Well, our little one is now a day old. She is looking great and breathing on her own! The doctors have taken her off the respirator and she is now on a CPAP. She is so tiny, but the doctors told us that for a baby delivered at 28 weeks gestation, she is at a good weight. She hasn't lost any weight (she's still 2 lbs, 3 oz). She was 34 cm long at birth.
Today, I spent most of my day with our little one in the NICU. The times I wasn't with her, I was pumping (since I can't breastfeed her yet, the doctors told me they could give her my milk through a tube, which is the best thing for her). Hopefully when she's off all the tubes and wires and has her sucking reflexes going and is strong and big enough, I can start breastfeeding her.
I was a bit sad today (okay, I was MAJORLY weepy!) since Hubby had to return to the Island this afternoon. I really didn't want him to go and it was so hard for me to say goodbye. It would just be easier if he were with us through this. Actually, it would be easier if the little one were born at term and didn't have to stay in the NICU. All I want is to be able to take her home. I know she is where she needs to be and that her team is working their best to make sure she is a healthy little girl. It still doesn't make things any easier though.
I did get to experience something miraculous today. The little one looks so different from how she looked just yesterday when she was born! I was with her when she opened her eyes for the very first time! I also got to hear her cry for the first time! I didn't think she was able to cry because she was so tiny and I wasn't sure if she had the capacity to do so. Her cry was the sweetest sound I have every heard! The crying is a good thing because it shows that she is using her lungs.
I am so in love with our little girl. The next weeks/months to come while she is in the NICU are going to be hard for me. Hubby will be on the Island and I will be discharged from the hospital very soon. I will probably stay with family in the suburbs of Toronto and commute to the hospital every day to be with my baby. The nurses have been pumping every 2 to 3 hours so I can provide the little one with milk.
I don't know how I'm going to make it through the weeks/months of the little one's NICU stay with Hubby so far away.
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23 comments:
So nice to hear from you so soon! That was great to hear that you heard your daughter's cry - the lungs are definitely working! Does she have hair? Do you know what color her eyes are yet? Sorry for being nosy!
It's good that you have family in Toronto. That makes it easier for you to visit your baby in the NICU. You have a lot of support with your family and friends.
I'll be calling you this week ok? Take care!
Every little change is so very miraculous. :) I hope you are enjoying it as much as you thought!
We are so excited :), we cannot wait to meet her !
So good to hear that all is going well. Keep that milk coming.
That family support will be invaluable in the months ahead. It must have been hard for your husband to have to leave you and baby behind.
Lots of love to all three of you.
I'm so glad that you have family nearby who can be supportive of you at this difficult time. I wish your husband had a different career right now, the kind he could just take leave from and not have such dire problems like leaving a farm. I wish your darling girl had been able to stay inside longer, and none of this part had happened. But as hard as it is, you will get through it, and being with your baby, letting her hear your voice and see you and smell you, it is all so important right now. To both of you. :)
I hope that she can nurse as well, it's such a wonderful thing. I wasn't strong enough when I came home from the hospital, so I had to go on the bottle. Sigh. But as much breast milk as you can get in her will help. You are doing the right things all around. Hugs, hon. Wish I could be there and help you out somehow. I'd hold your hand while you cry, if you wanted.
Oh sweetie, it's horrid having a baby in the NICU. Obviously I haven't done it personally, but I held my BFF's hand while she waited for her son to get big enough to come home (he was born at 27 weeks).
If you need to talk, you know where I am, okay?
OMG Chris congratulations on your new daughter. I am only just catching up with my google reads.I am in tears both of happiness for you and knowing the sadness of not having your hubby there to be with you.
She is doing fabulously breathing on CPAP already,
How sweet that sound was I imagine. I know I waited for it with my boys. They were only in NICU a few days then special care nursery for 2 weeks. You are in my prayers.
Keep pumping and the milk will flow. The precious day will come in good time - that you get to take Junior home
hi sweety,
i cannot imagine you not getting emotional. All this came at you so fast and with almost no warning. One day you were living your life, waiting for baby, the next you're off to hospital and bam, the baby arrived...
it is good to hear that Robyn cried because it shows her lungs are strong.
I am around and will come down to you at the drop of a hat so please please please let me know when you need me.
Watching your baby grow and change is a fantastic miracle right from the first moment!
