Andrew - born at 29 weeks!

[Marleysgirl]

We've been for another attempt at Andrew's hearing test. He still didn't respond to any sound stimulus, and the audiologist is afraid that he may have severe deafness. We're not convinced, he can definitely hear some sounds when in the home, he's just being bolshie when it comes to the test situation!

To play on the safe side, he is being fitted with hearing aids, set at a conservative level. He gets them one week before his birthday. Feel a bit weepy at the prospect, it's like admitting that our baby is challenged, there's going to be a visual reminder.

 

[Foogirl]

It must be awful to have to cope with one thing after another and another. I really do feel for you.

But remember that our little miracles seem to constantly amaze us with their progress. If you've noticed he's hearing things at home, the chances are you are absolutely right.

And if he does need the hearing aids, then you'll no doubt cope with it as well as you have with everything else. He's here, he's happy, he's doing great. Of course we all want things to be perfect for them, but whatever his problems are, they will be what make him, him. I'll bet he will make you proud every day.

 

[Marleysgirl]

I got a job!!!!!

Time to return to the world of work, just as Andrew hits his first birthday! I'm going back full-time with my OH becoming a SAHD. But I suspect we'll be trying for no.2 once the maternity benefits kick in ....

One of my clinic midwives said that once everything was sorted health-wise with Andrew, only then would I get a job, because only then would the timing be right. So I hope this means the end of all the troubles

 

[Foogirl]

I got a job!!!!!

Time to return to the world of work, just as Andrew hits his first birthday! I'm going back full-time with my OH becoming a SAHD. But I suspect we'll be trying for no.2 once the maternity benefits kick in ....

One of my clinic midwives said that once everything was sorted health-wise with Andrew, only then would I get a job, because only then would the timing be right. So I hope this means the end of all the troubles

Congratulations!

What you going to be doing?

 

[Marleysgirl]

It's nerdy, back-room database work. The inner geek coming out!

 

[Agiboma]

congrats on your new job

 

[Marleysgirl]

Bump!

I haven't started my new job yet (still negotiating a start date) so it looks like I'll be at home for Andrew's birthday next week I'm taking him to the HV for weighing this week (in case my job starts), so that I have a weight figure for his first birthday!

Andrew is not sitting unaided yet, though he has the strength in his stomach muscles to pull himself upright when lying back in my arms. When on the floor, he wants to wriggle too much and use his hands for things, so he's not still enough to use his arms to prop himself, and he topples sideways!

Movement wise though, we have progress. From rolling over and over (and over and over and over), he now rolls onto his front and raises himself on arms & knees, into a crawl position. He hasn't yet worked out how to get forward momentum, and gets very frustrated about it

 

[AP]

Oooooh he's doing really well then honey!!! He sounds on target!

I was reading about your hearing test - Alex couldnt have the whole test as she was too wiggily, but she only has to hear the Direct Line advert come on, or the Nikon camera advert(she thinks Hollyoaks is about to come on after it ) and she immediatly looks at the TV, so I wasnt too worried.

 

[Marleysgirl]

Don't take the question wrongly, but do you put Alex in front of the television to watch anything? I'm not being judgemental or anything! It's just with you saying that she loves the noise of particular adverts.

The tv is on most of the time in our lounge, but Andrew shows no real response to it. His main play area is at the other end of the room and he can't really see the screen because of the coffee table etc. We've only put him into his bouncer in front of the television three or four times, but I'm wondering if we should do so more.

 

[AP]

We tend to let alex roam the living room and do her own thing
Since Alex came home I have always had music channels on - she will not pay attention to anything she doesnt recognise really, and will mind her own business. Shes not a big TV watcher tbh, but its always on. However she recognises popular tunes, and the repetitive adverts.
This is what happens when the Direct Line phones make their wee tune
https://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs201.snc3/20835_407645679317_514829317_4209116_7590165_n.jpg
Theres even been a thread about that advert on Baby club - babies love it -watch andrews reaction in case he loves it too.

We found she will never really sit unaided unless she has something to concentrate on - mainly, Gaga. I kid you not. Its surreal. This pic made me so proud. Albeit peeved that Lady Gaga can get Alex to do something I cant get her to do.....
https://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs216.snc4/39147_415596354317_514829317_4398562_1871617_n.jpg

 

[Marleysgirl]

Lovely photos

Perhaps when Andrew achieves forward movement, he'll crawl beneath the coffee table and emerge by the television, where it will engross him for a few minutes .... Or maybe I should move the coffee table

 

[AP]

I mean, it wasnt something I wanted to encourage, but shes shown us she can take interest and concentrate on something, without realising shes practising sitting up

 

[Marleysgirl]

Andrew weighed in at 14lb this morning, that's a 900-odd %age increase on his birthweight. From less than a bag of sugar to over six bags of sugar.

And he is now sporting some lovely dark blue hearing aids. They've been set at 75dB initially, though we can increase that setting. He is definitely hearing more, he turns his head to somebody talking now, so they're obviously having a good effect. Physically the aids aren't bothering him either, which was a worry.

