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May 2017 Moms
mdlorenz
member
NICU / Early Arrival Check-in 4.02
mdlorenz
member
Since we have several families with NICU babies or early arrivals and updates buried in the randoms thread, it seemed like time to give the babies their own space? Started with these questions but open to other ideas!
How old is/are baby(ies) (outside days/weeks and gestational age)?
How much does baby / do babies weigh?
Recent struggles / frustrations and triumphs / milestones?
What is coming up next (goals for baby/babies)?
Questions? Anything else?
Random: Favorite thing to order at a coffee shop (drink / pastry / etc)?
Tagging mamas I can remember: @Squirtgun @SJsMommy @mcvgal
@swoodd2012?
How old is/are baby(ies) (outside days/weeks and gestational age)?
How much does baby / do babies weigh?
Recent struggles / frustrations and triumphs / milestones?
What is coming up next (goals for baby/babies)?
Questions? Anything else?
Random: Favorite thing to order at a coffee shop (drink / pastry / etc)?
Tagging mamas I can remember: @Squirtgun @SJsMommy @mcvgal
@swoodd2012?
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Re: NICU / Early Arrival Check-in 4.02
Thomas is 12 hrs old! (32wks5days I guess!)
He hasn't been weighed yet today, 5lbs3oz yesterday! Really big for his age!
Recent struggles/ milestones, etc. Well, I guess I could share his birth story here? (Sorry, I am realizing that it's really long! Yikes!)
We have been planning for a while to get a van, now that we're having 3 kids. So, we had family friends come over to watch the girls. Car shopping took soooo long, even though we literall Ended up buying the exact car that we went in wanting (yay!! Van owner here!). The whole time I was just really uncomfortable, and had a few "Braxton hicks" contractions. I thought the chairs at the car place were just really uncomfortable!
We finally got home with the van, and husband decides to grill for the friends who watched our girls. I wasn't feeling well and went to lie down. Realized about 7 that my stomach not feeling well was starting to feel like contractions, 5 min apart. Called OB, got sent to L&D. (Got there about 745) They pretty much assumed I was dehydrated, and stuck me in a back room with fluids in an IV. Didn't even check my cervix. So my contractions continue to get more and more intense and close together. At about 930 they finally came in to check me, decided that they wanted to start Magnesium to try to stop contractions. 4cm, 90%. So, they sent me over to delivery. In time it took to get over there, contractions were getting unbearable. Checked me, 8cm 100%. So, no stopping labor. Luckily they called NICU team in, Thomas was born two seconds after water breaking, in two pushes!
NICU team checked him over, he was crying! But still obviously needed NICU. I got to give him a kiss before he went on, and husband went with him.
What's coming up next? He's on CPAP, and getting a chest X-ray today. Might get to switch to nasal canula! He's on IV nutrition, but getting a couple of ML breastmilk through feeding tube as well. The goal is to wean him off of IV onto feeding tube.
Questions? I'm a little overwhelmed right now, but he's got a great days gift nurse today, so hopefully she will be his nurse a lot!!
Favorite te thing from a coffee shop? A cinnamon scrap bun!! It's like a tiny monkey bread, but with more honey glaze. Yum!
11.2011 - DS1
02.2013 - loss at 6 wks
06.2014 - DS2
10.2015 - loss at 12 wks
03.2017 - DD
@Squirtgun: thank you for sharing your birth story! It sounds like he was really insistent on arriving early!
Also, a raspberry white chocolate scone sounds amazing!!
@SKZW yes, my family friends stayed with the girls until Gramma could get over there! In that way it was super convenient!
@mcvgal I'm so glad she's growing and doing well. It sounds like you're doing great with pump/BM too! Do you know when she gets to go home?
11.2011 - DS1
02.2013 - loss at 6 wks
06.2014 - DS2
10.2015 - loss at 12 wks
03.2017 - DD
@mcvgal Amen about getting off the pump. There's a good article called the "Magic Number" by Nancy Morbacher about how often you really need to pump -- the bottom line is do whatever keeps you sane.
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C and O are 4 weeks old (36 weeks GA today)
How much does baby / do babies weigh?
C weighs almost 6 lb and O is 4.5 lb
Recent struggles / frustrations and triumphs / milestones?
