Thursday, November 25, 2010

Newsflash: I'm a preemie mom!

Despite all my effort to prevent preterm labor, I crossed the threshhold from pregnancy to motherhood last Friday night -- just shy of 33 weeks. My delivery date goal had been 36 weeks. Friday morning, my OB all but put me on bed rest because he said he could tell I wasn't resting enough. He commanded me to rest more and I obliged, spending all afternoon on the couch. When I went to the bahroom a little before 8 p.m., I discovered a sea of red in the toilet. Called the doctor's office and headed straight to the hospital with DH.

To make a long story short, my water had broken and I was in labor. At around 10 p.m. my OB said, "We're going to have these babies tonight." And I asked, "How soon?" He said in 30 minutes to an hour! He was right -- I got an epidural within about 30 minutes and I was in the OR for the c-section shortly after that.

Baby A, our little girl, arrived first, weighing 4 lbs. 11 oz. and was 17.5 inches long. And Baby B, our little boy, arrived two minutes later weighing 5 lbs. 1 oz. and was 18.5 inches long.

They are in the NICU and will be for several weeks. I'd love to have them home by Christmas, but I don't want them to come before they are ready. DH and I are learning a lot about the medical challenges they are facing, most of which have to do with breathing, their heart rates, and digestion -- all pretty major stuff. However, I think size is on their side. We expected them to be much smaller.

If I could keep my eyes open, I'd tell you more. But I am more sleep-deprived than ever. I got no sleep Friday night, maybe 2-3 hours Saturday night, etc. Getting home from the hospital last night helped -- you get no rest in the hospital! I'm learning to pump my breast milk -- and it's beginning to work! But I'm supposed to pump 8-9 times per day to get things established and be ready for the babies when they learn to breastfeed. Right now they each receive milk through a tiny tube inserted in the mouth -- they're getting a combination of my milk and donor milk, which we started them on because my milk had not yet come in.

I can't end this post without telling you how in love we are with these sweet babies. The boy is beautiful and the girl is feisty. I love it! (We can't really see Baby Girl's face or hair very well because of an apparatus that involves a hat and large tubes that help her breathe. Baby Boy had one, too, but he graduated a few days ago to a simpler setup that allows us to admire his sweet face.) It is hard to believe that they are just five days old.

Needless to say, I am grateful for this outcome. The NICU has its scary moments, and we certainly aren't out of the woods yet. It is overwhelming at times -- the fear that one of them won't make it. But I don't think that's what we are dealing with here.

So, I'm feeling BIG gratitude on Thanksgiving 2010. I think back to one year ago and Thanksgiving was just a week or so after our one-day workup in Denver. What a difference a year makes! I am grateful for my new babies and I'm thankful for all of you who've read my blog and supported me along this journey. What a wonderful community we share.

As I am grateful for the positive outcome I have found, I also carry much hope in my heart for equally positive outcomes for all of you who are still seeking to build your family. Do not give up hope!

Happy Thanksgiving.

10 comments:

  1. Oh wow!!! Congrats!!!! Glad thing are going well in the NICU - they will be in my thoughts. Will you share names?

    Happy Thanksgiving!!

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  2. Congratulations Susie!!! Hope all will be okay and that they can come home soon just in time for Christmas. I agree...their birth sizes are great!!

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  3. Congrats! I hope they get stronger FAST! I can't wait until you can bring them home.

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  4. Happy Thanksgiving!! Congratulations!! I can't wait to "meet" them!!

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  5. Susie, congratulations on the arrival of your little ones! I hope they continue to thrive and are out of the NICU and home with Mom and Dad soon.

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  6. Congrats Susie!! I mean congrats MOM!! They both sound adorable, tubes and all, and those are some good preemie birth weights. I wish your new family a very happy Thanksgiving.

    YAY!! :)

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  7. Congrats Mama Susie!!! Happy Thanksgiving!

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  8. Congratulations!!! I'll be praying and hoping for you to have them home ASAP. Please keep us posted!!

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  9. Congratulations, Mama!!! I'm so thrilled for you! Hope the babies thrive and come home ASAP! : ) I am so happy that I followed you along your journey; I can't tell you how much hope you gave me.

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  10. Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope they are healthy and come home very soon.

    Pez

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