World's youngest preemie is going home!!! - Page 2

[intorainbowz]

Seriously, at one Peri consult the peri said that her being female was a big positive and that her father being hispanic was another positive. He did not know why, but he said that minority girls do best.

A sad way they proved this was after the big Mexico City Earthquates. When the found the babies in the hospital nurserys more girl babies lived than boys.

[Rachel J.]

I'd already heard it before so it wasn't too much of a shock when I was told a few times that little caucasian boys were the wimpiest. It didn't really phase me and ds did remarkably well. Hadn't really thought about it before but maybe it had something to do with Dh being half Cuban?

[myjulybabes]

Oh, that is so wonderful and amazing that she's going home!

I had heard too, that caucasian boys do the worst, and African-American girls do the best (could be girls of color, period, but I seem to recall my doc saying AA), and they just don't know why. They actually jokingly call it "wimpy white boy syndrome". My ds (caucasian) spent 2 wks in the NICU at 36 wks, so I'm unfortunately familiar with the phenomenon. All I know is, I'm trying for a girl next time.

[OGirlieMama]

Yeah, they told me that having girls was definitely in our favor at 29 weeks, and having twins because supposedly they mature faster. And maybe my husband being half Peruvian helped, too!

[susienjay]

Originally Posted by intorainbowz

WOW.... 10 ounces is 283 grams.... They told us babies HAD to be at least 24 weeks and 500 grams for survival. We were told that under 500 grams the IV tubes and intubation tubes are too big.

I had a major bleed at 24w0d and I was admitted into Labor and Delivery for the night. The admitting nurse put me at 23w4d and I was told the same thing that I needed to be 24 weeks for possible survival. Even the Peri I saw mentioned several times they probably wouldn't even attempt to resuscitate before 24 weeks.

That's an amazing story.

[Amys1st]

there were a few 23 weekers in our nicu. But things get easier after 24 weeks.

[Cinder]

Originally Posted by Rachel J.

I'd already heard it before so it wasn't too much of a shock when I was told a few times that little caucasian boys were the wimpiest. It didn't really phase me and ds did remarkably well.

When the neonatologist came to my hospital room to talk to me when I was in active labour at 32 weeks he said "of course, we will have issues with wimpy white boy syndrome"...that's definitely the right thing to tell a stressed out mother. : But yea, I have definitely heard that before...even before he said it to me, but still...

[sarah1972]

amazing article

I know all about WWB syndrome. My WWB is a 26-weeker who's acting like a 24-weeker, but we're on NICU day 64 and he's still here

Anyway, I was at the U of I tonight visiting my little buddy and talked to them about this article because the University of Iowa is quoted in it, and they all swear (neos and nurses) that the dates are wrong, but I keep thinking it won't be long before some of these obstacles are overcome and they will find a way to save 20-weekers. This is the website. I've checked it out a few times. I know that the've saved a 12-ounce 22-weeker but she cried at birth, and of course was a 'she.'

http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/tiniestbabies/

[intorainbowz]

She had to stay. They are not saying why.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17237979/

[susienjay]

Originally Posted by Cinder

When the neonatologist came to my hospital room to talk to me when I was in active labour at 32 weeks he said "of course, we will have issues with wimpy white boy syndrome"...that's definitely the right thing to tell a stressed out mother. : But yea, I have definitely heard that before...even before he said it to me, but still...

I know with my boy/girl twins I heard over and over that the girls almost always go home first. My boy came home the exact same day as his sister. He was a little slower in the feeding department than her but he never needed oxygen and she did.

[mhenry]

WRT: "Wimpy white boy syndrome" My mom mentioned to me when ds was in the NICU(full term), I thought she had made it up. It's does make sense that it's a real term she would know, she's a CRNA.

It's wonderful that the little girl is doing so well. Did you see those pictures of the mom holding her, her face was just so full of love and happiness, it made me leak:

[splendid]

Re: them keeping her, apparently her docs think she runs a risk of getting a virus. That is what they said on GMA.

[Amys1st]

Originally Posted by sarah1972

I know all about WWB syndrome. My WWB is a 26-weeker who's acting like a 24-weeker, but we're on NICU day 64 and he's still here

Anyway, I was at the U of I tonight visiting my little buddy and talked to them about this article because the University of Iowa is quoted in it, and they all swear (neos and nurses) that the dates are wrong, but I keep thinking it won't be long before some of these obstacles are overcome and they will find a way to save 20-weekers. This is the website. I've checked it out a few times. I know that the've saved a 12-ounce 22-weeker but she cried at birth, and of course was a 'she.'

http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/tiniestbabies/

Its funny, but dh and I also said the dates are wrong. But this baby down in Maimi has a few good odds working with her. I remember when everyone kept saying to us, she is a girl which is good. We both thought- what are they telling the parents of boys?? Now we know
The three smallest babies from IL- I know the one from downers grove and the first two listed are Maggie's Dr. Again, all girls.

