When did you think it would be ok?

[Dani Rose]

My 25 weeker is 5.5 weeks old now, she is doing well.

Had a PDA surgery and steroids to help her off the vent. She is growing (slowly to me!) And is becoming more alert and controlled with her movements. She has much less apnea/bradys now and can bring herself back up most of the time.

When did you start to think/know your baby would be ok? I am so desperate to know she will be fine. We still have a long road to go, she is only 2lbs 2oz, was 1lbs 3 at birth.

I know nobody has the answers, I just wondered when you got a good feeling about things.

 

[25weeker]

I am probably not a good example as walking out of the neonatal when my daughter got discharged was the most surreal thing ever as I had never really believed she would come home with us. Saying that I think my anxiety levels went back to a more normal rate around 33-34 weeks and I didn't feel the dread of wondering was everything OK.

She is doing fab to put on so much weight in 5 1/2 weeks although it may not feel it to you. Weight was and still is an issue with my daughter it took her 6 weeks to get to 2.2lbs and she was 1lb 7oz at birth!

 

[whistle]

I still remember when my LO was in low dependency, just feeding and growing, so must have been about 35+ weeks and I had a phonecall from the nurses just checking what time I'd fed him. When the phone rang my heart sank and I really thought they were going to call us back in for bad news.

I was like 25weeker, I didn't believe everything was going to be ok until he was sitting in my living room! But your LO sounds like she's doing so well, and it does get less and less stressful as time goes on.

 

[jandksmommy]

Mine was a 23 weeker and it is so hard to say when I started to believe she was going to be alright. Seeing her the first time was such a shock, my heart just screamed that there was no way this tiny little person could survive. The first few weeks were the worst, but that turned into months, and eventually she did come home with us. I guess the first time I truly knew she would be alright was the day she came off the ventilator at about 6 weeks old and finally breathed on her own (with c-pap, then nasal canula flow). Their were issues after that but I felt they were mild compared to the breathing issues. Aren't our babies the most amazing people!

 

[jandksmommy]

Oh... and don't worry about the weight! For the first few month they don't put on much as it is such an effort for them to keep everything working. She will turn a corner very soon and start packing on the weight... somedays will be 2 ounce gains! Mine took 2 months to gain 10 ounces and then she gained an ounce to 2 ounces a day.

 

[Agiboma]

@dani my son was also a 25 weeker he also had pda surgery @ 31 weeks throughout the entier NICU stay and level two nursery my mind could not and would not allow me to thinkk so far ahead, it finally became real to me when we drove out of the hospital parking lot @ 40 weeks, hang in there mommy

 

[Sam182]

I didn't believe my son was coming home until the day they asked me to room in. I'll never forget that moment x

 

[Dani Rose]

Jandksmommy that was like us. She's off the vent and seems to be doing a lot better.

She's up 2oz since yday to 2lbs 7 now. M

I can't wait to be told its time to do transitional care and go home!

 

[jandksmommy]

That is so exciting Dani Rose!! So glad she is onto the growing phase!! I look at my 12lb chubby little monkey and can hardly believe that 6 months ago she was just over a pound and clinging to life. She still needs a low flow nasal canula and will have the tiniest blind spot in her periphial vision (blood vessels did not grow into that area of the retina) but otherwise is as healthy as a full term baby! She smiles at me all day long and my heart sings. Your sweet girl will be home smiling at you soon

 

[Dani Rose]

She actually does smile already (I know it's wind but it melts me) I added a video for family to see on my FB and its over 41,000 likes! Crazy! She's famous already lol

 

[wishing4bub#3]

Wow never thought I would come across another pprom mum from the fb group on this site.
It's so good reading things are improving.
I am the mum that held on for a while and had a daughter Asher.

 

[Dani Rose]

Patricia? I've been on BnB a few years

 

[JoeandHarry]

I never doubted my babies would live, but I always wondered if developmentally they would be normal. I didn't really begin to believe they'd lead a normal life til they started walking, just before they were two. Before that, I wondered if they ever sit up, if they'd have CP, if they'd ever walk.

 

[colourful20]

My baby wasn't as pre-term as yours as he was born at 31 weeks weighing 3lb 14oz. He got really ill and required ventilation prior to needing surgery at 5 days old for a perforated bowel so we were transferred to a NICU unit further away from home and there were two occasions that we had to prepare ourselves for the worst.

My partner started to think the best when our son was 3.5 weeks old as we were transferred back to the NICU unit in our home town. It took me a couple of days longer and then I ordered his pushchair as I knew he would definately need it. We were in NICU units for 34 long days - most of that time I stayed in the hospital's parent rooms. I only stayed at home 5 nights. It was a very surreal time.

My son is now just over seven months old weighing over 16lb. He's such a happy baby and is trying to roll over. He struggles a bit with this as he was born with bilateral talipes (clubfeet) - and has had to wear boots with a bar attached most of his life. He doesn't yet sit unaided but is trying.

Healthwise he is well although we are just awaiting results from an MRI scan to check brain development and a hemangioma (strawberry birthmark) just to make sure there isn't anything else lurking.

It surprises me how well our babies do and how strong they are considering how small they are. Wishing all of you the best. The NICU journey puts parents through the hardest times but if we can face that we can face anything x

 

[Dani Rose]

Thank you everyone. Amie is now 3lbs exactly and almost 8 weeks old. Struggling to get off cpap but the drs say she'll get there. Love her so much!