1st Mother's Day For Preemie Mom: 'We Made It!'

NORTH FORK, NY — Jesse Dunne, of Cutchogue, will celebrate her first Mother's Day Sunday — and the day is even sweeter and filled with meaning after the long road she traversed when her baby Nova Rae was born 12 weeks early on August 31.

Nova Rae was delivered at 28 weeks, weighed 1 lb., 3 oz., and was only 9 inches long, making her a micro-preemie, her mother said.

"This Mother's Day is a victory to me," Dunne said. "A ‘we made it’ feeling. I feel emotional about this Mother's Day."

Last Mother's Day, Dunne and Christian Schott were excitedly making plans for their still-unborn child.

"She was in my belly and I felt it was my first Mother's Day, but nothing compared to this one," Dunne said. "It’s been so amazing to have her with me and Christian every day. She is such a wise old soul, very observant, very serious. I have to work to make this girl laugh. Currently, she thinks it’s funny when I call her 'devil dog' in this weird growl," she laughed.

But for many months, laughter felt like a stranger in a far-off land, as she and Schott kept vigil at their baby girl's bedside in the neonatal intensive care unit.

"I feel emotional about this Mother's Day"

When the joyful day came that the proud parents were able to bring Nova Rae home, Dunne posted on Facebook: "Two and a half months, 77 days, 1,848 hours, 110,880 minutes to get to you, sweet girl."

The North Fork community turned out to welcome Nova Rae home with smiles and cheers of joy.

Motherhood has imbued life lessons, Dunne said. "My daughter has taught me to be kind with myself, to be kind to my body. Body image after having a child can be really warped, but I just think, 'Wow, I grew this amazing human with my body.' She has taught me to always take the high road and be my best, to soak in all the magic moments — and there are never enough kisses or times to tell her how freakin' cute she is."

Dunne, a popular chef on the North Fork and co-founder of North Fork Roasting Co., said she and Schott named their baby Nova Rae Schott, because, according to its definition, a "supernova" is a powerful and brilliant stellar explosion.

Of motherhood, Dunne said: "I feel I am finally in my best role in life. Whatever my steps are she will be right by my side. Forever. Way too much time to get to her — I will never miss that again."

During those first frightening months, Dunne said she would allow herself to hope for Christmas, and for Nova Rae's first birthday in August. "Honestly, I didn’t think about Mother's Day until recently, and I realized, 'Oh, my God, this is my first! And that is exciting and very special."

To other moms of preemies still bearing the weight of uncertainty and fear, Dunne had words of advice: "Know that your baby is here. They are here because they are strong and persevered through all the odds to be here; they are going to fight every day to make it home to you. It’s an extremely fragile time for both parents and babies but a good thing that helped me was taking even the small things and making them a victory."

Dunne said she shared that energy with her daughter. "I was her biggest cheerleader even when I wanted to fall apart. Just know your spirit and energy gets them to the next day — gets them to their next victory," she said.

Today, Dunne said, Nova has continued to grow stronger and is ready for her next chapter: "I can't wait to give this girl the world, because she gave me everything, becoming her mama."

Nova Rae's story can be found on Instagram here.