Love you,
D
In a few weeks you will look back and be happy to be through this time. Yes, each day may be hard for now, but then you'll all be together and enjoying your beautiful baby girl and you'll forget these trying times. :) XO
I'm just visiting from Fancy Pantsy. Congratulations on your baby girl! I'm sure it must be very scary to have her in the NICU, but she'll be home in no time. Great to hear that you are pumping for her!
I'm usually not one to go around quoting the bible, but a friend sent this to me once and it has always made me feel better in tough times...
Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:15
I mean, really woman, you keep blogging through all of this? I'm at the school computers laughing right now, sweetie.
Waiting for sunshine to take some outdoor photos for a story I'm working on and no sign of sun for days.
I guess you got it all.
Miniature kisses to Jr. Mint.
OMG, word ver is "Styin." Seriously, stay in.
Creepy.
Thanks for sharing all of this with us. I hope in some way, you feel like we are with you in spirit, holding you up when you can't hold yourself up anymore. I know the next few months are going to be rough, but the rest of your lives with your little girl are going to be precious :) Love to all of you sweetie.
So much so fast!
I'm am so relieved you have family nearby. Do let us know if there is anything you need. I know these distant communications aren't as good as a good hug or making time move faster, but I hope they help you in some little way.
Lots of Love bubbles floating your way!
Oh, C, I'm sorry he had to leave so soon! I guess when crops have to be tended to, there is no such thing as paternity leave, huh? When you feel sad, just remember that your baby is getting the best treatment she needs there at the hospital, and you will all be home together as a family before you know it.
Congrat's and hugs again. Hey this redneck needs to know what "CPAP" stands for?
I thought it said, "The doctors have taken her off the respirator and she is now on a CRAP" when I first read it?????
I was like huh??????
Hugs to "Rockin' Robyn"
"She rocks in the NCIU all day long,
Hoppin' and a-boppin' and a-singin' this song.
All the little birds on J-Bird Street,
Love to hear Robyn go tweet, tweet, tweet."
Hooray! I'm glad things are going well! I tried to call you this afternoon, but you must have been busy with your little girl. I'll try calling again this evening... We want pictures! EA
Jimmy, a CPAP is a mask attached to a machine, which delivers air to the person. I'm not sure what the C stands for, but the PAP is for Positive Airway Pressure. It helps them to breathe better. It was developed, I think, for people with Sleep Apnea, though it's now used for others with breathing difficulties, as you can see by C's little baby. :) Wish they had had then when I was born. I had to be intubated. Blech. (Not that I remember!)
My mom had a CPAP machine, and the first time she sent me an email talking about it, I thought she was saying CRAP as well. HA!
Awww...congratulations! I started crying when I read your posts. I am so happy for you.
Get used to changes; they change every day, no matter how early or late they came.
Also. It's great she's a Tuesday's Child.
Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace.
etc..
I was born on Tues and so was my daughter.
Again: congrats!
C, it sounds like she's changing so fast already!!! Amazing that she's on a CPAP too (my Dad is on one) strong little thing she is.
I was wondering where you might be staying... maybe not too far from me? We can meet up whenever you like.
The commute downtown isn't bad if you time it right... it still isn't ideal, obviously, but at least Robyn is in the best place to get healthy and strong to be able to go home with you and her Daddy. That is too bad that Daddy has to go home already :(
Keep up that pumping.. before you know it you'll be able to nurse Robyn yourself.
try here if you want to stay in the city for awhile. it is short term residence but back in the day would be long term many nurses and ryerson students lived here. it is nice
http://www.hostels.com/Reviews/The-Residence-College-Hotel/12189
Oh, can I be in love with a little girl I've never met?! Yes, I am in love up to the sky and beyond...
I hope you can feel the love coming all the way up there! And feel free to be as weepy as you need to be. This is natural and good and cleansing... and you have made a miracle. That is hard work!!
Love! Love! Love! Sharon
Wow she is doing so well and is so strong already.
I know this is going to be hard for you, but you can do it. I am sure that the NICU there is the same as here and you will be allowed as much time as you want with your little girl. You can stay all day and night if you want. Having Hubby not with you will be hard, but think of the time when you will all be together and that should help you get through this next bit. Stay strong and weeping is allowed.
It sucks but in the months and years to come when you are enjoying your beautiful daughter you will see this period as just a blip - a bump in the road.
Having said that...HUGS.