Beadette
I'm a blummin' Mumma!!!
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Well this has been a long time coming and is also VERY VERY long! Apologies!
So here goes with the story of how I've become a mummy a few weeks earlier than expected. I'll have to do this in parts as it's very long and a little traumatic to re-live.
PART 1
On Monday 28th Feb I had a routine Midwife appointment first thing. I was 33+3. Prior to that appointment I had a fairly uneventful and healthy pregnancy. I had just started to feel a bit 'urgh' in the couple of days before but nothing you would have put down to anything other than normal pregnancy effects.
That day my hubby had rang in work sick......... I asked if he wanted to come to the MW feeling certain he'd say no as usual (he's not good with needles and thinks that they take blood all the time, plus he's a lazy arse!) and strangely he said he'd come.
I walked into the office and handed her my urine sample. She checked that first as we made small talk - I asked her if it was normal that my lungs felt a bit crushed like I couldn't take a full breath, she said yes because my bump was taking up more room. Next thing she dips the urine and says "Oooo there's a lot of protein in this wee, i'm going to send it off in case you have an infection". I say "I haven't had any symptoms of an infection......Don't tell me I've got preeclampsia or something (sarcasticly) lol"
MW: "Oh you know about that then do you? Lets check your blood pressure"
She checks it and looks at my face, then asks if i've had any head aches or flashing lights. I reply that I have not. She say's she'll check it again in 10 mins. We carry on chatting. She re-checks it and says "I'm just going to make a phonecall darling" - I ask what it is and she says "i'm not saying". I ask if it's higher than the previous and she says it is. The phonecall was to the triage unit at the hospital. They tell me to go in for a blood test and monitoring. I asked MW if I should take a bag. She says it wouldn't hurt to put one in my boot just in case.
So we nip home and I say to Bead "they wont want to do anything down there will they because I've not sorted myself out" He tells me not to be stupid. We drive to hospital.
When we get there I am asked for another urine sample. Get the feeling they are very busy and could do without me being there but they were lovely all the same. I did the sample and she said there was 4+ protein in it (it only goes up to 4!)
I get asked to go to a bed in triage and she checks my blood pressure. She is very quiet and then tells me she'll be back in a minute. The next minute the room is filled with about 10 people. I have one lady strapping a CTG monitor to my bump, 2 registrars asking me questions and taking blood from each arm. I'm linked up to the electric BP monitor, I then have a cannula put in each hand and then there is a man stood in front of me in his own clothes speaking in a strong foreign accent so I could only pick up certain words namely - pre-eclampsia, steroids, baby's lungs, c-section, delivery asap, magnesium sulphate.
(Now those of you who know me will remember my friend Loz had bad preeclampsia at 36 weeks and was hooked up to a magsulph drip - our mw friend was chatting to me at the time about the seriousness of this and said "you know its very dangerous when they start bringing the mag sulphate out" - so I then think I'm going to die and promptly burst into tears)
This man was Mr H - a very experienced consultant at the hospital in mat/gynae- who will now forever be my hero. He's amazing and I will chat more about him later. The staff all call him 'God in a jumper' which speaks volumes.
I then get transferred to "room 11". This is all I hear - "she's a room 11 case" etc etc. Room 11 is High Dependency on the birthing unit. I'm linked up to the drips and then I'm catheterised which was a trauma for me in itself (the very reason that I would have never had an epidural was because I hated the thought of being catheterised!!!!!!) - I'm told that I cannot eat of drink anything now and am linked up to a saline drip allowing me 85ml an hour to keep me hydrated. They are checking my urine output constantly to see if my kidneys are functioning properly. I am also having the BP machine go off every 10 mins. My BP is that high that when they start me on the meds it begins to crash and I feel like i'm dying. I'm feeling like I'm passing out constantly and sick over a 10 minute period. It turns out that my BP did not even drop to a healthy level but that they were so high to begin with it just felt that the blood pressure had dropped very low. This feeling passed quite quickly.
