My baby girl was born at 25 weeks, weighing 1 lb 14oz and 13in long. She was a very healthy girl, and only needed time to grow for her 11wk stay in the NICU.
Despite knowing that she just needed to grow, it was a very difficult time for me. The doctors said that they had no explanation for me going into labor at 22wks (I was on bed rest for 3 weeks). Even though they said that she came early not because of anything I did or didn't do, I couldn't help feeling like it was somehow my fault. Of course, my husband supported me, and told me it was not my fault, but it's hard to listen to those comforting words when I was not even allowed to hold my baby girl for the longest time. I also felt pain from feeling the empty-ness inside me. I was just beginning to feel her move, and felt somehow cheated from the experience of being pregnant.
The whole time she was in the hospital, I missed her so much it hurt (we lived over an hour away from the hospital so I only got to see her on weekends), and my heart raced everytime the phone rang with a call from the hospital, hoping that it wasn't bad news.
My husband helped me by just holding me when I cried, and by listening when I just needed someone to talk to. Sometimes, just knowing that there was always someone available to talk to when I needed it helped the most. I also tried to keep busy with other things, which helped with the pain of not having my baby with me. Knowing that my baby girl would someday come home, gave me hope, as well as knowing that at least she is healthy and in the place she needed to be at the time. It felt wrong having someone else care for her, but I had to remind myself that the NICU could take better care of her than I could right then. Ultimately, I tried my best to use the time to rest up, and prepare for her welcome home.
I hope that hearing my story can help with your understanding of what she's going through, and maybe gave you some ideas with how to help her.
I also hope that everything goes well with her little one-I'll keep her baby in my prayers.
