Jasmine Roth is opening up about a difficult chapter in her family’s life, sharing the story of her second daughter’s time in the neonatal intensive care unit.
The “Help! I Wrecked My House” star shared the vulnerable post during September, which is NICU Awareness Month.
Roth, who shares her daughters with husband Brett Roth, said she hopes her story can offer encouragement to other parents currently facing a NICU stay.
Roth Opens Up About the Difficult Time
“September is NICU awareness month. My hope is that by sharing our story I can help even one parent who’s going through this right now… You’re doing great. You’re stronger than you think. You’ve got this,” she captioned a series of images documenting her daughter’s journey.
Roth explained that she was pregnant with her second daughter two years ago and was one month away from her due date when she unexpectedly went into labor.
“I never expected to find myself here…” she began.
“It was completely terrifying when I went into labor 4 weeks early and I almost had the baby on the side of the road. We made it to the hospital and I delivered our daughter Darla at 4lbs 8oz. She was almost immediately whisked away to the NICU.”
Roth said one of the most difficult parts of the experience was being separated from her newborn immediately after giving birth.
“What nobody warns you about is the heartache of being separated from your baby right after giving birth,” she wrote. “My husband went to be with her and I was left alone in a hospital room wondering if she was ok.”
Once Roth was able to visit Darla, she and Brett spent as much time as possible holding their daughter. Roth said it was difficult to see the newborn surrounded by medical equipment.
“It was jarring to see such a tiny human with so many tubes and wires. It felt like her whole life was beeps, machines, and each day felt like a month,” she wrote.
Roth’s Eldest Wasn’t Allowed in the NICU
The family also had to navigate being separated from their older daughter, who was 4½ at the time. Roth said their daughter was not allowed inside the NICU, making it difficult to explain why she could not touch or hold her new baby sister.
Roth and Brett stayed at the hospital in a small room reserved for NICU parents while doctors and nurses cared for Darla. Roth described their days as a routine of feedings, doctors’ rounds and uncertainty.
“There were ups and downs,” she wrote, explaining that progress toward one milestone could be followed by another hurdle before Darla could go home.
Eventually, Darla was able to come off oxygen. After several days of monitoring, she remained off it and continued progressing.
After 15 days in the NICU, Roth and Brett learned how to use and replace Darla’s feeding tube as needed. They were then able to bring their daughter home.
“Those were the longest two weeks of our lives and we still went home with a very fragile and medically complicated newborn,” Roth wrote.
Although the experience was not what the family had expected, Roth said she remains grateful for the care that helped Darla return home.
“While this wasn’t the birth story we ever expected (or wanted) it’s not lost on us that Darla’s NICU stay is the reason she’s here with us today,” she wrote. “And for that we are forever grateful.”
Roth ended her post by encouraging other NICU families to know they are not alone.
“I’m sharing this because September is NICU awareness month and while it’s not necessarily where any of us intend to be, it’s an experience that so many of us have had,” she wrote.
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Jasmine Roth Opens Up About Daughter’s Terrifying NICU Stay