Oh no problem, I don't mind posting at all. She was 4 pounds 1 ounce at birth, and lost some weight down to 3 pounds 7 ounces. She needed oxygen for less than 12 hours, probably because I had steriod shots for her. I don't remember them discussing this with us while I was in the hospital, but because of some complications I was a little out of it. Her records indicated that she had an infection, and they gave her antibiotics, but I'm not really sure if it was more of a preventative thing, since I had a fever and a virus when she was born.
She was IV fed only for a day or two, and then when she was a little more stable she was tube fed colstrum. Aftera while she was tube fed breastmilk and then bottle fed breastmilk because she still wasn't latching well at the breast even though we were trying. She did end up learning to nurse, but it took us three months. Most of her stay in the hospital was to learn to eat and to grow larger and maintain temperature. She was released at under 5 pounds, I think 4 pounds 11 ounces after 23 days there.
Let's see, we had to do the carseat test before being allowed to go home. They montior heart rate and breathing while the baby is in the carseat, the angle sometimes makes it hard for preemies to breathe well. They have to have a good heart rate and breathing for an hour and they pass. She failed twice and finally passed on the third try.
While in the hospital they tested her hearing, did an ultrasound of her head, did some blood tests, and measured her urine output by weighing her diapers and counted her dirty diapers as well. She was fine on all these things, just a small baby, as I said.
Unfortunately we didn't know a lot about kangaroo care, and i was exhausted from the traumatic birth experience and pumping around the clock plus nursing my older daughter. I was really torn between this tiny baby that needed me but had all these expert nurses around to care for her, and didn't yet seem like "mine" and her older sister, who was very vocally missing me and confused about why i had been gone so much and was so sad. I spent less time there than i should have, and didn't work on nursing as hard as i would have like until we were home. That made bonding with her difficult at first. but she is the light of my life now.
A few minutes after birth:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...Firstnight.jpg
Three days old:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...ehandsmall.jpghttp://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...u/PC240012.jpg
Ready to come home:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2.../readytogo.jpg
This year, Father's day:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...thersday06.jpg
I know EXACTLY what you mean. I still kick myself every day for the things I did/didn't do/allowed!
so I would try to hold out as long as possible I wish you the best of luck
