One Pound, Twelve Ounces is a novel written by Melissa Harris. It was originally published on November 2nd, 2021 by SheWritesPress. I was able to obtain an Advance Review Copy (ARC) of this book on NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a memoir novel that Melissa wrote when her son was born at only 24 weeks in her pregnancy and weighed only one pound and twelve ounces. The story is about her experience with her son being a patient in the NICU, while also giving background information on her pregnancy, previous pregnancy with her daughter, and her relationships with her husband, daughter and family and friends. There is also information on what resources are available at the hospital, and how the staff treats their patients.

I read this novel when I was in my 6th month of pregnancy, and I found it very illuminating. I am now writing this review when my daughter is almost 3 months old, and was actually a patient in the NICU. This book was very emotional and moving, and I found it very helpful about the NICU process when my daughter was a patient, which I think helped me mentally and emotionally. Therefore, I would highly recommend any woman who is pregnant to read this book, and also NICU mothers that had a traumatic birth experience. I would also recommend it to any parent with a child, since it seems to make you feel more emotional and precious about your child or children.

I rate this book as 5/5 stars. I read it a time when I was emotional, and I was actually able to use the information for my own benefit.

I couldn’t put this book down! I really enjoyed getting to know the daily life of the author and her family as she struggled to become pregnant and then gave birth to a micropremie. The author wrote very descriptively and at times it felt like I was living the experience through her. She also made an effort to share all of the personal and private feelings, emotions and experiences she went though in the course of her failed pregnancies and very early birth. She gave a voice to PTSD as well as the many other mental health struggles parents in her situation may go through. I’m so glad I read this book and really appreciate the ARC I received through netgalley and the publisher!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was an emotional book that takes you through the highs and lows of having a premie.

If you like stories of fertility, pregnancy, birth, parenting, this is an interesting, heartfelt one. Having birthed an early baby myself, I enjoyed reading this, but I think it would be of interest to many people, regardless of experience.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a Non-Fiction book. This book is all about Melissa's journey of fertility, pregnancy loss, hard pregnancy, and NICU Mom. Melissa's story touched my heart, and it shine the light on some hard topics a lot people do not understand. I went through fertility treatments to get pregnant both times I was pregnant. All my kids stayed in the NICU, and let me say the NICU is a battle field of its own. I still remember the highs and the lows of when my twin boys who where 29 weekers was in the NICU. I am so glad I picked up this book because it helped me looked back at that time and now I can look at my two almost 8 year old twin boys that make me smile everyday. This book was so will written, and I think it shows the stress and the ups and downs of the NICU so well. Great Book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (SheWritesPress) or author (Melissa Harris) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Starting life in the NICU has become an all-too familiar story for my family. All three of my granddaughters were born prematurely due to unusual pregnancy complications. Like Melissa's son Sam, the third one was a micro-preemie who spent over 80 days in the NICU. The journey is truly full of ups and downs as the author so accurately related in this memoir. Thanks so much to NetGalley and She Writes Press for an advance copy to read and review.

Four stars

An emotional, heart wrenching and beautiful journey. Hard to read but worth the time.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.

I decided to pick this book from Netgalley after the title caught my eye. 35 years ago I was born at 27 weeks and weighed only One pound 13 ounces, so this story was about a baby born weighing about the same as me all those years ago. I wanted to read this to get an insight into what my parents went through.

This book was harrowing but a very good read, very descriptive and the Melissa explained all about her previous pregnancies and their issues, and how she felt at having a baby born so early after previous losses. This lady is so brave, and what she and her family went through must have been difficult, and I can only imagine how it was for my family all those years ago when medical advances were not so great.

I enjoyed reading this book even though it was difficult in places.

Thank you to @Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

#NetGalley #OnePoundTwelveOunces

As a mom who was on complete bed rest for 12 weeks and then delivered my twins early, I can definitely relate to the range of emotions that come along with a scary pregnancy/premature babies. I enjoyed reading Melissa’s story, I felt like she told it so well- so open and honest about everything.

Harris writes of her harrowing experience with her attempts at having a second child. From her miscarriage of twins to the ultra early delivery of her second child, this book is stuffed full of emotion, Much of the story is about her son’s time in the NICU and every little advance and set back. Her family endured a lot and there were casualties. The book reveals what lengths one mother went through to hold onto her child.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book.. This book resonated with me because I was born two and half months early. My mom told me the story of my birth every year. I was not as small as Sam was but I wax born in 1976. It here were some many ups and downs for this mother and her son. As a reader, you will learn about life in the NICU and the hardships she goes through. She did a great job writing this book.

This book was a heartfelt read, I couldn't put down my Kindle once I started it.

