Sezza - big hugs.

I have been there. My DS was diagnosed at 20 weeks with complex heart conditions. 24 Weeks preterm labor started. Irritable uterus so home on bed rest. 30 weeks brought reversal of flow along umbilical cord and small baby (IUGR). Delivered at 36 weeks (after 12 weeks of contractions!) via non-labor c-section as he was stressed with my contractions and loosing wt. Birth wt 1.6kg (3pd 10oz). Too small for surgery so 5 weeks in NICU before airlifted to Melb.

After many open heart surgeries and issues he is now 4.5 years old and while he still has issues he is a joy.

Please PM me if you want to chat more. Anything I can do to help re chats etc would be my pleasure.

I think the main thing I did to help with the (considerable and very understandable) stress during the pregnancy was focus on what I could do for my baby. That meant relaxation techniques, celebrating each day of pregnancy as a great day for my baby, talking with our babies cardiologist, touring the NICU and getting to know the head of NICU, getting in touch with HeartKids, teaching myself how to knit and crochet and doing baby blankets for my son etc etc.

We also found out the sex through an amnio and so named our boy and started the personalized bonding from there.

Please, Please dont google. Really narrow your searches. What hospt will your baby girl have here surgery? Search their website not random ones. We had to go interstate for our surgery (SA to Vic) and so tried to also get into on where the hospt was, accommodation, shops etc.

Please contact me if you want to chat more or pick my brains.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Rachel