 

[Foogirl]

Like Sandi, I didn't want Abby to be encouraged to watch TV avidly and I rarely had it on in the house. I tended to have the radio on. But when Daddy came home the TV went on, and at weekends - then he did a month at home with her and she now is definitely a watcher. I do use it when I need to leave the room for ten minutes, as it is definitely a distraction for her and she is going through a clingy phase so distraction is good. She does play happily with it on in the background though. And despite what the experts say about it stopping them learning to talk, she is far advanced of where she should be with that, and in fact, will sit and repeat practically every second word spoken.

The reason I haven't discouraged it, is we are having trouble with Abby's movement. She won't sit unaided without her hands on her lap holding herself up, or in her play ring. She won't roll over or even twist about on her back or lie on her side. Unless we have her in a position where she has to twist to see the TV. And as with Alex, when she isn't paying attention to the fact she is sitting up, she does sit nice and straight and the TV has proven the best distraction for that.

The other thing is, we watch together, and sing the songs and I talk to her about the things on the screen.

I think it is just like everything else, if it works for them, do what you need to. Of course leaving a child (especially the older ones) in front of a telly for hours on end is going to be counter productive but in moderation I can't see a problem with it.

I'm not a fan of CeeBeebies as I can't see much educational value in it for babies of Abby's age, but I do like Baby TV (Sky 623). Bizarrely it is a very low budget channel with what appear to be primarily eastern european or middle eastern programmes translated into English, but I find that the spoken english is very clear and Abby can pick up the words and repeat them with few problems. There tend not to be so many "in the night garden" or "tellytubbies" type programmes, where the characters don't speak real words so I don't know if that makes the difference.

 

[Marleysgirl]

A photo from Birthday morning!

https://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn274/Tigsteroonie/Baby/P1030375.jpg

I can't believe we've come so far, I can't believe that a year ago we nearly lost him and now he's trying to crawl across the floor. I've got tears in my eyes.

 

[AP]

Happy birthday Andrew(I didnt know we shared the same birthday, I was a 29 weeker 24 years ago today!)

 

[Foogirl]

Oh, I'm welling up now too!

Happy birthday Andrew.
xxx

(and to Sandi too)

 

[KiansMummy]

Congrats and welcome to the world Andrew xx

 

[Marleysgirl]

Did anybody else's baby suddenly go "long"? All of a sudden, Andrew seems to be losing his baby podginess and turning into a long lanky baby. Don't know where he gets it from, both parents are short-ar*es

I've just finished my first week at work. I was a bit worried about how the SAHD would cope given that I've done almost all (and I mean all bar one or two) nappy changes and feeds since I stopped expressing back in the spring. But, to be honest, he's coped pretty well. Feeding Andrew his solids seems to be a messy exercise but at least he's getting food in, and if anything his appetite has increased so perhaps Daddy is more patient and happy to hang around longer spooning food in. Nappywise, there's a bit of rash (prob not changing him quick enough) but nothing that nightly slatherings of cream won't help.

Andrew is now spending time in front of the television, it would seem (lazy Daddy!), mainly in his bouncer so that he can fall asleep there. He has shown definite response to some programmes but annoyingly OH didn't note which progs they were.

Neither of them seem too traumatized by me being out working, SAHD is noticeably more tired in the evenings so perhaps he's realising just how much I used to do in terms of running around after Andrew

 

[Marleysgirl]

Well, we are now five weeks into the idea of working Mum / SAHD, and things are going well. Andrew continues to feed happily on his EK St2 meals, and Dad is now getting quite proud of the amount Andrew eats. They haven't really braved going out of the house unless they have to - for hospital appointments etc - so no wanders to the local shop or anything.

Andrew is crawling - not quite properly yet, more just a very fast commando crawl. He can make it across the lounge into the kitchen very quickly, so we will have to put the safety gate in place this weekend as I suspect he'll perfect a proper crawl with no warning and then he'll be off to the kitchen, face in the bowl of cat food, or even out of the back door!

We've given up with the hearing aids for the moment, they really did not seem to make any difference to his behaviour / attentiveness, and it annoyed him having them constantly put back when he pulled them out (I did not want to go down the road of making him wear a bonnet). The audiologist was in agreement that we can wait, so he has an appointment at the start of December to see if he responds to the behavioural tests any better. Even if he doesn't, I'm hoping SAHD will be so settled into his role by then that he is happy to keep re-inserting the aids as necessary.

Andrew was seen by the hospital Dietitian for the first time this week (I didn't go, SAHD went). Initially his height was measured wrong by a nurse and they said he was hugely underweight, but the Dietitian insisted he was re-measured and he is in proportion height/weight wise. She said that she had seen a good number of premmies who suffer from the gag>vomit reflex, and that she thinks their palates might be hypersensitive from being tube-fed, so my theory was correct. She is happy for us to continue on St2 meals progressing to St3, and she has suggested we try Andrew on Quavers & Wotsits as they melt in the mouth! Andrew had Wotsits for the first time yesterday (luckily he loves cheese), and did just fine, but he's still not really into eating things from his own hands, he prefers the spoon.

The Dietitian has given us a supplement to add to his milk - supersoluble Duocal - so now he is on super-high-calorie milk with added calories