What We Didn't Expect

Every year, 400,000 families in the United States welcome premature babies ...

Ten percent of babies born in the U.S. are preemies. But that one word, "preemie," encompasses a range of medical and cultural experiences. There are textbooks, medical-ish guidebooks, and the occasional memoir to turn to ... but no book that collects personal experiences from the many people who have parented, cared for, or been preemies themselves.

Until now. In What We Didn't Expect, journalist Melody Schreiber brings together a chorus of acclaimed writers and thinkers to share their diverse stories of having or being premature babies. The stories here cover everything from life-changing tests of faith to navigating the red tape of healthcare bureuacracy; from overcoming unimaginable grief to surviving and thriving against all odds.

The result is a moving, heartfelt book, and a crucial and informative resource for anyone who has, or is about to have, the experience of dealing with a premature birth.

Melody Schreiber is a freelance journalist whose articles and essays have been published by The Atlantic, Catapult, NPR, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Pacific Standard, Vice, Wired, PBS Newshour, and others. She has appeared on CNN and Feature Story News. She lives in Washington, D.C.

Featuring contributions from: Becky Charniak, Sara Cohen, Tyrese Coleman, Sarah DiGregorio, Ashley Franklin, Jonathan Freeman-Coppadge, Manuel Hernandez, Pramila Jayapal, Suzanne Kamata, Dan Koboldt, Janine Kovac, Kelsey Osgood, Maria Ramos-Chertok, Shawn Spruce, Anne Thériault, Megan Walker