***High Risk Mamas Support Thread*** - Page 39

[avivaelona]

Sara I know, it sucks. I'm glad to hear from you though.

[sbrinton]

Things have slowed down on here. I guess that's a good thing, as most of you approach your due dates with healthy babies still in your bellies.

How are you all?

Despite my fears, things are still going well here. After a totally crazy weekend thinking I was in labor and then thinking I had an infection that would mean I needed to be induced, things are quiet and I'm stable.

Who knows how long it will last. But for now I'm trying to relax and prepare and sort of half-enjoy these last two weeks of bed rest...put up some cute pictures of my son Micah at the hospital on my blog if you click on my signature.

[Shelbyscout]

Oh my goodness--Micah is just adorable!!! Thanks for sharing! It's good to hear from you--so glad you're hanging in there and the LO is cooking happily. Each day is an accomplishment, so you should be very proud.

[sbrinton]

"Stable" didn't last long. At about 5 am this morning, I went into labor. Our third son, Zephaniah Isaac, was born at 12:21 pm after a very, very fast active labor.

He was 31 weeks 3 days. He was quite early, but after a very complicated pregnancy we're so thankful we've made it this far!

He is doing well for his age. He's on CPAP with room air and is settling in nicely to the NICU. While I haven't been able to hold him yet, we've spent several hours today holding his hands. He opens his eyes a little to look at me when I talk to him. Hopefully we'll be able to start kangaroo care and giving him pumped breastmilk on Wednesday or Thursday.

Thank you ladies through all your support through this pregnancy. I'm slowly adjusting to the reality that he is here and my pregnancy is over, but overall we're so thankful for a healthy, if little, baby and a very easy birth.

[Sage_SS]

Congrats Sara! I'm glad things went well and your son is doing so good! How big was he?

We got home today. I'm frustrated with our ped, actually more so with this situation. Georgia was born at 6lbs 4 oz and was down to 5 lbs by day 4.
Lucien was born at 6lbs 4 oz and is was 5 lbs 10 oz by day 4, and he's on the same feeding program she was on.
This feeding plan with the formula killed BFing with Georgia. After getting a bottle several times a day she refused to nurse anymore. She'd SCREAM when I tried to get her to latch.
Lucien was doing SO GOOD with nursing. He was nursing for 20 mins a side, fully suckling the entire time. After being on this supplement program for 2 days, he's down to maybe 10 mins a side and thats if I nudge him or undress him to keep him going. A few times he's just screamed when I've tried to get him latched. I'm heartsick that this is going to kill our future BFing.

I don't understand. He's not losing anymore, he's gaining.. just slowly.

Hows everyone else holding up?

[avivaelona]

Just keep doing it Sage. Can you supplement with an SNS instead of a bottle? What if you start slowly weaning him off supplementation and trying to increase nursing?

Sara, congrats! I'm SO glad to hear he's doing well on the CPAP. I'm sending you love and hope that he's HOME soon. I'm in a little shock too that he was actually born after your relaxed message last night! I can imagine it feels very odd to you. But I bet he does great. Oh and I can't believe his middle name is Isaac. You know that was the first born I lost no? I feel almost obligated to use Micah now! Weird name twins that we are.

Baby Mushroom which is all we are calling him at the moment is head down for now at least, he still can turn and still tries to, so hopefully he will decide he's in the right place and not flip again. My blood sugar is giving me still more issues so I will be seeing my endocrinologist tomorrow to figure out what to do, I want to be able to eat more.

[hollycat]

Big congrats sara!!!!!!

[Shelbyscout]

Big congratulations Sara! :

Sage--hang in there. Can you use an SNS or even a syringe to supplement instead of a bottle?

[theboodges]

: Sara! Congrats!!! So glad he is doing well!

Hope your little Mushroom stays head down this time Erica!

Good luck Sage with the nursing!

Have a good morning everyone!

Christy

[Gale Force]

Congratulations Sara! :

Sage -- Are you aware of the type of screaming a baby does when he has thrush in the mouth? Could it be that? With mine (which I think was typical), he would suck on or two times and pop off in a scream. It was impossible to keep him latched. If that's the problem, it's not rejection, just pain when latched on. The most effective treatment for baby in our case was gentian violet in the mouth and some nystatin cream on the nipple area between feedings. There is a whole lot of other stuff you can do for thrush, but that would get you stated.

Amanda

[hollycat]

erica, i read on other thread you are getting cerclage out. im still trying to decide when to have mine removed. hope it goes easy peasy.

[selena_ski]

Yay, everyone is doing well today. Sorry i haven't been on much. I really have been trying to get us all in a schedule and routine. plus really trying to get my school work done before xmas.

[Shelbyscout]

Woo hoo--awesome test results today!!! :

I got the results from my echocardiogram--I was right, no news was good news. My results came back NO CHANGE from my pre-pregnancy heart function. What a relief! I haven't been having symptoms, but it was still a big concern. My high-risk ob, who is also a cardiologist, calls me her "normal" patient . We're celebrating here :

[sbrinton]

Zephan is doing really well. It's so nice after a pregnancy with a lot of bad news to finally have good news!

He's off the CPAP and breathing on his own. He's starting to get breastmilk by gavage and I'm able to put him to the breast to suckle and nuzzle a few times a day when we do kangaroo care. No signs of infection or any other issues. He's very healthy, just little! It will probably be at least 4 weeks in the NICU for him to grow and learn to eat.

This is hard in it's own way. It's terrible to leave him here and go home, even though it's nice to be home after almost 3 weeks in the hospital.

Time to pump before I get to hold baby one more time today...

[avivaelona]

Wishing you and Zephan the best Sara, I'm sure its stressful having a baby in the NICU but I'm so glad to hear he's thriving. Grow little guy grow!

Shelby that is wonderful news.

I had a bunch of contractions last night, nothing "important" but I'm anxious to get the cerclage out.

[Shelbyscout]

Oh Erica--keep us updated!

Great news that Zephan is breathing on his own. It must be awful to have to leave him but it sounds like he's making great progress, and it's wonderful that you're able to pump and give him breastmilk.

[avivaelona]

Nah, no updates I'm sure, nothing at all is happening at least til Wednesday when I get the stitch out. I think its very unlikely that anything will happen then either...with my son I got the stitch out, I was already 75% effaced, I immediately dilated to two centimeters and then just hung out that way for 2.5 weeks...no further movement or anything. He ended up being induced (due to maternal insanity) at 39 weeks and probably would have stayed in another two weeks beyond that on his own.

Its possible though that since this one is a little lower and I've had some contractions (which I just never did beyond braxton hicks with J. that when they take the stitch out it could trigger labor, not likely but possible, so you can all wait for an update the night before Thanksgiving Until then we aren't going anywhere I don't think.

[theboodges]

s Sara! It is so hard to leave them, but it is great Zephan is breathing on his own. And the NICU is probably the best babysitting option around if you think about it!

Congrats on your great news Shelby!!!!

AFM, doing fine. The growth concern has been nagging at me, so I called the phone nurse through my insurance company yesterday, and ran everything by her. She encouraged me to request another ultrasound at my next appt and ask about a few more things they should be checking for. So I left a message for my doctor to call me Monday so we can hopefully schedule another one. So send us some good vibes that I get the ultrasound and find out she is around 25% or more!

Have a good weekend everyone!

[hollycat]

great news sarah and shelby!!!!
hang in thre, erica!

[sbrinton]

I posted my birth story here.