Premmie Mums #8

[kitten2b]

Maria (34.4weeks 2.050kg) was taken away from me as well, I know DH was with her but it was still traumatising. I had a retained placenta as well, my veins collapsed and had to be taken to theatre an hour after delivering her, no body told DH what was happening to me as I had started bleeding whilst he was in NBIC. He had authorised them to give her formula until my milk came in (like me he didn't know any better). They had given me an epidural so I could have the D&C and it was only supposed to last 3 hours, well 12 hours later I still couldn't feel my bum which mad it hard to get down to the unit and see maria. They did give me a picture of Maria up in the ward, and they did push me past her after I left recovery but I couldn't see much. Up in the ward I was in a room on my own, no nurses really came near me, I had no idea what I was meant to do, no one told me I had to express until about 8 hours after she was born, and then I had the MW from hell who just grabbed my boob and squeezed.

With Sofia (34.6 weeks 1.800kg) I was much more prepared, 1. I had been through it all before 2 years earlier. 2. I never really felt I would get to term even though I was going through the birth centre again and hoped to at least get to 37 weeks. I had a plan this time, the drip was put in as soon as I got to hospital (veins did collapse again), at lot of care was given to make sure the placenta came away quicker, but this time they gave me Sofia to hold whilst they were doing it. Even though she was tiny I was able to have skin to skin contact and she even tried to breastfeed at 15 minutes old - (she is still breastfeeding at 2 years old). She was much healthier than maria as was I, and would have been transferred to Level 1 care a week earlier if there had been beds. The nurses were really supportive, I knew most of them from when Maria was in there, I was a good milking cow and came out of hosspital with 5 litres of milk, I was able to give Maria a vial a day with her cow milk there was so much, Fia ended up using hardly any of it.

I also feel a bit of a fraud posting in here, the girls are fine, small but so are DH and myself, Maria does have some sensory issues and is very clingy until she is happy in a group, then is very outgoing.

[Early Kids]

Hi Louise! Don't feel like a fraud, just because they are doing well now doesn't take away those first few weeks

[tk1999]

Hi Louise! Don't feel like a fraud, just because they are doing well now doesn't take away those first few weeks

:yeahthat:

[ladybird11]

Totally agree with the other girls on that...

Those first few weeks can really take a toll on you - mentally and physically!

Welcome !

[~Serenity~]

hey all havent been round for ages...i have four kids 3 premmies taniesha (35wks 2.5kg)
Hunter (30+4 1.5kg) Serenity (32+3 1.5kg)........hunter was in hosp 4.5weeks and i ended up donating 21lt to the milk bank and serenity was in hosp 3.5 weeks and i donated almost 10 lt.......

[Early Kids]

Hey hun, your kiddies did so well

[tk1999]

Heavenly... you and your bubbas have done so well

[Early Kids]

Had Tristan weighed yesterday.... he is 7 months old and 5990 grams (13lb 3oz) he gained 250 gram this month. He is yet to double his birth weight... He is still breastfed and is on one-two solids per day (slowly upping the amount too) Brendan weighed more than Tristan at 7 months old...

I know that a gain is a gain, but Tristan is no where near gaining enough. His length and HC have followed their graph line since birth, his weight is dropping further and further off the bottom. He started off on the 25th %ile for real age! The CHN is being very lenient with Tristan because he looks healthy... but if he doesn't have a decent gain and start to pick up on his graph then he's likely to be labelled FTT... next weigh 19th Feb, when they will both be done.

I have aDr appt today too, being having some abdominal pain since Christmas eve, had an u/s a week ago and the Dr called me back in... found some things... Hopefully I can get something for the pain!

Hope everyone else is well. xxx

[*Beema*]

*hugs* Sal, you know what you are doing hun, I am sure he will pick up in time. A gain is a gain, don't feel bad about his size you have a happy bub and plenty of the wet nappies etc and they are what is important xxoo

18 months check up

We had it this morning along with the 18 month needle, she cried for the needle but ended up being more upset when I took away the crayons and pencils afterwards

She is HUGE!!
Chub: 11.5kg she is on the 50th%ile
Tallness: 77.5 (ok not that tall 10th%ile)

She is thinning out more now so will probably balance out her weight and height over the next few months.

Cough is ever present and Dr listened to the usual cracks and pops :roll: she did a lovely cough for him as well, eye's popped out of his head.. ah yes it was "normal" for her. He seemed to really just went "oh"... because I spoke to him in medical terms as to what it was, what was the possible cause it and the treatment we are following

She has some Eczaema on the back of one of her legs, has only just appeared in the last few days, once again I had already started treating it with Dermaid, he said perfect Was no surprise when it came up as I had infantile eczaema and DH has dermotitis and I have psoriosis!

He asked about walking etc, explained the hypermobility and went through everything she had achieved in the last few months, thanks to weekly physio, so once again all going along nicely.

He was happy with her talking, she said "ta" when he gave her something and she asked him for some for "cheese" (teese), and happily sat there

Lucky for us it was bulk billed, as it wouldn't have been any point paying seeing as I seemed to have already been diagnosing and treating everything myself!!!

