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January 2016 Moms
holidayemma
member
Giving birth tomorrow!
holidayemma
member
Further to my 3 week hospital battle with preeclampsia my little girl is scheduled to arrive by cesarean section tomorrow at 32 weeks.
I'm in a good place about it - my health is going to dangerously deteriorate if I try to keep her in longer so it must be.
Shame I didn't get to do any prenatal classes and get a semblance of what to do (!!) but the prem baby team pretty much coach you it seems :-)
Thanks for all the support from everyone on my preeclampsia post... And good luck to everyone else and all your personal journeys - it's been so helpful and interesting to read all your posts.
Slightly terrified! But it's all about the birthday girl....
I'm in a good place about it - my health is going to dangerously deteriorate if I try to keep her in longer so it must be.
Shame I didn't get to do any prenatal classes and get a semblance of what to do (!!) but the prem baby team pretty much coach you it seems :-)
Thanks for all the support from everyone on my preeclampsia post... And good luck to everyone else and all your personal journeys - it's been so helpful and interesting to read all your posts.
Slightly terrified! But it's all about the birthday girl....
Re: Giving birth tomorrow!
Married DH: 2013
DD: Dec 2015
BFP 8/14/17 --> Due 4/27/2018
<br><a href="http://www.thebump.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="Pregnancy"><img src="http://global.thebump.com/tickers/tt1d7657" alt=" Pregnancy Ticker" border="0" /></a>
DD - January 2016
32 weeks is a great milestone and 32 weekers do very well. My son was born at 32w2d following me going into PTL at 31w5d. He weighed 3lbs 2oz and scored 2 9's on his Apgar! He didn't need respiratory therapy; they'd been able to give me both rounds of steroids, as I'm sure you've gotten. He did need treatment for mild jaundice which is extremely common among preemies. He had some difficulty with his suck/swallow/breathe coordination so there were some feeding issues that led to him needing a ng feeding tube. We were able to wean him off of that onto a bottle and breastfeeding with a nipple shield which we were also able to wean him of. He became a champion and breastfed until 17 months when I was told to wean him because of my current pregnancy. My son was dischaged at 37 weeks gestation after being in the nicu for 4w5d. Upon discharge he received early intervention for several months to correct a mild case of torticollis.
He is now an extremely smart, happy and healthy 20 month old. Looking at him now it is hard to believe how he came into this world.
I highly recommend leaning on the nicu nursing staff to learn all of the newborn things that you would have learned during any prenatal classes you were planning to take. Be as involved in your daughter's daily care as you can be. We were able to do all diaper changes, bathing and even helped take his temp and check his weight. The nurses really encouraged parent participation which helped our comfort level when we brought him home weighing just over 5lbs.
Not to discourage you by any means, just to prepare you, know that in all likleyhood there will be some minor setbacks, its to be expected. NICU stays are often a case of two steps forward, one step back but overall they make great progress. One piece of info that should be encouraging for you is that we were told multiple times that preemie girls tend to do better, progress faster than boys!
Oh, also, please don't be afraid of hurting the feelings of family if you feel the need to limit the length or number of visits both while in the nicu and once she gets home. Winter is tough for preemies since their immune system is still very immature.
Best wishes to you, your baby and your whole family. Feel free to pm me anytime.
Happy Birth-Day baby girl!!!
Congrats on your little one and feel free to shoot me a message if you ever want to chat with someone going through the same thing you are.
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Thought I would do a little post here along with the announcement.
Chloe Grace was born at 16.42 on Mon 9th Nov by elective C Section at 32 weeks weighing 3 pounds.
She is doing well. She has help with her breathing which isn't much of a surprise and has had jaundice and treatment which is she responding to. She has been feeding (I pump obviously) but they are checking her tummy out so its suspended to glucose today for a couple of hours.
She is gorgeous. It has been a rocky road - Monday and Tuesday were hellish mainly because I could not see her. They literally flashed her in front of me for 1 second when in theatre and then I did see her for 24 hours as I had to be on a magnesium sulphate drip to prevent fitting for the PET. They also didn't allow me water to drink for 2 DAYS (& no food). I was allowed minimal sips but my throat was burning and was in a really bad way come Tuesday night - very uncomfortable and I got the shivers - I think it was nerves, adrenalin and just pure exhaustion.
A classic laugh or cry moment happened at 2am on the Tuesday night when I woke up to find my first experience of a golden "bath" my catheter had come apart in the night and soaked me and my bedding. The midwives were amazing and I just had to laugh it off. RIGHT?! That moment... Of realisation...
Things have improved each day of course there is talk I might even leave hospital today!! Having been in nearly a month I'm not sure I remember what home is like. I'll probably have Stockholm syndrome and only be able to function in a single room with awful food and a bell! I'll be sad to leave my baby behind when I go but I have to go sometime and I need to get ME well to be the best I can be to her too.
Yesterday was the best as I got to hold her for the first time (my husband got this early on). It was emotional and only for about 45 seconds as they get over sensitised. She is so TINY!! We both changed her nappy too (I got the poopy one). She is very much daddy's girl yesterday she started crying when he went out of sight of the incubator and I stepped in. Hey ho... I love that though.
So yes it's been difficult - especially being separated from your baby when all around you are cuddling and feeding but I prepared myself for it so it's not a shock. There will be plenty of time for all that - she needs docs and meds and monitoring same as I did the last month - then we can be together for ever. :-)
Best of luck to all of you - we will all have a different experience with this that will be unique I just wish you all a less bumpy one..
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