Best things about having a preemie

[AP]

*bump*

And I just bought a new newborn bouncer for Alex....and shes nearly one

 

[craftymumof4]

Having twin boys at 31 weeks who came home after only 23 days in scbu was special. It,s lovely as they were baby babies for much longer, out and about watching people marvel at how small and special they were. And now at six being top in class and tall. One other proud mummy moment was first time being led and shown my twins in scbu and the.nurse first comments were about them having big bits (boy was she right) lol.for any baby let alone preemies.

 

[keldac]

I love Mikayla being a baby for longer!

I think it's great when people say 'ah how old is she about 6 months?' and I reply 'nope nearly 16 months!!!'

I love that everybody refers to her as a miracle (which of course she is!)

 

[AP]

keldac I love that one. And people then look at you like you're crazy!

I used to lie but now shes older I dont - its part of her story and her life.

 

[New2Bumps]

Similar to lots of your points, mine are a mix of practical and emotional ones:

* things last longer like car seat, swing, bouncer chair.
* they seem like babies for longer which I love - I'm cherishing every minute
* the shock on ppls faces e,g, when he pulls himself up to sit and they are shocked as they think he's 4 1/2 months!!!
* telling his little story - I used to hate ppl commenting how little he was and felt obliged to 'explain' and say... he was early, but now I don't mind telling his story
* him being in a routine already when he came home.
* having a few nights sleep at home to get my head around my surprise Cmas pressie and get the house sorted (even though it was the worst thing ever at the time, and I wish I hadn't of had to go home without him, but still... silver lining...)
* learning mummy skills in neo natal!
* joining the club of premmie mummies, on here and also with a couple of my friends who had early babies. It's like an instant friendship strengthner, something very special in common, something that you have to have been through to understand.
* celebrating the things full term babies to automatically, like when he had his first full feed of 2oz and took it all, when he was on the normal matreess, not heated no lamps.

 

[AP]

Bumped up for Sugarkisses as promised

 

[xgem27x]

Best bit was that my twins were already in a routine, so that makes life sooooo much easier! Plus I love that we got teeny tiny babies to look after, most people give birth to a 9 pounder and dont know what its like cuddling a 3lb baby special memories xxx

 

[xgem27x]

...oh and the twins drink Nutriprem which is on prescription, so FREE MILK!!! xxxx

 

[AP]

xgem27x nice to see you over here hunny!

 

[xgem27x]

xgem27x nice to see you over here hunny!

Thanks Im so used to going to teen pregnancy, and then I realised I should probably go elsewhere and realised I fit in with preemie, teen parenting, twins.. took me a while but I'm here now! xxx

 

[AP]

preemie parentings a different world!! ((hugs)) you will need to introduce your lovely lil men! xxx

 

[Foogirl]

xgem27x nice to see you over here hunny!

Thanks Im so used to going to teen pregnancy, and then I realised I should probably go elsewhere and realised I fit in with preemie, teen parenting, twins.. took me a while but I'm here now! xxx

Welcome. It's always nice to meet a new preemie mummy.

I said to one of the other teen mums we have, I can't imagine having to go through the NNICU journey so young. I'm ancient and I found it incredibly difficult. AND you have to deal with twins too!

I think you are my new hero!

 

[pink.crazy]

Well as Tyler was 9lb 2oz at birth it was interesting so have an itty bitty baby this time! Obviously I would NEVER have chosen for him to arrive so soon but there's lots I've enjoyed.
Every little milestone is SO exciting! I love the fact that I've had the time to enjoy having a newborn.. his legs were still curled up until recently and I LOVE it when they're like that! If I'm honest, I'm so grateful that he was in a brilliant routine of feeding/sleeping before he came home lol!
I love his little features.. his tiny toes.. button nose..
I've also found it amazing to see him develop.. he grew a bum literally!! His ears also moved from his neck(!!)to where they should be.. they also had no cartilage so were floppy and would stick to his head folded over!! .. he grew eyelashes.. nipples..
Wow I love my little munchkin so much

 

[AP]

It's so funny, if anyone dared say these things to us we'd be upset but its cool for us to talk amongst ourselves about it

 

[xgem27x]

xgem27x nice to see you over here hunny!

Thanks Im so used to going to teen pregnancy, and then I realised I should probably go elsewhere and realised I fit in with preemie, teen parenting, twins.. took me a while but I'm here now! xxx

Welcome. It's always nice to meet a new preemie mummy.

I said to one of the other teen mums we have, I can't imagine having to go through the NNICU journey so young. I'm ancient and I found it incredibly difficult. AND you have to deal with twins too!

I think you are my new hero!

aww thank you hun i think its difficult whatever age you are, but being younger and having twins does mean the midwives watch you like a hawk which was always a bit intimidating x i think the hardest thing was leaving them at the end of day, it was always heartbreaking xxxx

 

[AP]

Got another best thing(ish)

- The doctors surgery will drop anything to see your preemie

- Nurses and docs seem to jump to attention when you're pregnant again and they find out you've had a preemie. I've never felt so loved

 

[Foogirl]

but being younger and having twins does mean the midwives watch you like a hawk which was always a bit intimidating x

They did this to us too, and we're 36!

 

[Anna_due Dec]

I think the best thing about having a prem is how much it makes you appreciate them. You know just how lucky you are to have them.

 

[maisiemoo]

Having a prem has drastically altered my perspective on fertility, babies, parenting, my relationship with my partner and made me realise that I am very fortunate to have a) been given the opportunity to be a mum b) to have a little fighter who fought so hard from the offset c) to have such an amazing partner and family unit. On a lighter note, I love the fact that olivia is on track with developmental milestones yet is still so small - it confuses everyone as they cant figure out how old she is! she is such a live wire, getting her self noticed through being very loud, gigling all the time and extremly active. My little munchkin is certainly showing all the other babies how its done!

 

[vermeil]

oh oh I can add to this!

-telling random people on the street who ask his age: 'he's 2 months old. He was in the hospital for 4 months.' .... then watching their reactions

-seeing doctors and specialists 2-3 times a week. sure it's a lot of work, and stressful, but I really feel like my little guy is very precious. He's treated like a prince everywhere, gets lots of special care, attention, cuddles and love from the staff.

-At the ophtamologist at our weekly appointments we never wait; we go before people who have been waiting for 2-3 hours. And NO I don't feel bad. It's a tiny compensation from months of tough times. My little guy has a weak immune system. No waiting in a cramped room full of screaming kids =p

-visiting my little guy in the NICU and going WHOAH! he grew nipples over night! Showing all the staff. We all had a good laugh.

-being so very proud of every small milestone, as others have said, from eyelashes to wriggling toes to the amazing first smile to tiniest coo sound. Stopping high frequency ventilator, being extubated, starting feeds, first cuddles, first sessions off cpap, first time without oxygen, etc etc

I'm sure I'll think of more