South Jersey mom writes children's book for families with babies in the NICU

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A mother in South Jersey has authored a book to help families of premature babies during a vulnerable and uncertain time in the NICU.

When Shannon Kempton's son Cameron was diagnosed with fluid in his lungs, doctors at CHOP ordered an emergency C-section after 32 weeks.

Cameron spent 75 days in the NICU.

Kempton said as she sat there, watching the doctors get to work, there were times she felt "less than" as a mom.

Then, one day, her husband brought a book to read to their newborn.

"One line said 'On the night you were born, I held you so close'," she recalled. "Any typical birth would be that way, but that wasn't ours. So, I remember him reading it, shutting the book and putting it to the side. We went on with our day, but it kind of stuck with me. I looked around and we had a pod of six different families and not one of them got to hold their baby the night, the day, the moment they were born."

Kempton says she was inspired to share Cameron's birth experience because she wanted other moms, like herself, to feel less alone.

"That was my therapy, to write it all down," she said. "What words would I say to Cameron to make him feel like his beginning was just as beautiful as everyone else?"

Kempton's book, "Our Story Is Different: A NICU Beginning" is available now.

It hit number-one on Amazon's New Baby New Release list in the first 24 hours.

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