PART 2
I was not allowed any visitors in the HD room as they were trying to keep me stable. My mum and dad drove from Preston worried sick and MW said mum could nip in for 5 mins to see me - but my blood pressure flew up (I could tell she was upset to see me like that which then upset me). I didn't sleep at all that night and because I was on the mag sulph drip they kept making me turn onto each side due to baby getting sleepy and also restricting blood flow to the baby. This was easier said than done when you are catheterized and have cannulas and BP machines, HR monitors everywhere. I also have horrendous heartburn (which I now know may not have been heartburn at all but a symptom of the pre-ec). I was looked after by some wonderful MW's in this time. K was amazing as was the 2 Nicky's.
I was fairly calm as the night progressed. My BP started to stabilise as the medication took hold - I sent Hubby home to get some sleep (this seems ludicrous now and Hubby was not happy to leave but I insisted) and the following day Mr H came to see me and said he thought they would be able to stop the IV meds and give me the labetalol orally instead. This was when Mr H said that if they could keep me like that they would see about waiting until the Friday (it was now Tuesday) before delivering so I could get to 34 weeks. I was then allowed some toast and tea which was AMAZING!!!! They then removed the catheter and the cannulas (one of which had stopped flushing through so useless anyway) That teatime they transferred me to the maternity ward. Kris had to leave at 8pm and I hated it. All of a sudden I went from having constant 24 hour care by 2 midwives to very little intervention. This frightened me. I was worried that because they were now only checking my BP every few hours that I would have a stroke in the night or something. A MW came round to do her checks and I burst into tears on her. She was very good and tried to reassure me but I was panicked. At this point I was part way through a 24 hour urine collection to check the protein over that period.
The next morning I woke up and finished my urine collection. The MW checked a small sample and it had 4 plusses of protein yet again. She checked BP and it had flown up again. She went to ask advice and I text hubby to let him know I was poorly again. He said he'd be there asap. Next thing I'm told that I'm going back to high dependency and told I would probably end up having the baby that day. At this point the news did not sink in. All I was bothered about was whether I could have a shower and wash my hair!!!!!!!!!! Amazing what you focus your mind on. I went back to HD room and K (who looked after me on the Monday) was there. I asked her if I could have a shower and she asked Mr H if there was time and he said if I wanted one I could! Love him xxx
PART 3
So I had my shower and was sat on the bed in HD with a towel round my wet hair and Mr H comes in and says that he will check to see if I can give birth naturally (to humour me i'm sure!), so he gives me an internal with his MASSIVE hands! He was quick though bless him and just said "I'm sorry N but there is no chance" - I was that early that although baby was head down - I was nowhere near engaged. So he proceeded to tell me that we will be going for surgery at 2pm. It still does not sink in and i'm laughing and joking with the staff. They send consultants over from NICU to talk to me about what could happen and what they would be doing to the baby when it was delivered. I chatted for a while but looking back, I don't think any of this information sunk in at all.
K (or amazing Kayleigh as she is now known) comes to tell me that she's decided to stay as she can't bear the thought of leaving me so she stays 9 hours after the end of her shift to stay with me. I cried on her as I was frightened and she cried too. I love her. Bead then got his scrubs on and I just sat and cried. Bead said "are you ok?" and I reply "we haven't even got a girls name!" Bead tells me not to be silly and that we may not even need one yet and we would worry about that afterwards.
I was re-catheterized by K whilst still in HD unit and then at 2pm I walked - carrying my piss bag (lol) to the theatre prep room. I passed the entire team of midwives having a meeting and one of the Nicky's said "are they even making you carry your own bag N?" and I joked that you couldn't get the staff etc - everyone laughed. Still the news is not sinking in as they all wish me good luck.
