Premature Baby?
I gave birth to my baby 5 weeks ago now, because the amniotic fluid had mysteriously disappeared (my waters hadn’t broke) and she was only 30 weeks gestation . She also had a low birth weight of 1.1kg. She is still in NICU and has had 2 blood transfusions for severe anaemia. She is on a small amount of oxygen as she has a little trouble maintaining the oxygen flow around her body. It’s been tough and I really want her well so that I can bring her home (She is feeding well by bottle and putting on weight - now 1.9kg).
I was just wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation, and what their experience was. Also I’d like to know how the got through such a mentally tiring time.
Thanx
My baby she is 5 month old now , but she was born 31 weeks .
I have spend the first 2 month of her life in the NICU so i know what are you going through. I had the RH disease , my baby was born with the worst stubborn anemia, her hemoglobin was 2 when she was born( normal is over 9), she had an exchange transfusion( they try to change the whole amount of blood in the body) plus another 4 transfusions after in the NICU and out of NICU.my baby was 1.7 kg.
I feel you what you go through i was spending 20 hours a day in the hospital with her, and believe me many times i was afraid that she will not make it. Still its good news that your baby does good with the feeding and the bottle. Feeding was a big problem for us and still is even today , a struggle.
How i got through…honest i do not know i never had time to think about me everything was about my baby i never paid attention that i have a headache or i am falling asleep driving,i was like a zombie, but God gives you power i guess..It’s my first and only baby , i am 37 years old but looking back now i was a ghost sleeping only 2-3 hour a night or on a chair at my baby’s bed.
Try to be informed about everything regarding your baby, go on the net , google it , do not be afraid to ask questions the nurses or doctors…that’s what you can do for your baby to help her is very important to know what going on with her , helps you being alert later to your baby’s behavior or symptoms. It will help later a lot when you get her home.
Having a preemie is no walk in the park, i was terrified to get my baby home, specialy she was sympthomatic because the anemia( she had 2 more transfusions since she left NICU) she was dessetin and havin bradies.Every time when her monitor was going off i was terriefied that maybe her heart stoped, i have not slept a whole night in 5 month .But it helped a lot because i knew in detail what is her condition and what to expect.
Beeing on oxigen helps your baby specialy during feeding time , but check with the nurse she can be a lasy one and to set the oxygen higher during feedings to make it easier on her and demaging your baby’s vision.
Also my advise is to stay with your baby during the transfusions bacause at a such small preemie the veins are minuscule and with an IV that burst the vein and is not stoped right the way the blood goes under your baby’s skin and hurts very bad also it bruises, and nurses are checking the IVs but not every sec like you would do it being there. This is what i did..It’s hard but being informed about her condition, talking with the doctors and holding her every day( kanguroo care) is the best you can do. If you have any specific questions i am a specialist in preemies since my baby also my best friend she’s a neonatalogis at NICU so maybe i can help. Pray to GOD he will lisen and will take care of your baby….At NICU with those tiny babys is only GOD’s hand that helps them…
i completely understand what u goin thru replica situation happened wz my sis in law but i must say ur baby is putting on beautifully so not to worry and yes think this phase will pass soon so try not to stressed also u could seriously think about breastfeeding im sure it will help anemia problem and yes breastmilk is best
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hi there i gave birth to twin boys at 28 weeks and its not easy but in the long run it will get better my boys are 5 now but we had alot of problems after they were born with operations and incidents where they stopped breathing they had lots of transfusions and so many times i was worried they would not pull through take each day as it comes and it will get better try expressing some milk which will help make your baby stronger but please don’t feel this is your fault
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similar thing happened to my friends sister tasha’s daughter ella she was born on the 24/5 and had severe anaemia.. after a blood transfusion she picked up an infection or virus and started fitting ~& then she stopped breahting and turned blue..tasha felt really let down by the hospital as they didnt notice in time the baby was put on a life support machine but was taken off it after several hours aas she wasn’t making any progress and couldn;t breathe alone or anything she passsed away a few hours later on 31/05/08
sorry you prob didnt wanna hearthat & i hope that didnt scare you
hope things go well for you & your babyxxx
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im a mother of a 8 month old baby boy, and i know that no mother wants to see their baby ill.
however, my cousins had her baby 4 months early, her waters borke and the labour pain just started. she had a baby boy, who was so small, maybe the size of 1 block of butter, he actually looked like a small toy. there were machines and wires everywhere, he couldnt breathe on his own, he couldnt drink milk as he didnt know how to suck, he had no eyelashes, no eyebrows, no nails, as these things still hadnt developed. My cousin was at the hospital day and night, she couldnt even touch him as there was a risk that her son could get infection as his immune system hadnt fully developed…. just imagine a mother cant even touch her own baby.
