Are There Any Premie Parents Out There

My son was born at 26 weeks. We lived in the NICU for a little over 56 days. This was almost 7 years ago! I remember it all so well. Your post flooded my mind with all the memories. Some of the absolute best advice I ever received came from some of the nurses (which we called our angels).
1) It may not seem like it now, but there will be a time when you look back at all of this and think, wow, that was so long ago!
2) YOU are your child best and only true advocate. If there is ever a question or concern with your son's care or health do not be afraid to speak up and ask.
3) Seek out the support groups offered. I didn't do this and wish I would have. Whether it support for NICU parents, for breast feeding or financial assistance. You should be assigned a counselor or liaison who can assist and direct you in all of this.
4) Take time for yourself. Don't be afraid to go out to dinner, see a movie meet up with friends and so on. This is such a stressful time that your mind- for sanity's sake- will need to find some sense of normalcy and stability. At this fragile stage your precious son can sense your energy. A stress out over tired parent is not going to help him. Do it FOR your son.
5) Miracles can and do happen. The best place to witness this is in a NICU. The simple things become the most important: skin-to-skin or kangaroo care (if your allowed to hold yet), upgrading from vent to c-pap to canulla, then lowering the "o's" to "room air". Graduating to an open air crib. ALL these milestones deserve celebration as miracles and as accomplishments for your family.
Send me a message if you need to vent, need support or need anything else.
(((((((((HUGS))))))))

Oh how I remember those days. My daughter was born 2 month early she had bleeds in her head Left side a grade 3 and right side a grade 4. She also had MVP (Mitral Valve Prolapse) and a hole in her heart. After several transfusions she started to responed very well. On the day of her release our Dr. sat us down and said "Don't expect her to develope like our other child, don't compare her" I wasn't sure how delayed she would be. But the one thing I never did was limit her. I played with her, read to her and generaly treated her just like I did my oldest. When she would get sick it did seem to hit her hard, but she always bounced back. Fast forward 23 years she's doing great!!! Her heart still gives her problems. But she's a trooper and I'm proud to say she is now a Nurse at the very same NICU where she started out at. Remember to always be your childs advocate if someone says NO see what other options are out there. And love every precious moment and milestone. I pray that someday you will be telling someone else about your amazing son and how far he's come.

My son was born 2 months early and with fetal hydrops. He spent 35 days in the NICU, and yea it doesn't get easier leaving them behind. All I can say is hang in there!! It was hard to see at first that my son was where he needed to be and it was best. Good luck:)

Hey there,
My son was born 2 and a half months early. There's nothing like bonding to the smell of hospital soap and your breast pump is there...? I vividly remember calling the hospital to check on my son when I'd wake up engorged and needing to pump. And missing my baby...

My advice is to allow help wherever you have (family, friends, neighbors) it so you can spend time with your little one. (I was blessed that my Mom came out and slept on my couch for a month to help us keep our daughter's life in routine and normal so we could be at the hospital. it was help I didn't realize I needed until later.)

If you can breastfeed, do so when you visit and/or hold him skin on skin when you're there. Ask questions and pay attention and don't be afraid to be an advocate for him if something doesn't seem quite right.

The really lovely news I can share with you is that my son is now 6 1/2... beautiful, brilliant, strong and healthy. When people told me this at the time our son was in the hospital, I only worried that it wouldn't be true for us. But here we are... Wishing you the same

Sending you a hug~ good luck

!!! that is so wierd! I just had a son that was born at 27weeks.. he is 12 weeks old now. But my son before that is named Izayah! Spelled the same too. How old is your baby now and how is everything going?

Well Izayah's Mommy I can't speak from personal experience, but I would like to share something with you. I have met or befriended several moms who went through a similar experience. I remember when they first told me how many weeks old their babies were (twins in one case) when they were born, and my mouth dropping open in disbelief. But I am proud and amazed to report that all of these premies I speak of grew up to be healthy, vital, thriving children with no major medical issues to speak of. The twin boy premies are now about 6 and probably the tallest kids in their class.

I am sorry that your life is a roller coaster right now... it won't always be though! You will all get through this. I think that premie parents must have to learn the strength of their love for their children must faster than other parents do.... for most of us it takes a few months to settle into that bond and to realize how much love we have. I would imagine that your heart, as well as the NICU, is also very much a roller coaster.

Can't wait to read more posts from you in the months ahead to hear how you are all doing when you are back home and settled down. Best wishes to you and your family!