Melissa Harris had a plan with her husband, Peter. Have two kids before she is 35 years old. She wanted them to be close in age, so after she had her first child, Irene, is born they started trying when she was only 2 years old. But there were problems with Melissa's reproductive system. She got pregnant and miscarried without even realizing it. That's when the couple went to a fertility specialist for help. Melissa underwent numerous surgeries to fix her problems and later took fertility shots at home.

She ends up pregnant with twins. But she miscarried one twin a few months into her pregnancy, then after giving a presentation at work, she started bleeding heavily and miscarried the second twin. A year plus later, she's pregnant again, she knows that this will be her last pregnancy. But at just a few days shy of her 6 month mark, she starts having contractions and is admitted. If she can hold on to her baby for 6 more days, the baby has a chance of survival outside the womb.

The support she received from her family and the staff at the hospital was remarkable. After she passes the 6 month limit, she has a C-Section and her son, Sam, is welcomed into the world. But it's just the start of her journey. Sam was born at just 1 pound, 12 ounces, he has a long fight ahead of him. He spent 95 days in the NICU having 2 surgeries, one to fix his heart, the other to fix his eyesight. Then he went home.

This book takes you on her journey of being a strong woman/mother throughout it all. Her children are both healthy and happy today.

A must read!

There are many babies born prematurely and what the parents and families go through, really isn't talked about. I am thankful that Melissa Harris, shared her story. I hope it helps her to share her story, and I hope that people will read her story and have a better understanding of what a parent and family of a preemie goes through.
This is part of Melissa's journey, and she shares, what she went through, what her family went through, what the doctors said and did, and what the nurses said and did.
There were parts of the story, that Melissa got so upset about the treatment of her baby and herself, and she had a friend who guided her, to speak up. Sometimes, there is a nurse, doctor, or social worker, that should work elsewhere, but most of the time, the doctors, nurses, and social workers, are there because they want to make a difference, and know that what they do will comfort their patient and the patient's family.
They went through a lot, and it is a book that will help many understand what the baby and family goes through, but the reason, she wrote the book, was another family was in the same situation she was, and was given the same info, which wasn't encouraging. Melissa and Sam had done an ad for the hospital, and a family that was going through what Melissa had gone through, saw the ad. They packed up and went to that hospital because they were hoping for the same outcome. It was an emotional story to read, but one that gave hope, as well as the many times, Melissa and her husband had to pick themselves up, and move forward. It gave me an understanding that I didn't know before, and the realization of the bond that is created in the NICU.
I received an ARC from She Writes Press through NetGalley.

When I first read the description of this book, it hit a special place in my heart. I, myself, am a mother to two boys; currently pregnant with my third boy. My middle son, Austin was born while I was 32 weeks pregnant due to a placental abruption. Before he was born, we had learned that Austin only had one kidney and had a cyst on his lung that could play a factor when he was born. He was born unexpectedly early and had to be taken to a different hospital as soon as I gave birth to him because the hospital I delivered at did not have a NICU unfortunately. Austin was taken 45 minutes away from me while I had to stay in the hospital before I could get discharged. My son had a 70-day NICU stay where he was on ventilators, had to get multiple scans and tests done, and everything else.

This book took me back on flashbacks as to what life was like and how I felt during the incredibly mentally exhausting that was the NICU. I loved how raw and real this book was in how not only the NICU is, but also how the parents handle their newborn being in the NICU and away from them for a period of time. Parents go through a traumatic time when they have their new son or daughter in the hospital for who knows how long with no clue on what will occur on a day-to-day basis. There are neverending ups and downs when you are a NICU parent.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and liked how it was kept real and raw. As a former NICU parent, everything was nostaglic and was 100% relatable. It's the hardest journey for any parent to have to go through.

Thank you to Melissa Harris for sharing her hopes, her dreams, her battles and her triumphs as she fought to conceive, and then to carry to term her precious gift. This is the story of her journey and determination to not only become pregnant but to give her micro-preemie a chance of survival. I applaud her efforts, her strength in the face of adversity, her vulnerability. And I thank her for having the courage to share this story so that it may offer hope to others. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

📚BOOK REVIEW📚

Title: One Pound, Twelve Ounces
Author: Melissa Harris
Publisher: She Writes Press
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Highlights: Melissa Harris had no trouble conceiving her daughter, and thought nothing of trying for a second child. However, multiple infertility treatments, surgeries, and miscarriages later, Melissa finds herself upside down in bed at 23 weeks pregnant trying to stop her body from delivering her miracle baby Sam. Nearly a week later Sam is born. A 24 week preemie, Sam has a lot of hurdles to overcome before he heads home to join his sister.

Other thoughts: Melissa’s story is as emotional and raw as it is informative. Her details about her experiences in the NICU were eye opening. By the end of the book, you are absolutely cheering for Sam to bust out of that hospital!

#nonfiction #onepoundtwelveounces #melissaharris #shewritespress #netgalley