she was adviced by the doctor to give her son breast milk, which they fed through a tube.
im telling u all this coz u daughter was born at 30 weeks, but my cousins son was born at 5 months and he’s now 2 and half yrs old, he’s survived, he’s just like a normal baby .. although still alittle small in size, they have alot of facitlites these days and im confident that everything wll be fine.
before u know it u will be home with ur little girl, things r already looking up, shes gaining weight which is a great sign, i understand its very tiring mentally and psychically but ur doing the best u can as a mother.
try to look on the positive side…….which is shes getting better.
dont worry and congrats takecare hun x
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My twin sister&I were both born 4 months early. My parents kept a diary-type thing and wrote down everything that happend before we came home [me a few weeks before my sister]. We turned out fine; we’re turning 14 next month.
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ME!
My cousin gave birth to twins last august, she was only 25 weeks along, one twin only lived for a few weeks, and the other one didn’t come home from the hospital till late december….he has had a lot of tough things to over come but now he is doing really well, he is almost a year old. Here is the link to their story, there are pics on there of them, it’s amazing how small he was and how big he is now! Just stay strong and think positively! GOOD LUCK!
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http://www.colbyandaverysstory.blogspot.com
Well I haven’t gone through the experience as a mom. But I was born 3 months premature weighing 2lbs 7oz and only 14 inches long. I was so tiny that I only had 2 cotton balls and a doctors mask as my diaper. Just remember that this is just a small time period in the rest of her life. That she will get bigger and stronger, and that one day, if she hasn’t already, she will bring you the greatest joy there is. I wish you the best of luck, and you will be in my prayers. I have always had a soft spot for fellow preemies. Take care.
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i gave birth to my daughter at 23 weeks she spent a total of 12 months all but 3 days in hospital she was 1lb 1oz when she was born and given a 1000 to 1 chance of pulling through shes now 14 months old and despite sill being on oxygen and nasel-gastric feeding she is a strong cookie my daughter went through pretty much most things an extreme preemie can she had surgery on her eyes, bowel x3, heart, lungs, shes had n.e.c and other Prem pr-obs too so hold in there if u believe hard enough she will get home i was told girls always have a stronger chance then boys and after watching the ICU come and go for so long i can well believe it keep your chin up i know its hard but it will be over when soon and when it is you will be just the e most proud per-ant in the city
References :
My baby she is 5 month old now , but she was born 31 weeks .
I have spend the first 2 month of her life in the NICU so i know what are you going through. I had the RH disease , my baby was born with the worst stubborn anemia, her hemoglobin was 2 when she was born( normal is over 9), she had an exchange transfusion( they try to change the whole amount of blood in the body) plus another 4 transfusions after in the NICU and out of NICU.my baby was 1.7 kg.
I feel you what you go through i was spending 20 hours a day in the hospital with her, and believe me many times i was afraid that she will not make it. Still its good news that your baby does good with the feeding and the bottle. Feeding was a big problem for us and still is even today , a struggle.
How i got through…honest i do not know i never had time to think about me everything was about my baby i never paid attention that i have a headache or i am falling asleep driving,i was like a zombie, but God gives you power i guess..It’s my first and only baby , i am 37 years old but looking back now i was a ghost sleeping only 2-3 hour a night or on a chair at my baby’s bed.
Try to be informed about everything regarding your baby, go on the net , google it , do not be afraid to ask questions the nurses or doctors…that’s what you can do for your baby to help her is very important to know what going on with her , helps you being alert later to your baby’s behavior or symptoms. It will help later a lot when you get her home.
Having a preemie is no walk in the park, i was terrified to get my baby home, specialy she was sympthomatic because the anemia( she had 2 more transfusions since she left NICU) she was dessetin and havin bradies.Every time when her monitor was going off i was terriefied that maybe her heart stoped, i have not slept a whole night in 5 month .But it helped a lot because i knew in detail what is her condition and what to expect.
Beeing on oxigen helps your baby specialy during feeding time , but check with the nurse she can be a lasy one and to set the oxygen higher during feedings to make it easier on her and demaging your baby’s vision.
Also my advise is to stay with your baby during the transfusions bacause at a such small preemie the veins are minuscule and with an IV that burst the vein and is not stoped right the way the blood goes under your baby’s skin and hurts very bad also it bruises, and nurses are checking the IVs but not every sec like you would do it being there. This is what i did..It’s hard but being informed about her condition, talking with the doctors and holding her every day( kanguroo care) is the best you can do. If you have any specific questions i am a specialist in preemies since my baby also my best friend she’s a neonatalogis at NICU so maybe i can help. Pray to GOD he will lisen and will take care of your baby….At NICU with those tiny babys is only GOD’s hand that helps them…
References :