So IMHO dear little Miss is pretty darn "average"

[Early Kids]

Oh Beema thats so awesome!!! WTG Nakita 11.5kg is awesome!!

[butterfly_warrior]

I think this is just an indication of how positively ENORMOUS my little boy has got... We had our 12 month check just recently, and he's a little bit lighter and a little bit taller than Nakita. 11.4kg and 78cm (but the measuring thingy didn't go any longer!). We're sitting between the 75th and 90th percentiles - except his head circumference which is solidly on the 90th. You'd never believe he was a prem to look at him now, but I'm finding that with the passing of his birthday and the anniversary of his EDD it's doing my head in now more than ever.

TK, I ordered a doll. I honestly think it will help. I hope it will, anyway.

BW

[*Beema*]

Thanks Sal

BW, and for Sam, he is doing just wonderfully , he within the same range with each of his %iles and on the chart for his age, you wouldn't believe it with N either, and it nice to not get the constant array of "ohh isn't she tiny" and dirty looks people thinking that your child it too small to be out of hospital or that you are starving them!

They didn't do N's head at her 18 months check but when she was in hospital in October, her head was on the 97th%ile, weight 25th%ile and length 10th%ile, so you can imagine the Dr's getting a bit stressed over it I lost count of how many Paed's measured it and asked mountains of questions. I never thought there was anything wrong, she just has a big noggin

[Sally2]

Way to go Nikita!

Sal, Tristan sounds like he is a happpy and contented little baby who is getting enough to eat, perhaps he was always going to be small? Would it be an issue if he hadn't been a prem? I think you are doing an amazing job with both boys, what lucky kids to have such dedicated parents as you two!

Charlie is a big boofer at 11.8kgs, he has certainly caught up size wise, we have been very lucky with our long term 'issue's', we will see what he is like next winter if the chronic lung thingy is better or if we do the hospy run's again......

butterfly warrior, we couldn't bring ourselves to order a doll, we have a stuffed monkey that was in the cot with charlie when he was born and it's the same length, skinny legs, same size head etc but I can still food myself into thinking " Oh, Charlie was a bit bitter than that, he was heavier etc etc. " I think the reality of the doll would just be too much. A premmie mum friend of ours has one of her daughter, she was only 24 weeks and I don't cope with that AT ALL it's tooooooo small, toooo confronting........ But it's been really important for her to remember how small Tilly was when she was born....
Whatever it takes to get through is my philosopy, I still don't cope very well remembering those days........Charlie's due date is coming up and we just passed his coming home date a few days ago.....

[*Beema*]

Big Hugs Sally2

I hope the CLD is improving has he had any recent scans? We've been told to expect another crap winter with N as well, hoping we can avoid the hospitals as well, way too many visits last year

A few friends have been the same with the dolls, I got mine so I could really remember, although I wish I had gone for a fells like rather than actual ad the actual just doesn't "feel right"

[~Serenity~]

i dont have any issues dealing with the fact i had 3 premmies,maybe cos niesha was 35 weeks and didnt need to go to nursery and then with hunter i knew something was wrong and he would be safe before he arrived and with serenity i was in shock hoping id go longer but id done it all before so i was an old hand so it just seemed lilke no biggy to me.....i dont think id get a doll cos i like thinking she still small and my baby and it would show how much shes grown

[butterfly_warrior]

I've heard so many stories of 35 weekers doing better and getting out of hospital faster than 36 weekers. Does anyone know why that is? I guess I've also heard of some 36 week babies popping out much, much bigger than Sam and not needing SCN at all... and it bugs me that Sam needed to be in there for so long... especially so when I realise he probably could have got out much quicker (and we may have been able to BF properly) if a stupid nurse hadn't put in an NG tube that was too short and probably caused us our biggest problems!

BW

[ladybird11]

I'm just soooo happy all these premmie babies are healthy and thriving !

[Early Kids]

It all depends on baby, why they were prem, their size, whether steroids were given, ect ect. there are so so so many factors.

The following is statistics taken from Lil Aussie Prems, on gestation VS Hospital stay (I've taken out the babies names for privacy reasons) and it is still by far better to reach 36 weeks than what it is any less xxx

23 weeks
Average: 163 days/ 23+3 weeks

24 weeks
Average: 147 days / 21 weeks

25 weeks
Average: 106 days /15+1 weeks

26 weeks
Average: 114 days/16+2weeks

27 weeks
Average: 89 days /12+5 weeks

28 weeks
Average: 74 days/ 10+4 weeks

29 weeks
Average: 60 days / 8+4 weeks

30 weeks
Average: 51 days / 7+2 weeks

31 weeks
Average:41 days / 5+6 weeks

32 weeks
Average: 37 days /5+2 weeks

33 weeks
Average: 23 days / 3+2 weeks

34 weeks
Average: 18 days / 2+4 weeks

35 weeks
Average:15 days/ 2+1weeks

36 weeks
Average: 11 days /1+4 weeks