# Full Term 38 weeks - 23 Days in NICU - Amanda's Story



## Angeltk42

Still having guilt almost 3 months later about my daughters start in life. I should have advocated for her more and she would never have gone through what happened. Luckily she is fine now and thriving and perfect and just sweet as can be! Here is her story:

I had a great pregnancy and loved every second of being pregnant. I did have some issues to contend with like the fact that i'm obese and the fact that I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. The GD was managed through diet and medicine (glyburide). My numbers stayed normal and I was really regimented about my diet. I saw a perinatal doctor 1x a week for the last part of my pregnancy. They told me Amanda was doing great. 

My OB was the problem. At my 37 week appointment he dropped the bomb shell that at 38 weeks he was inducing me. I tried to ask him why considering there was no stress to me or the baby to warrant taking her so early. We discussed the fact that MARCH OF DIMES recommends 39 weeks which is what I thought we would wait for. He said the March of Dimes doesn't have all their data they don't take into account the amount of Still births that occur between 38 and 39 weeks with GD mothers. He also said he would rather she was on oxygen for a day or two than be born dead. Well with that reasoning ok of course I would rather have my daughter on Oxygen over a more severe outcome. But in my heart I was thinking this bo dunk doctor in West Texas knows more than the MARCH OF DIMES??????

Also my cervix had been checked repeatedly throughout my pregnancy because of a LEEP procedure I had back in 2001 and at 34 and 36 weeks I was still sealed up like fort knox and the baby was high up in my uterus. No indication that she was ready to come. 

Day of Induction 10/18/13 my cervix was still sealed tighter than can be. Which everything I knew or read about inductions told me that if a woman's cervix wasn't at least changing already before the induction it was almost a guarantee to fail. 
My induction failed
Had a c-section - it wasn't an emergency c section in fact Me and the baby were perfectly fine just labor never started. I could have packed my stuff and left and came back in a week and tried again. But I guess my doctor had dinner plans that night (it was a friday) because he demanded a C-section. I walked to the OR because like I said NOTHING was wrong with me or the baby she just wasn't ready to come into the world.

Baby Amanda Grace Kelley Hicks entered the world at 7:05pm on October 18th 2013. When she took her first breath she popped some lung Vessels known as a puemothorax - normally all this requires is a little oxygen. By 2am she was having to be intibated and put on a ventilator. 
Her lungs were immature due to 38 weeks and being GD and the medicine glyburide also slows down the maturity of the lungs so all those factors made her lungs more like that of a 34 or 35 week gestation rather than 38. Her doctor should have known this and should have thought of that before his stupid still birth outcome. YES mother's with GD can have still born babies but that is a rare side effect. Mothers having bigger than average babies is a way more common side effect. She was 7lbs 15oz when born so yeah maybe she would have been closer to 9lbs if we waited an extra week but so what. 

She ended up on ventilator for 15 days and in NICU for 23 days. 

It's my belief this all could have been avoided had she been born at 39 weeks rather than 38. I missed the first month of her life. I held her for the first time at 15 days. I took her home on 11/10/13. Her first bath was given by nurses. She wasn't able to eat for 15 days and when she finally was able to eat they would bottle feed her. When we finally tried breast feeding my supply was basically gone despite pumping religiously and she would cry from nipple confusion. I was cheated out of so much because my doctor was a moron!


But don't be mistaken I am very happy to have a healthy beautiful little girl who giggles and smiles all day with no ill side effects from what happened. :) It's just sometimes it gets in my head what happened and I get annoyed. Thanks for reading sorry so long! :)


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## 4 boys

Congratulation on your little girl :hugs:

I'm so sorry you going through a difficult time I hope in time you find peace..
Life in NICU is so stressful. Having a baby is one thing having a pre term is another..:nope:

It's going to take time to get back to 'normal'. 

I understand exactly how you are and feel I've been there four times ( had 4 prem babies). But trust me you'll be happy and will enjoy your baby but it's time.

Take care and take each day as it comes. 

:hugs::hugs:


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## Angeltk42

4 boys said:


> Congratulation on your little girl :hugs:
> 
> I'm so sorry you going through a difficult time I hope in time you find peace..
> Life in NICU is so stressful. Having a baby is one thing having a pre term is another..:nope:
> 
> It's going to take time to get back to 'normal'.
> 
> I understand exactly how you are and feel I've been there four times ( had 4 prem babies). But trust me you'll be happy and will enjoy your baby but it's time.
> 
> Take care and take each day as it comes.
> 
> :hugs::hugs:

Thank you. I have come to terms with it and 99% of the time focus on the good. Just once in a while it bugs me. :) 
God Bless your 4 lo's :)


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