Born Too Soon

This true story of the premature birth of Emily Butterfield, the daughter of journalists Fox Butterfield and his wife Elizabeth Mehren, will tear at your heartstrings. Born at only 5 months' gestation, Emily was alarmingly premature; her fight for life spanned many months and was fraught with one medical complication after another. Fox and Elizabeth faced the ultimate moral dilemma: Allow the doctors to use any means necessary, no matter how extreme, to save her life, despite the probability of future permanent health problems and present pain, or let nature take its course.

Michael Moriarty and Pamela Reed are outstanding as Fox Butterfield and Elizabeth Mehren - their performances are gut-wrenchingly realistic and touching. Also turning in fine performances are Terry O'Quinn and Joanna Gleason. This was a made for TV movie but I would encourage everyone to see it; the story was adapted from the book by Elizabeth Mehren, which is an incredible read.

This movie was very moving. As a Preemie Mom, I was glad to see something that focused on the emotions and relationships connected to life in the NICU. We spent 143 days in the NICU with our 20 ounce son (who is now 5, happy and healthy!) and the experience totally changed all our lives and our relationships. Having to deal with life outside the NICU while your child is fighting for every breath is painful and this movie showed a little of that struggle to the audience. You really can't understand life in the NICU unless you have experienced it, but this book/movie gives others a glimpse of what the roller-coaster ride in the NICU is like. Too bad there can't be a movie/documentary done periodically to keep the technology and NICU current - with as fast as things change from year to year....