thread: So we begin our NICU journey....

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  1. #1
    Registered User

    Jul 2007
    melb
    8,498

    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

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Mar 2007
    Melbourne
    4,031

    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.

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Oct 2008
    SA
    1,078

    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

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Follow Early Kids On Twitter

    Oct 2007
    Eastern Wheatbelt WA
    3,282

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

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Jul 2005
    Sydney
    7,896

    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?

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Sep 2005
    whoop whoop or not, not sure yet!!!
    1,347

    Exciting to hear Heidi is doing so well. Try to take it easy on yourself and rest where you can. Enjoy those wonderful cuddles.

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    ★ nor here nor there ★
    4,134

    You are doing an amazing job hun.

    It can be so hard walking away from their isolettes, when all you want to do is pick them up and cuddle them and be there with them every minute of the day. I was like leesa I found it a tiny bit easier to leave when DD was asleep, the most horrible time was walking into the nursery and DD sreaming her lungs out under the bili lights, completely nude, not even a nappy to cover her, it was just heartbreaking all I wanted to do was rip her out and hold her tight, but she needed to be there.

    My pump sat next to me for over 12 months, and it really does become your "best friend", I even had a friend who was expressing at the same time and we would have "expressing sessions" and chat on Messenger, and it was so helpful to know that there was someone on the other end of a pump at the same time, it makes it a lot less lonely and can take your focus off it as well, to make things a bit easier if you are able get a second expressing kit/attachments, I found that those nights when you are really tired having a spare set - that you can get DH to wash for you, makes it a tiny bit easier

    It is brilliant news that she is gaining weight, every gram makes a big difference and she is doing such an amazing job for a 25 weeker, next time you give her a lovely cuddle make sure she knows that there are a lot of guardian angels thinking of her and protecting her. I am so glad they got the central line in and that she is coping well with the changes it brings, and absolutely thrilled youa re enjoying some amazing Kangaroo cuddles, it is truely amazing how strong the healing and comforting powers of Kangaroo care can do.

    Take care and I am glad that you DH is such an amazing support for you
    xxoo

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Oct 2008
    SA
    1,078

    Hi everyone, we've had a very busy few days & I haven't had much time to spend at the computer. Heidi is still going so well. She is 2 weeks old now, and she'll tick over to 28 weeks gestation on Sunday so she is just a little champion. Hard to believe we were on a knife-edge so recently. Her weight has remained stable, and she is still doing well maintaining her breathing with minimal CPAP support. Every few days she goes back under phototherapy if her bilirubin levels go up a bit but that is all perfectly normal. Her tummy issues seemed to have resolved so the little guzzler is now tolerating a whole 1ml of EBM every hour! Such a tiny little munchkin. She is teaching us so much about being strong....surely if she can do this so can we I keep reminding myself.

    We're travelling along ok. I think I finally hit my wall yesterday. Its amazing how exhaustion of both the physical & emotional kind sort of creeps up on you for a few days then suddenly decides to take you down in one heap all of a sudden. DP was working yesterday and DS was with MIL for the whole day so I had a day completely for me to spend with Heidi. I spent 9am-2pm at the hospital before I had to force myself home. I got into bed and just cried & cried. I needed to let a lot out, I hadn't really allowed myself to since her birth. There is so much running through my mind all the time, I just can't switch off. The mummy guilt has kicked in majorly. Poor DS is sick and teething and constipated, and is so upset whenever we drop him off somewhere or leave the house without him. And the need to be with Heidi is so compelling for me, I am feeling so torn right now. I know DS will be ok, and that he needs to adapt a little bit under the circumstances but its very very hard for me right now. I just hope he starts feeling better soon and is a bit more resilient.

    Expressing is going ok. I found out during the week that Fenugreek is NOT my friend. The label did say "may cause loose stools" and I though, ok, not likely to happen. Well it did. I had diarrhoea of gastro proportions and suffice to say that I didn't need that wiping me out right now. So no more Fenugreek. And my right boob is seriously letting the team down. Despite expressing for longer on that side its still not doing much - it takes double the time to get half the amount of what my left boob will produce and I'm getting very frustrated. Its as if some of the little ducts in the nipple haven't opened up - the left one just sprays out thank goodness. Otherwise we'd be stuffed.

    Janie, I have to send the biggest hug & thank you your way for sending me the ABA booklet - its been really helpful for me to read and has given me a lot of hope. You truly are amazing.

    The hardest thing for me right now is that simply, I miss my baby girl so badly. We've shared a few more cuddles over the last week, I've given her a sponge bath and if I'm there when they do her feeds & cares I generally do those too. But I'm not getting anywhere near enough time with her and I just don't know how to juggle things any better right now. Its tearing at me 24/7. She needs her mummy so much and I need her, I just don't know how to resolve that right now. I feel like my time with her is so broken. I have people asking me for photos and I just can't bring myself to share her yet because I feel like I hardly even know her well enough yet. I've taken the phone off the hook because Im sick of fielding phone calls from well meaning family who want a blow-by-blow update.

    Thank you all for thinking of us xx your support and the opportunity to come in here and let things out is a real relief.

  9. #9
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber

    Jan 2006
    11,633

    I'm so glad to hear how well she's doing. I can't imagine how tough this is for you
    I'm thinking of you and hope you can have your family all together again at home soon

  10. #10
    BellyBelly Member

    Oct 2008
    Over The Rainbow
    1,142

    You are doing such a great job, you are so strong, i know where your little girl gets it from
    i can't even imagine what your going through hun, all i can say is your doing so well and your 2 beautiful babies are very lucky to have u as their mum.
    My thoughts are with u and your beautiful miracle child xox big hugs
    Last edited by Butterfly Child; July 9th, 2010 at 01:39 PM. : spelling error

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Jul 2005
    Sydney
    7,896

    Woohoo on the weight gain!! I am sending all the strength vibes I can your way, hun.

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Mar 2008
    North Northcote
    8,065

    oh wow! she is doing so well with that weight gain! go Heidi!!

  13. #13
    Registered User

    Nov 2004
    Chasing Daylight...
    2,034

    Wonderful news I hope tomorrow is another good day.