I enter the room and am greeted by the top consultant aneasthetist Harry, and his team. He said that he thought that he would be able to keep my BP under control and allow me to stay awake which I was thankful for. I was told to sit on the side of the bed with my feet on Bead's knees who was sat on the chair next to me while Harry explained to me how the spinal was going to work. Just then Bead went white and said he needed a wee. He had only just been though but he always needs to pee when he is nervous. All I was bothered about was whether he was ok and kept telling Kayleigh and the aneasthetist assistant to look after him. He came back and Harry sprayed by back with this freezing spray and told me that the nerves which carry pain signals are the same as the ones which carry hot/cold signals so if I could feel the cold after the spinal to tell him. He did it - wasn't bad at all, and then my legs started to feel like I had pins and needles. I was asked to lie down on the bed and then Harry started spraying up and down my legs and stomach. I couldn't feel it. My legs felt very strange. He asked if I could lift my legs up, which I replied I could but when I did - they didn't move! My toes just twitched! It was a very bizarre feeling! I could totally feel my arms and chest but from the boobs down I could feel nothing. I was slightly concerned that I could still kind of wiggle my toes but Harry joked that the baby wasn't coming out of my feet so no need to worry! LOL.
Next they wheeled me through these double doors attatched to the room and we were in theatre - it was a bright room with lots of light and looked very futuristic. The room was full of people. Mr H was all scrubbed up with two of his registrars stood waiting for me. And then I heard someone say "ay-up Kris, how are you?" - turns out one of my nurses in the section was one of hubby's friends mums! So I randomly listened to them catching up and I had my gown pinned up to make a screen. Next thing is that I see the registrars lifting my legs up but couldn't feel it! All I kept thinking was that they could all see my floo! MORTIFIED!
The aneasthetist assistant was a younger girl who was amazing. She stood my by head and explained to me step by step what was happening at all points during the procedure. I can't remember her name though which annoys me. Kris asks how long the procedure takes - they say that it takes about 40 mins. So Kris says "so baby will be here in 40 mins" and Harry says "No, baby will be here in about 2 mins - the rest of the time will be sorting your wife out". The younger girl says to me - "Right, they are making the incision, they've broken your waters, you'll feel a lot of stretching and pulling now". I have to say it was VERY uncomfortable. I felt a lot of pressure and could hear ripping, pulling noises
The next thing I hear is her telling me that baby is coming out. I suddenly feel empty and they lift baby up for hubby to see. He shouts "It's a boy!" and I say "a boy?",hubby said "yes we've got a boy" and I cry and say "we've got a boy?" - so happy!
He makes the tinest cry! I ask if he's ok. A nurse says "you can hear him can't you!" and I say "I know I can hear him, but I want to know if he's alright". I watch as my tiny baby is surrounded by people. K is putting a teeny pink hat on his head as there are no blue ones. They have a mask over his face and are rubbing him - 3 minutes later (I know this from the notes) he makes his first big cry. I was so relieved! They continue working on him and I just watch as they do the APGAR stuff. Just then a man in a shirt and tie, picks Olly up, all wrapped up and brings him to my side and says "I'm going to take him now, do you want to give him a kiss?" I did and then he was gone and I cried
- at this point though I was not really thinking straight - I knew he was in safe hands - I just hoped that everything would be ok. They told me he was 4lb 8oz!
I was given his notes on leaving hospital and this is what they said His notes say "Stimulation, oxygen, face mask IPPV. Initially delivered in good condition, gasping, with good tone and HR>60. Was dried, wrapped and stimulated and gave a weak cry. At 1st minute HR remained <100, with weak respiritory effort therefore inflation breaths given x5 with god chest movement. HR increased >100 then reduced to 70. At 3 minutes there was a good cry with intermittant respiritory effort, HR>60 but not consistantly over 100 therefore SPR called and facial PEEP and intermittant ventilaroty breaths. By 7 minutes SPR present, O2 increased to 60%, remained active and HR>100. Transferred to NICU at 11 minutes old. APGARS - 6 at 1 min, 7 at 5 min, 8 at 10 min"
They were still stiching me back together and I was in a daze listening to Bead have random conversations wih Harry and asking him stupid questions like "why do you all wear Crocs?"