Maggie also cried at birth and had high apgar scores so although that was a great thing, it was still a long long road until she came home.

Half of me is very happy for the parents but the other half of me wishes the media would leave this alone. The chances of this happening in most nicus are slim and none. And for every baby like MAggie who was a 24 weeker who is doing well, there are 20 who are not.

[sarah1972]

I remember when everyone kept saying to us, she is a girl which is good. We both thought- what are they telling the parents of boys??

I know what you mean! I've watched the and 25-week girls move on up out of there before Emery. There is a 24-weeker, an African-American boy, there right now doing pretty well. What they did tell me in the beginning was that they could manage Emery, he would have a prolonged ventilator course, an extremely long NICU stay, several infections and pneumonia. I appreciated their honesty and they frequently keep telling me he's not the worst one they've seen, which always makes me feel a little better.

I wish the media would leave this alone, too. I think it really minimizes the stress/pain/joy/anxiety that the long NICU stays bring. Peoeple read it and think we hang out in NICU and knit booties until baby comes home. I remember my husband thought when Emery was born that it was just a matter of waiting. He said he wished he wasn't so naive.

[intorainbowz]

I wish they would leave this alone as well.... Yesterday someone at work mentioned that if a 21 weeker could do so well... it must have been very easy for my 34 weeker. Sure, we did not deal with a lot of the things that other parents did, ie she was never on a respirator, but we dealt with plenty in the NICU. Syd'd apgars were 5 and 9, and it still was 6.5 weeks before she came home.

[tbavrbab]

I am a little surprised that people have used this case to extrapolate how a such-and-such week baby does...or how they think they "ought" to do...

:

I had a comment about Adara too. No she didn't need ventilated (5 minutes of CPAP at birth then to room air), was pretty ready to eat (needed a slow start), no feeding tube (it was a possibility when she was moved to full feeds and started refusing), or have anything majorly wrong (just had issues with the magnesium levels from all my mag sulfate, the levels were higher than they had anticipated and lasting longer than expected)...

HOWEVER that does NOT mean that she didn't really need to be in the NICU...because you know I WANTED her there, right?

"If they can save a 21 weeker, why would a 33weeker even need to be there?"

"You should have just taken her home! You let those doctors take her for no reason."

Oh the comments I have heard from people...blessedly ignorant people who have the luxury of not knowing what it means to have a preemie, not having to spend even a minute in the NICU...

No my baby wasn't the smallest (by any STRETCH) nor the sickest (her report reads like a textbook case of how WELL things can go!), but that does NOT mean she didn't "need" to be in the NICU, or have an IV, or be fed by TPN for the first two days, or anything else!

Okay, okay, sorry, sometimes, I wish people could understand, and then I remember that I wouldn't WISH anyone have personal knowledge of the NICU...no matter how much they upset me and make judgements...

So I'll hop off my and thank you for listening to me rant...

[Cinder]

Originally Posted by sarah1972

Anyway, I was at the U of I tonight visiting my little buddy and talked to them about this article because the University of Iowa is quoted in it, and they all swear (neos and nurses) that the dates are wrong,

I've read 2 or 3 articles now that have stated she was conceived through IVF, so the dates can't be wrong.

[Amys1st]

I have to agree about what people say after hearing the 21 weeker. Does anyone realize the odds of this happening??? I almost dont want some parents to see my baby becuase they may think- well Maggie is ok so my kids will be ok.

Also, as Bob used to say in the nicu- all the parents have different crosses to bear. That full term baby in the crib over there- well even though he dosent have a vent, he may need a heart transplant like the little guy in ours. And dont give his parents dirty looks because they get to hold him, they still have a nightmare in front of them.

As of right now, if I had a dollar for every person who has emailed me a link, called me, told me about this baby in FL, we could go out tonight for a fancy dinner with a bottle of wine. A couple of Bob's patients even brought in the newspaper to show him.

[ksera05]

Originally Posted by intorainbowz

WOW.... 10 ounces is 283 grams.... They told us babies HAD to be at least 24 weeks and 500 grams for survival. We were told that under 500 grams the IV tubes and intubation tubes are too big.

Wow what a tiny baby.

our hospital semi-routinely intubates babies who are smaller than 500g and I know at least one who survived it really, really depends on the baby and the hospital.

oh Amy, I know everyone is like "have you heard about that 21 weeker????"

[Zan&Zav]

Originally Posted by Rachel J.

I'd already heard it before so it wasn't too much of a shock when I was told a few times that little caucasian boys were the wimpiest. It didn't really phase me and ds did remarkably well. Hadn't really thought about it before but maybe it had something to do with Dh being half Cuban?

After we knew my Zav was going to be ok, the nurses told me they were praying while I was in the OR that he would be a girl, because the boys dont survive nearly as often.