Struggles - being patient while C learns how to nurse -- she transfers ~5 mL most feeds (if at all) and her goal feeds as of today are 50 mL every 3 hours. She does better with the bottle (up to 35 mL today during one feed) but she can't go home until she takes 80% of her goal feed volumes by mouth for 2 days and gains at least 20 grams per day. (The NICU is understandably numbers-oriented). O hasn't even latched - he doesn't open his mouth wide enough and it depends on the nurse if I'm even encouraged to keep trying.
The other huge issue this past week was that my insurance stopped covering rental pumps for NICU moms for the foreseeable future. I got them to reverse their decision about my pump but I am so *pissed* about their irresponsible decision for other mamas. It makes me livid.
Triumphs -- both babies are in open cribs and progressing with oral feeds (19-25% of their goal volumes today).
What is coming up next (goals for baby/babies)?
The 80% goal as mentioned above.
Random: Favorite thing to order at a coffee shop (drink / pastry / etc)?
Iced chai latte
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1. Congrats to all and I'm glad to hear we keep getting good news about these little fighters. I love getting updates and hearing about them. Makes my day!
2. One of my very best friends has a babe in the NICU right now. She's stable but having trouble getting home for a variety of factors. I just wanted to ask if you guys had any tips/suggestions to help support her. I took her out to dinner last week and have been checking in periodically for updates and trying to offer support but it feels like never enough. Anything that people have done for you or wish they had done that would mean the world? Unfortunately I don't have a lot of extra $ these days or Id love to get them a few hours of housekeeping etc to help keep up at home or something like that. They also have a 15-month old, for what that's worth.
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We just got back from the hospital and DD is now in an open crib!
@mdlorenz, I am so mad about that change in pump rental as well! Luckily I am ok, but I. Can just imagine how many NICU moms that really puts in a bind.
11.2011 - DS1
02.2013 - loss at 6 wks
06.2014 - DS2
10.2015 - loss at 12 wks
03.2017 - DD
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1st Baby 5/12/17, Henry
@ShadeofGreen816 I'd agree that checking in is a good support! Also, maybe having a couple of specific things to offer to help with? Like, I have people saying things like "oh, let me know if you need anything!" And I don't really know of a specific thing to ask for, partly because I'm a little overwhelmed, and partly because I don't really know what their level of commitment to actually wanting to help me is. Do they want to watch my older girls for a couple of hours, or do they just want to drop off a snack?
How old is/are baby(ies) (outside days/weeks and gestational age)? Henry is 4 days / 36 weeks (April 3rd)
How much does baby / do babies weigh? 4lbs 14oz today (yesterday was 4lbs 15oz) Doc isn't concerned yet but hubby and I are. less than 5 lbs and at home worries me
Recent struggles / frustrations and triumphs / milestones? everything! It was a huge surprise when he arrived, so we've been trying to get everything we need. I'm not able to breastfeed at this time due to my size and how small his mouth is. That's disappointing (I hate the nipple shield, so I threw that idea out) but I'm able to pump and get a couple feedings worth out of a single session so that's a positive for me. Wednesday he gets another weight check and jaundice check which has risen since he got out of the hospital. crossing fingers for good numbers on Wednesday!
What is coming up next (goals for baby/babies)? Got ahead of myself : ) low jaundice number, gain some weight, and survive our 2.5 hr drive to visit family for the baby shower/celebration.
Questions? Anything else?
Random: Favorite thing to order at a coffee shop (drink / pastry / etc)? I'm so addicted to multiple drinks at Starbucks...I "cant" drink regular coffee
Prayers and hugs to all you mommas and your Littles! hope everyone gets healthy and stays that way so you can enjoy the little bundles even more !
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11.2011 - DS1
02.2013 - loss at 6 wks
06.2014 - DS2
10.2015 - loss at 12 wks
03.2017 - DD
ETA: Seriously. Come join the fun.
May17 Siggy Challenge
Labor
Edit: didn't want to add too many posts... weight check went well! Little man is up just a bit, but enough that he doesn't have to be seen again until next week for his 2 week old check up.
why does time fly with these babes?? he's already a week old! I believe a couple of your Littles are at or past the month mark?! too quick