When they had done they wheeled me bck to the High Dependency room and all the midwifes came out to congratulate me and tell me how amazing I was - which was very lovely of them. A Consultant from NICU came into the room shortly afterwards and explained to us that Olly was doing well but he may need a bit more help. He said that if he was a betting man he would say he thought Olly may need CPAP by the end of the day.
Hubby then went to see him and came back with photo's that NICU had taken for me and said he was beautiful and was doing well. I asked about CPAP and he said they had not done yet and they had said that he had gotten even better since the consultant had been to see me. He had some oxygen pumped into his incubator but not much and was doing well on that.
I was so pleased and so proud but felt so incredibly guilty that I couldn't be with him. Everyone promised me that I could go and see him the very next day but I was poorly and my blood pressure was not coming down as they hoped it would.
I still had to have at least one midwife with me at all times and they were amazing. They rang NICU an obscene number of times to check on Olly for me (and my hubby was splitting his time between the two of us). One midwife rang for me and said that he was doing great at at 9 hours old they had stopped the added oxygen and he was just breathing air. That MW was called Natalie. She is ace! She said to me "Neen, remember that Olly is not poorly - he is just early" - that helped me to put things into perspective. She talked me through hand expressing so that I could give Olly some colostrum and she was brill. So encouraging.
I didn't sleep that night. The next day I was told that Olly had been upgraded to the next room (ehich meant he was in slightly less intensive care).
That morning I was wheeled to meet my baby boy for the first time. I didn't get to hold him until later that day but it was amazing.
And since that day he has gone from stength to strength and now I have a bouncing 20 week old baby boy!
He spent 10 days in NICU, I spent all those days in hospital due to the preeclampsia. Olly came to join me on the ward on his 10th day and we both went home on his 12th day - on the 14th March!
Some photo's:
Coming home from hospital:
And now:
So here goes with the story of how I've become a mummy a few weeks earlier than expected. I'll have to do this in parts as it's very long and a little traumatic to re-live.
PART 1
On Monday 28th Feb I had a routine Midwife appointment first thing. I was 33+3. Prior to that appointment I had a fairly uneventful and healthy pregnancy. I had just started to feel a bit 'urgh' in the couple of days before but nothing you would have put down to anything other than normal pregnancy effects.
That day my hubby had rang in work sick......... I asked if he wanted to come to the MW feeling certain he'd say no as usual (he's not good with needles and thinks that they take blood all the time, plus he's a lazy arse!) and strangely he said he'd come.
I walked into the office and handed her my urine sample. She checked that first as we made small talk - I asked her if it was normal that my lungs felt a bit crushed like I couldn't take a full breath, she said yes because my bump was taking up more room. Next thing she dips the urine and says "Oooo there's a lot of protein in this wee, i'm going to send it off in case you have an infection". I say "I haven't had any symptoms of an infection......Don't tell me I've got preeclampsia or something (sarcasticly) lol"
MW: "Oh you know about that then do you? Lets check your blood pressure"
She checks it and looks at my face, then asks if i've had any head aches or flashing lights. I reply that I have not. She say's she'll check it again in 10 mins. We carry on chatting. She re-checks it and says "I'm just going to make a phonecall darling" - I ask what it is and she says "i'm not saying". I ask if it's higher than the previous and she says it is. The phonecall was to the triage unit at the hospital. They tell me to go in for a blood test and monitoring. I asked MW if I should take a bag. She says it wouldn't hurt to put one in my boot just in case.
So we nip home and I say to Bead "they wont want to do anything down there will they because I've not sorted myself out" He tells me not to be stupid. We drive to hospital.
When we get there I am asked for another urine sample. Get the feeling they are very busy and could do without me being there but they were lovely all the same. I did the sample and she said there was 4+ protein in it (it only goes up to 4!)
