BY JENNÉ JOHNS
Once Upon A Preemie is a short inspirational book that is written for parents whose children were born prematurely, and had a NICU stay. The book is a bedside companion to support any parent who faces the roller coaster ride of nurturing a preemie baby in the hospital until they go home. Once Upon A Preemie offers encouraging messages of hope, faith, and love.
About Jenné
Jenné Johns, MPH is a first time author of, Once Upon A Preemie. As an advocate for healthy lifestyles, childhood obesity prevention, and reducing healthcare disparities, Jenné found herself advocating for the needs of her son who was born prematurely. Although Jenné had a decade of experience working in the health field, this was not enough to prepare her for the life changing experience of nurturing her micro-preemie son out of the NICU. She wrote Once Upon A Preemie to motivate, encourage, and inspire parents whose children land in the NICU. She hopes this book uplifts families during the most fragile time of parenthood.
“When you realize that you are going to deliver prematurely, your world turns upside down. You begin on a journey of the unknown – one that can be filled with many joys and sometimes heartache. It is important to never lose hope while your baby is in the NICU and it is also helpful to feel like you are somehow contributing to the well-being of your baby. I love this book because it uplifts, inspires and it provides hope for the future. Have fun reading this to your baby. Well done, Jenne Johns! Welcome to motherhood…”
–Dr. Rhonda Johnson
“As a mother of a daughter who spent two days in the NICU before I was able to take her home, I loved Jenné’s interpretation of the life of a preemie. For many parents who are going through the stress of dealing with the ups and downs of watching their preemie grow and develop from a place of such fragility, the spiritual tone of the book is a great comfort and a reminder that babies are so much stronger than we think. Beautifully done!”
- Julian B. Kiganda
“I absolutely love this book and my three year old son loves it too! It's an amazing resource for preemie parents to provide encouragement for their little ones, both in the NICU and at home, and it is beautifully illustrated and wonderfully written! Every page offers an inspiring and uplifting message that parents can read at their baby's bedside or use to start a conversation with an older child about prematurity. I highly recommend it.”
–Cheryl Chotrani
“I was so thankful I received 35 of these books to my program for NICU mom care packages... I was very touched when I read this book. I think that any family who has a baby in the NICU unit should definitely be reading this book to their baby... it is full of love, written and Illustrated to perfection.”
–Trisha Morris