying before we even got out of the car. She told me she was scared. “What do you say to someone who has given you such a tremendous gift?” She worried that his birth mother would feel let down, that our family wouldn’t live up to her expectations. I saw my brother for the first time in the middle of our kitchen.  He was four days old. It was summer, 1987, just a few weeks away from my sixth birthday. I had been greatly anticipating his arrival. It started earlier that spring. My sister and I, dressed in our Sunday best, smiling in our parents’ laps for photos taken with a camer ..read more

Over the summer, Teigen tweeted her struggle to find clothes to fit her newborn preemie son, Miles. “Nothing fits my teenie premie. Not enough stuff out there! I gotta learn to sew. Miles is tired of your body shaming, society!” Miles was born TWICE the size of Levon. Walmart and Target stock preemie clothing in-store, but most retailers only offer it online, and many brands run large. These are my favorite brands for preemies and micro-preemies like Levon. Please share your recommendations in the comments section! Just One You Made By Carter’s Baby Boys’ Converter Gown, Hat and Booties Set ..read more

The best advice I received when creating our profile was to be authentic. Birth families connect with adoptive parents who share their passions, quirks, and even physical attributes. In our case, it was a mutual love of Steve Martin that sealed the deal. Writing your profile can be one of the most stressful aspects of the adoption process. The profile serves as your introduction to birth mothers, including family photos, your traditions, parenting philosophy, religious beliefs, and more. I spent weeks trying to anticipate what a birth family might want to know about us, what photos to include ..read more

Levon was born on October 24, 2014, weighing just 2 pounds, 7 ounces. He spent 28 days in the NICU and came home from the hospital weighing less than four pounds. We became Levon’s legal parents the day he was born. My husband and I are advocates of adoption and happy to share our experience of the process to inspire others, but we believe the details of Levon’s birth story are his to share, if he so chooses. Below are the questions I’m frequently asked by families who are considering adoption. If you have a specific question regarding our process, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments secti ..read more

If you are someone out there who wants to be a mother, but don’t, at this very moment, have the partner that you want, I would emphatically say, Don’t let it stop you! If you judge someone by the company they keep, I’m pretty fantastic. I’m surrounded by female friends who have spent the last 20 years pursuing their passions with great success. Recently, the topic of becoming a single parent has come up amongst these friends, most of whom are in their late 30’s and early 40’s and would like to have children but haven’t yet. For some, Prince (or Princess) Charming still hasn’t shown up. Others ..read more

From Belly Mommy to Auntie, adoptees and adoptive moms share the names their families use. When Levon was a baby, we referred to his birth mom as Mama {First Name}. We used the term Birth Mama when talking to him about her, but the concept of adoption was too abstract for him to understand. When he was four, we began noticing pregnant women and asking me if he grew inside my tummy. That’s when we began using the term Tummy Mommy. It was a name that helped him understand his connection to his biological mother and something he immediately attached to. As he grows and better understands the con ..read more