I get asked to go to a bed in triage and she checks my blood pressure. She is very quiet and then tells me she'll be back in a minute. The next minute the room is filled with about 10 people. I have one lady strapping a CTG monitor to my bump, 2 registrars asking me questions and taking blood from each arm. I'm linked up to the electric BP monitor, I then have a cannula put in each hand and then there is a man stood in front of me in his own clothes speaking in a strong foreign accent so I could only pick up certain words namely - pre-eclampsia, steroids, baby's lungs, c-section, delivery asap, magnesium sulphate.
(Now those of you who know me will remember my friend Loz had bad preeclampsia at 36 weeks and was hooked up to a magsulph drip - our mw friend was chatting to me at the time about the seriousness of this and said "you know its very dangerous when they start bringing the mag sulphate out" - so I then think I'm going to die and promptly burst into tears)
This man was Mr H - a very experienced consultant at the hospital in mat/gynae- who will now forever be my hero. He's amazing and I will chat more about him later. The staff all call him 'God in a jumper' which speaks volumes.
I then get transferred to "room 11". This is all I hear - "she's a room 11 case" etc etc. Room 11 is High Dependency on the birthing unit. I'm linked up to the drips and then I'm catheterised which was a trauma for me in itself (the very reason that I would have never had an epidural was because I hated the thought of being catheterised!!!!!!) - I'm told that I cannot eat of drink anything now and am linked up to a saline drip allowing me 85ml an hour to keep me hydrated. They are checking my urine output constantly to see if my kidneys are functioning properly. I am also having the BP machine go off every 10 mins. My BP is that high that when they start me on the meds it begins to crash and I feel like i'm dying. I'm feeling like I'm passing out constantly and sick over a 10 minute period. It turns out that my BP did not even drop to a healthy level but that they were so high to begin with it just felt that the blood pressure had dropped very low. This feeling passed quite quickly.
PART 2
I was not allowed any visitors in the HD room as they were trying to keep me stable. My mum and dad drove from Preston worried sick and MW said mum could nip in for 5 mins to see me - but my blood pressure flew up (I could tell she was upset to see me like that which then upset me). I didn't sleep at all that night and because I was on the mag sulph drip they kept making me turn onto each side due to baby getting sleepy and also restricting blood flow to the baby. This was easier said than done when you are catheterized and have cannulas and BP machines, HR monitors everywhere. I also have horrendous heartburn (which I now know may not have been heartburn at all but a symptom of the pre-ec). I was looked after by some wonderful MW's in this time. K was amazing as was the 2 Nicky's.
I was fairly calm as the night progressed. My BP started to stabilise as the medication took hold - I sent Hubby home to get some sleep (this seems ludicrous now and Hubby was not happy to leave but I insisted) and the following day Mr H came to see me and said he thought they would be able to stop the IV meds and give me the labetalol orally instead. This was when Mr H said that if they could keep me like that they would see about waiting until the Friday (it was now Tuesday) before delivering so I could get to 34 weeks. I was then allowed some toast and tea which was AMAZING!!!! They then removed the catheter and the cannulas (one of which had stopped flushing through so useless anyway) That teatime they transferred me to the maternity ward. Kris had to leave at 8pm and I hated it. All of a sudden I went from having constant 24 hour care by 2 midwives to very little intervention. This frightened me. I was worried that because they were now only checking my BP every few hours that I would have a stroke in the night or something. A MW came round to do her checks and I burst into tears on her. She was very good and tried to reassure me but I was panicked. At this point I was part way through a 24 hour urine collection to check the protein over that period.
