Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

A hand hold please

48 replies

StillMedusa · 23/04/2021 23:52

My grandchild was born this morning. My DD2 had a difficult and very long (3 day ) labour . Baby is currently in intensive care , intubated, ventilated, paralysed (to stop him fighting the ventilator) with tubes everywhere. He was in severe distress and had inhaled a lot of meconium.
DD2 is exhausted..she was incredible her lovely dh tells me, and in a room where she can hear other babies with their Mums while her son (her first..and my first grandchild) is wired up and fighting for his life.
He's gorgeous.. a shock of dark hair which is a surprise as she is very blonde, and he's a chunk (she's tiny!). But he's a very unwell chunk
I want to support her, but she's there, I'm not even allowed to visit.. and baby will be there for some time.

He should be been got out earlier IMO.. it was obvious it wasn't going well.. but that's for future review. We just want him to be well, and for DD2 to be able to hold him.

OP posts:
MrsR2018 · 24/04/2021 00:00

Sending a hand hold and well wishes to everyone ❤️❤️❤️

msssm · 24/04/2021 00:02

My love and best wishes to you all.

I hope you get to hug them both soon 💐

Roszie · 24/04/2021 00:04

How's scary for you all.

He sounds adorable, a little dark haired chunk. I hope he's in her arms soon.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
Hughbert · 24/04/2021 00:07

Ah, congratulations Grandma! I hope dd is doing as well as possible. All v scary but you need to trust that the professionals are doing all the right things and it is giving dd time to heal a bit after a hard birth. Flowers

Howmanysleepsnow · 24/04/2021 00:31

Congratulations! I hope you and DD are able to rest while baby gets stronger and you get to have cuddles soon. What’s his name?

Original poster
StillMedusa · 24/04/2021 00:47

Thank you. I just want them together and well. DD2 is a strong, wonderful and extremely competent nurse herself (surprised the docs by knowing which form of ventilation they were going to use :D ) but she's also a first time Mum separated from their very sick beautiful baby.

OP posts:
SheldonesqueTheSecondComing · 24/04/2021 00:51

Handhold here and positive thoughts speeding to you all - especially the little chunk 🌻

Original poster
StillMedusa · 24/04/2021 18:23

His name is Theodore (Teddy!).. and he's just beautiful.. my kids are all blonde so a dark haired (lots of it) baby is a surprise.
He's currently ventilated and sedated , but today they are trying him without the paralytic drugs. He can't feed so he's getting dextrose, but hopefully DD2 will be able to express soon and store it. DD2 will have to come home tomorrow which will be very tough.
I'm going to have stern words with this baby when he comes home and I've cuddled him Grin .Probably a few weeks away but maybe he will surprise us!

OP posts:
DramaAlpaca · 24/04/2021 18:27

Oh gosh, what a mix of emotions you must be going through. Congratulations @StillMedusa on becoming a granny, and to your DD2 and her DH. I hope your gorgeous little chunk of a grandson will be home soon.

OverTheRainbow88 · 24/04/2021 18:29

How did today go without the paralytic drugs?

Spied · 24/04/2021 18:37

Sending best wishes and positive thoughts.
He's going to be a right little handful if his entrance to the world is anything to go by. I'd be having stern words tooGrin.

TheThingsWeAdmitOnMN · 24/04/2021 18:40

Oh lovely, I'm so sorry to hear that DD2 & Teddy are having such a rough time of it.

It's such a shame you can't be with her, she's YOUR baby!

What are you going to be called?

How far from the hospital do they live?

Big hugs & best wishes x

hiredandsqueak · 24/04/2021 18:46

Congratultions and a handhold from me too. My grandson (also Theodore) Ted was born on Monday and his Dad had a similar entry to your grandson but you would never know it. Will be thinking of you all. Hoping the cuddles and a stern talking to come quickly.

Useruseruserusee · 24/04/2021 18:46

My second DS was born very ill with a condition that was not detected antenatally. He was rushed to another hospital, ventilated and kept asleep whilst awaiting major surgery. He is 3 and doing very well now but I can still remember clearly what it felt like. Without a doubt the hardest days I have been through.

I was able to cope and manage whilst DS was in hospital (for around a month) but crashed completely when the danger had passed. