# Introducing Gabriel James born at 30 weeks 5 dys Update page 3



## rensben

Hello everyone,

Well after having an emergency cerclage put in at 21 weeks and 10 weeks of bed rest, Gabriel James finally decided to make his entrance. I started having regular contractions on Sunday evening and decided to go to the hospital. They managed to stop me from going into labour for 2 days, just enough time for the steriod shots. Then on Wednesday morning the contractions started back up and they decided to take out the stitch and let things progress naturally. Well two hours later, Gabriel arrived! He was crying and breathing on his own. He didn't need any help at all and now 3 days later he is still breathing all on his own! He has no problems other than being small and needing to feed and grow :happydance:

I almost feel as if it is too good to be true and then he will take a turn for the worst in the near future. He has bouts of apnea from time to time which make me panick but everyone assures me that it's normal at this stage. I find myself worrying about things that haven't happened yet. How do I stop?
 



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## lizziedripping

Oh Rensben he is so beautiful - you have done so well :hugs: What a strong, healthy looking little boy!

You won't stop worrying hun - partly being a Mum, and partly because he has made an early entrance. Apnea is common at this gestation, but perfectly manageable. He's just finding his feet and learning to get his breathing just right - it's quite a skill. His lungs are growing daily, and as they do the apnea will diminish.

THis is the reason feeding is a bit tricky - sucking, swallowing and breathing all at the same time takes practice - but that is why they are supporting him for now. I didn't manage to get Evie past 24wks when I presented with a dilated cervix - you did, and you have given your munckin every chance of a short, trouble-free NICU stay.

Well done - and keep thinking positive thoughts :hugs::hugs:


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## AP

:wave: Welcome over to our lil club ;)

He is gorgeous - lizziedripping has explained it all well though. It does just all 'come together' its often like a light switch that just flicks on!

its normal to worry about the things ahead, just be open, and know that it wont be long til you can take him home!


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## ProudMum

wow... hes gorgeous. 10 weeks early and looks fighting fit!!! congratulations xxxx


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## embojet

He is gorgeous x


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## Laura2919

Aww he is gorgeous huni. 
Congrats x


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## rensben

Thanks ladies...I think he's pretty special too!

Lizzied..thank you for your continued words of wisdom! Today was a difficult day because I think I have come down from the high of the actual birth to realizing the reality of the situation. Gabriel had a couple of bouts of apnea this morning and was being treated for jaundice as well which I know is all normal for his gestation. I just need to learn to deal with it all. How are things coming along for you? Your boys will be here very soon!


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## lizziedripping

rensben said:


> Thanks ladies...I think he's pretty special too!
> 
> Lizzied..thank you for your continued words of wisdom! Today was a difficult day because I think I have come down from the high of the actual birth to realizing the reality of the situation. Gabriel had a couple of bouts of apnea this morning and was being treated for jaundice as well which I know is all normal for his gestation. I just need to learn to deal with it all. How are things coming along for you? Your boys will be here very soon!

Hi there :hugs:

I'm ok thanks hun. Babies still in there - but constantly on "red alert" for their arrival. Bump is very achey and off/on braxton hicks which are essentially painless. Still can't shake the 'fear' despite having got this far - legacy of a 24weeker I think :nope:

You are doing so well. Intensive care is a scary and intimidating experience hun for any loving Mum. You can know your baby is going to be ok, but anything short of bringing home a full-term child is very upsetting. This is a normal emotion, and totally understandable. Don't expect too much from yourself, you've had a very stressful few months at a time when you should have been enjoying your pregnancy, and looking forward to having your first child. Something most other women take for granted. You need time to come to terms with this, and it will take time - but don't pressure yourself to be "super mum" :hugs:

As for Gabriel - he is a little star. Every little hiccup he has will undermine your confidence hun, but so far all that he is doing is very typical for a baby born at this gestation, and all things which he'll grow out of fairly quickly. Have you managed to express any milk? It's an advantage, but not essential and don't beat yourself up if you're not up to it.

Take each day as it comes, think positive thoughts and keep the end in sight. Before you know it, you'll be taking your healthy baby home - and you can both begin to heal from this traumatic experience :hugs::hugs::hugs:


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## LOZANDEVIE

Congratulations hun .... he is absolutely beautiful!! :hugs::hugs: x x x x Wishing you all the best x x


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## katy1310

awwww, congratulations, he is so gorgeous!

Sophie has had little bouts of apnea too. She was born at 27 weeks exactly and breathed on her own to start with then went on the ventilator for a little while because she was so little and getting tired. The apnea got worse last week and they put her back on the ventilator for 6 days and since she came off she has only had apnea once in 4 days which is brilliant.

She has also been treated for jaundice a couple of times but is coming on in leaps and bounds now. She will be 30 weeks tomorrow and we can see such a massive difference in the 3 weeks since she arrived - you will notice the same, he will change and improve all the time. 

He will soon recognise your touch and your voice (if he doesn't already) and will start to respond differently to you to the way he does to the nurses.

Hopefully the nurses will let you get involved as much as possible - I have changed 3 nappies now, had my first cuddle today which was amazing! - and have been feeding Sophie with a syringe since the first week. 

I epxected it to be much harder than it is having a baby in the neonatal unit - yes it's awful not being able to bring her home, and we can't wait for the day we can bring her home, but at the same time it's a way of life that you quickly get used to and I think that we will have special memories of this time as well as wishing it had all been "normal".


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## Anna Barry

Congrats and welcome!!! He is lovely and sounds like a fighter!!! Yes the worrying starts now, i asked the same question and got the same answer, You always worry about them!!!!!!xxxx


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## mum2beagain

Aww he's lovely hun how much did he weigh?xx


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## rensben

Thank ladies,

He weighed 3.6 pounds when he was born. He weighs a little less now 4 days later but I know that is normal. He didn't have such a good day today. He had many dsats this morning and they put him on cpap this evening. He's doing much better with the cpap so maybe he was just getting tired. I hate seeing him with tubes up his nose but I know it's helping him. Sometimes when I think about him with all of the tubes in him it makes me so upset and panicky. It is actually getting harder as each day passes because I just love him more and more and the thought of anything happening to him just terrifies me...


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## CazH

Hello Gabriel welcome to the world!!! Dont worry about cpap these little ones do get worn out real quick, Apnea and Bradys are completely normal and do are cpap help to so do not panic!! You are on the best site for support there are a lot of ladies who can offer advice. I send you all the best in your journey on the unit xx:hugs:


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## Bec L

Congratulations again hun. He is gorgeous. You've done so well xx


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## rensben

Hi ladies,

A bit of an update. Gabriel is 1 week old today and he is doing great. I got to hold him for the first time today! He was off his cpap and was breathing well. I held him for over an hour and it was so hard to let go. He still has some jaundice and he still has his IV in but they are going to take it out tomorrow. He is digesting well and has 20ml of milk every 3 hours. I hope he starts putting on some weight soon. Here is his lastest photo!
 



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## lizziedripping

OMG what a beautiful baby Rensben - you lucky thing :hugs:

Try not to worry about cpap my sweet - I know it's scary, but it really is a minimal form of breathing support. It just stops his lungs fully deflating when he exhales, so that inhaling again is easier for him. They give it purely because he's tired - given he has breathed for himself since birth is brilliant, and hardly surprising that it has tired him out.

Nothing bad will happen - he will just continue to grow, put on weight and adjust to the world - no mean feat :winkwink: Cpap is a much needed puff of air that's all, he is still breathing very much for himself. 

Hope you're looking afer yourself too hun - mums often forget that is just as important as taking care of bubs :hugs:

Keep positive - the little lambkin will be home and in your arms very soon xxx


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## Foogirl

He is so lovely!

Glad things are getting better. It is so hard at first to take it all in, but as time goes on, you get used to it.

Look forward to a heap of amazing "firsts" You've had the first cuddle, then there will be the C-pap coming off, moving to a cot.....it's so exciting!


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## grumpymoo

Awwwwww, congratulations! He is so gorgeous and doing so well :)


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## quail

congrats he is beautiful.xxx


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## katy1310

rensben said:


> Hi ladies,
> 
> A bit of an update. Gabriel is 1 week old today and he is doing great. I got to hold him for the first time today! He was off his cpap and was breathing well. I held him for over an hour and it was so hard to let go. He still has some jaundice and he still has his IV in but they are going to take it out tomorrow. He is digesting well and has 20ml of milk every 3 hours. I hope he starts putting on some weight soon. Here is his lastest photo!


He is sooooo gorgeous! That first cuddle is just so special - I had my first cuddle with Sophie last weekend, 3 weeks after she was born, and daddy had his first cuddle yesterday. Try not to worry if he has to go back on CPAP etc - he is still so little and they do get tired out quickly - it's brilliant that he is able to manage without it already. Sophie was on CPAP rather than a ventilator but was put onto the ventilator at 29 weeks for a few days because she was having quite a lot of dips, but she was fine when she came back off it and they have tried her off the CPAP a few times and she is starting to get better off it. She was just 27 weeks when she was born. She is now nearly 4 weeks old (would be 31 weeks on Sunday if I was still pregnant) and is really starting to put weight on now. When she was first born she was getting 0.5ml of milk every 3 hours but they have gradually increased it and she now gets 9ml every hours but they are doing half breastmilk, half formula to put weight on her. She will then go back to just breastmilk. The nurse told us yesterday that once they reach around 30-32 weeks you really start to see them put weight on, and once it starts, you see big changes really regularly, so I'm sure that will happen with your little man. He looks absolutely great on the pictures, Sophie was so tiny and thin and red when she was born and is really starting to fill out now so I'm sure your little one will do really well. 

He really does look fantastic and it sounds as if he is doing brilliantly :) They told us that nobody gets by without any little setbacks at all and that we've not to be disheartened by it when we get one or two. 

I'm sure he will reach his due date in no time at all, and be home with you before you know it. It is really hard not taking your baby home, I just can't wait for the day that Sophie comes home and feels like "our" baby. It's hard having to wait to be invited to have a cuddle or change a nappy isn't it? 

If you need to talk to someone else going through it at the moment, pm me.

xxx


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## premmiemum123

Congratulations, Gabriel looks gorgeous and considering he was early he is doing so well. It is hard in the beginning and it is an emotional rollercoaster but never stop believing in your LO, I did and she proved me wrong! Big hugs! x


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## rensben

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for your support! Gabriel is doing very well. He is now 33 weeks and 3 days! He is changing and getting bigger every day. His breathing problems have resolved themselves and he is digesting 38ml of milk every 3 hours. If he continues like this we will have him home in the middle of May 3 weeks before his due date! Please cross your fingers! I can't wait to have him home! Here a few pictures taken today.
 



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## LOZANDEVIE

So wonderful and doing so well... Fingers crossed he is home as soon as possible!!!! :dust: :dust: :hugs:


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## Laura2919

That is great news.. Hope you have him home soon


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## bumpsmum

ohhh Gabriel is just gorgeous and doing so well congrats xx


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## lou1979

awwwwww what a cutie xxx


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## Sam9kids

Hiya hun, after 8 long weeks with Jenson being in nnu, i know exactly what you are going through.

Pm me if you need anything xx


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