The next morning I woke up and finished my urine collection. The MW checked a small sample and it had 4 plusses of protein yet again. She checked BP and it had flown up again. She went to ask advice and I text hubby to let him know I was poorly again. He said he'd be there asap. Next thing I'm told that I'm going back to high dependency and told I would probably end up having the baby that day. At this point the news did not sink in. All I was bothered about was whether I could have a shower and wash my hair!!!!!!!!!! Amazing what you focus your mind on. I went back to HD room and K (who looked after me on the Monday) was there. I asked her if I could have a shower and she asked Mr H if there was time and he said if I wanted one I could! Love him xxx
PART 3
So I had my shower and was sat on the bed in HD with a towel round my wet hair and Mr H comes in and says that he will check to see if I can give birth naturally (to humour me i'm sure!), so he gives me an internal with his MASSIVE hands! He was quick though bless him and just said "I'm sorry N but there is no chance" - I was that early that although baby was head down - I was nowhere near engaged. So he proceeded to tell me that we will be going for surgery at 2pm. It still does not sink in and i'm laughing and joking with the staff. They send consultants over from NICU to talk to me about what could happen and what they would be doing to the baby when it was delivered. I chatted for a while but looking back, I don't think any of this information sunk in at all.
K (or amazing Kayleigh as she is now known) comes to tell me that she's decided to stay as she can't bear the thought of leaving me so she stays 9 hours after the end of her shift to stay with me. I cried on her as I was frightened and she cried too. I love her. Bead then got his scrubs on and I just sat and cried. Bead said "are you ok?" and I reply "we haven't even got a girls name!" Bead tells me not to be silly and that we may not even need one yet and we would worry about that afterwards.
I was re-catheterized by K whilst still in HD unit and then at 2pm I walked - carrying my piss bag (lol) to the theatre prep room. I passed the entire team of midwives having a meeting and one of the Nicky's said "are they even making you carry your own bag N?" and I joked that you couldn't get the staff etc - everyone laughed. Still the news is not sinking in as they all wish me good luck.
I enter the room and am greeted by the top consultant aneasthetist Harry, and his team. He said that he thought that he would be able to keep my BP under control and allow me to stay awake which I was thankful for. I was told to sit on the side of the bed with my feet on Bead's knees who was sat on the chair next to me while Harry explained to me how the spinal was going to work. Just then Bead went white and said he needed a wee. He had only just been though but he always needs to pee when he is nervous. All I was bothered about was whether he was ok and kept telling Kayleigh and the aneasthetist assistant to look after him. He came back and Harry sprayed by back with this freezing spray and told me that the nerves which carry pain signals are the same as the ones which carry hot/cold signals so if I could feel the cold after the spinal to tell him. He did it - wasn't bad at all, and then my legs started to feel like I had pins and needles. I was asked to lie down on the bed and then Harry started spraying up and down my legs and stomach. I couldn't feel it. My legs felt very strange. He asked if I could lift my legs up, which I replied I could but when I did - they didn't move! My toes just twitched! It was a very bizarre feeling! I could totally feel my arms and chest but from the boobs down I could feel nothing. I was slightly concerned that I could still kind of wiggle my toes but Harry joked that the baby wasn't coming out of my feet so no need to worry! LOL.
Next they wheeled me through these double doors attatched to the room and we were in theatre - it was a bright room with lots of light and looked very futuristic. The room was full of people. Mr H was all scrubbed up with two of his registrars stood waiting for me. And then I heard someone say "ay-up Kris, how are you?" - turns out one of my nurses in the section was one of hubby's friends mums! So I randomly listened to them catching up and I had my gown pinned up to make a screen. Next thing is that I see the registrars lifting my legs up but couldn't feel it! All I kept thinking was that they could all see my floo! MORTIFIED!
