So we begin our NICU journey....

[Inanna]

Aaah I also smiled reading about your first kanga cuddle!

I am glad to hear your milk supply is doing well - you are amazing! Good work boobies!!!! I also took the sheet when it was changed from her isolette. Most tertiary hospitals in NICU won't let you put something of yours in there though due to cross infection. So, just a thought and what I did was when they did "cares" I took her sheet and brought it back the next day for my next Immy smell fix! Might help you. xxx

The other thing that helped me (& I like to think Imogen) was I put up positive affirmations over her isolette. I also had Quan Yin (she's special to me) and Mother Mary (my ex husbands Aunt was a nun). They protected her whilst I wasn't there! I also had a photo of her siblings up to watch over her...

All thoughts that you can take and ponder.

Big cuddles to you & special kisses to your special girl.

[Janie]

The photos are a lovely idea . We also had toys that DS1 had given DS2 tied to his IV pole. DS1 also drew him a picture that we laminated, and stuck to the isolette . I think those things helped DS1 as well, I felt he got ripped off too, of that lovely experience that most have of meeting their new sibling.

Don't be afraid to ask for kanga cuddles. You will soon enough get to know the 'routine' of things, but in the meantime, if you're not sure, just ask. Sometimes staff can be really busy, and don't realise that you're waiting to hold your baby (when you get to that point). It sounds as though your milk is coming in well, which is tremendous. Breastmilk is so so important for premmies, especially micro-prems. Those kanga cuddles will help your supply even more . If you pump soon after, you may be impressed by how much more milk there is!

Do you know yet when you'll be discharged from hospital?

[Inanna]

Aaaah we had the toys too Janie... All in plastic bags hanging on iv poles! *trip down memory lane*...

[feeb]

Aww glad to hear things are going well! I got teary reading about your first kangaroo cuddle.

Keep up the good work with expressing, take care.
xoxoxo

[~me~]

Ahhh, so nice to read *sigh*. I hope things just getting more positive for you.
Congratulations on your precious fighting little girl...what a trooper she is.
So nice you already had your first cuddles..this is such a positive premmie story, thankyou for sharing with us
I look forward to listening to all your updates..these have already bought tears and smiles.
Take care Infinity.
I hope your little man is coping ok too.

[*Infinity*]

Thank you all again. The photos are a lovely idea, it would be great to have her big brother watching over her. I'm unsure if we're allowed to put any keepsakes or toys in her cot, but the nurse did mention to me that if we want to bring an iPod or recorder of some description along with stories that we read or music she might like, they'll happily pop that in with her too.

Janie - I actually discharged myself from hossy about 12 hours after she was born. She arrived in a big hurry and I was up and about fairly quickly, so my recovery has been very swift which has helped a great deal with my state of mind and being able to keep it together. Plus hospital is not a restful place for me - we needed to come home and re-charge.

I'm trying now to stay focussed on being healthy & strong, to get my milk supply on track and to keep our heads' above water. I've already outstripped what she will need in terms of EBM for the next few weeks at least - the tiny little possum is only taking 1ml every 4 hours.

It looks like tomorrow they will remove her arterial lines and insert a central line into her arm or leg which is quite distressing for me, but we'll see how the day goes. She is teaching us so much already about strength and fighting, we need to take her lead.

Goodnight all xx

[Early Kids]

Congratulations of the arrival of your darling girl.
Sending you guys all the strength needed for the coming months.

[Jennifer13]

Glad to hear Heidi is continuing to do well and gaining weight - clever girl! That milk must be well and truly doing it's job. You're a fabulous Mumma to be putting in all of this effort for your tiny girl. Take care of yourself where you can. Apart from DP, do you have any IRL support?

[ladybird11]

Aaaah we had the toys too Janie... All in plastic bags hanging on iv poles! *trip down memory lane*...

I remember the toys around the humidicrib, the blankets that used to be on placed over it to stop the light coming thru, sterilising the hands upon walking into the NICU / SCBU (everytime I smell that stuff it reminds me of those times....The top to toe baths, and by gosh I was good at changing a nappy while DD was in the humidicrib...

Most of all I remember the kindness of the nurses :-)