New to preemie parenting!

[Sevenladybugs]

My son Ben was born Apr 10 at 1:49pm, after my water broke at 32w. I was on hospital bedrest for a week and a half before I was induced at 34w. So I'm very new at the whole preemie parenting thing. He was born at 34w1d,at 4 lb 6oz and he's doing very well in the NICU. We got both shots of betamethasone in and they did their job because he has not needed any help breathing. He's 100% on room air and doing really well. So far he's had to have his IV replaced and it's now in his scalp and he's on bili-lights because he's a bit jaundiced. The most amazing thing is that he's actually able to nurse and we've done 3 feedings where he has latched on and actually sucked and swallowed. They are telling me to expect him to be in NICU for a month.

I am a nursing student trying to finish my last term of nursing school so balancing everything is going to be a challange. I should be able to finish but I feel a bit overwhelmed with how I'm going to pump, be there for as many feedings as possible, and still take care of school and my family. Thankfully my SIL is coming for 2 wks and then my best friend for 2 more weeks so I will have help. My DH is going to take one week off, then he'll take individual days as needed until the help arrives.

Anyhow I just wanted to say hi and I'm sure I'll have questions later!

 

[gilz82]

Hi :wave:

My son was also born early at 33w+4. He was an emergency section due to pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome.

I had both steroid injections as well but unfortunately he still needed help with his breathing and was on cpap until Tuesday. He's now off it and doing well just on normal air. He isn't feeding well though, I can't BF and he's too small and tired to be bottle fed every two hours, so we are only getting to bottle feed him twice a day. He's being tube fed every two hours in between but the tube feeds are making him sick.

Im hoping things start to pick up soon as he's still losing weight so everyday with the sickness adds several days onto his stay in hospital.

 

[AP]

Just wanted to say hi and welcome to the preemie section xxxx :wave:

 

[Bec L]

Hi
Poppy was born at 34 weeks and was in SCBU for two weeks. Congrats on your little one, hope he is home with you soon xx

 

[heyyady]

My girls were also born on April 10th, but at 32+3- they're doing great too, although it took them a few days to come off all breathing/air support- We were told 4 weeks also, but have been told by the NICU nurses that that number is just a guess and it depends on how fast they develop and get the basics down- they are both trying to nurse ,one is doing slightly better than the other one- but they tire out quickly and are being tube fed at the same time so that they are getting all their milk in at a feeding- the Dr has been upping the amount they get per feed at a rapid rate the last day and a half- I am having a bit of a struggle to keep ahead of the game on pumping for them (so far, no formula! ) and they are little milk drunk sleepy heads all the time, so cute though!

 

[EmSmith1980]

Hi and welcome. xx

 

[Jox]

Hi :wave: My LO was born at 34+3 weighing 5lb4oz. amazed that he was allowed home 3 days later x

 

[gilz82]

Wow Jox that's fantastic. I think I had a romantic notion that Noah would do something like that but here we are on day 11 in neonatal.

 

[vermeil]

oh congratulations!! And welcome to the best crowd of amazing moms on bnb. Don`t hesitate to ask just about anything - we all appreciated the great help when we went through this rollercoaster ride

 

[wiganlass]

hi my little boy was born at 34 weeks and was 5lb 2oz glad to hear your babys doing well and hope hes home with you soon xxx