The aneasthetist assistant was a younger girl who was amazing. She stood my by head and explained to me step by step what was happening at all points during the procedure. I can't remember her name though which annoys me. Kris asks how long the procedure takes - they say that it takes about 40 mins. So Kris says "so baby will be here in 40 mins" and Harry says "No, baby will be here in about 2 mins - the rest of the time will be sorting your wife out". The younger girl says to me - "Right, they are making the incision, they've broken your waters, you'll feel a lot of stretching and pulling now". I have to say it was VERY uncomfortable. I felt a lot of pressure and could hear ripping, pulling noises
The next thing I hear is her telling me that baby is coming out. I suddenly feel empty and they lift baby up for hubby to see. He shouts "It's a boy!" and I say "a boy?",hubby said "yes we've got a boy" and I cry and say "we've got a boy?" - so happy!He makes the tinest cry! I ask if he's ok. A nurse says "you can hear him can't you!" and I say "I know I can hear him, but I want to know if he's alright". I watch as my tiny baby is surrounded by people. K is putting a teeny pink hat on his head as there are no blue ones. They have a mask over his face and are rubbing him - 3 minutes later (I know this from the notes) he makes his first big cry. I was so relieved! They continue working on him and I just watch as they do the APGAR stuff. Just then a man in a shirt and tie, picks Olly up, all wrapped up and brings him to my side and says "I'm going to take him now, do you want to give him a kiss?" I did and then he was gone and I cried
- at this point though I was not really thinking straight - I knew he was in safe hands - I just hoped that everything would be ok. They told me he was 4lb 8oz!I was given his notes on leaving hospital and this is what they said His notes say "Stimulation, oxygen, face mask IPPV. Initially delivered in good condition, gasping, with good tone and HR>60. Was dried, wrapped and stimulated and gave a weak cry. At 1st minute HR remained <100, with weak respiritory effort therefore inflation breaths given x5 with god chest movement. HR increased >100 then reduced to 70. At 3 minutes there was a good cry with intermittant respiritory effort, HR>60 but not consistantly over 100 therefore SPR called and facial PEEP and intermittant ventilaroty breaths. By 7 minutes SPR present, O2 increased to 60%, remained active and HR>100. Transferred to NICU at 11 minutes old. APGARS - 6 at 1 min, 7 at 5 min, 8 at 10 min"
They were still stiching me back together and I was in a daze listening to Bead have random conversations wih Harry and asking him stupid questions like "why do you all wear Crocs?"
When they had done they wheeled me bck to the High Dependency room and all the midwifes came out to congratulate me and tell me how amazing I was - which was very lovely of them. A Consultant from NICU came into the room shortly afterwards and explained to us that Olly was doing well but he may need a bit more help. He said that if he was a betting man he would say he thought Olly may need CPAP by the end of the day.
Hubby then went to see him and came back with photo's that NICU had taken for me and said he was beautiful and was doing well. I asked about CPAP and he said they had not done yet and they had said that he had gotten even better since the consultant had been to see me. He had some oxygen pumped into his incubator but not much and was doing well on that.
I was so pleased and so proud but felt so incredibly guilty that I couldn't be with him. Everyone promised me that I could go and see him the very next day but I was poorly and my blood pressure was not coming down as they hoped it would.
I still had to have at least one midwife with me at all times and they were amazing. They rang NICU an obscene number of times to check on Olly for me (and my hubby was splitting his time between the two of us). One midwife rang for me and said that he was doing great at at 9 hours old they had stopped the added oxygen and he was just breathing air. That MW was called Natalie. She is ace! She said to me "Neen, remember that Olly is not poorly - he is just early" - that helped me to put things into perspective. She talked me through hand expressing so that I could give Olly some colostrum and she was brill. So encouraging.
I didn't sleep that night. The next day I was told that Olly had been upgraded to the next room (ehich meant he was in slightly less intensive care).
That morning I was wheeled to meet my baby boy for the first time. I didn't get to hold him until later that day but it was amazing.
And since that day he has gone from stength to strength and now I have a bouncing 20 week old baby boy!
He spent 10 days in NICU, I spent all those days in hospital due to the preeclampsia. Olly came to join me on the ward on his 10th day and we both went home on his 12th day - on the 14th March!
Some photo's:
Coming home from hospital:
And now:
So proud of you, missus (and I still have that first nicu pic on my phone 
He's such a brave boy - takes after mummy) xxxxxx
x
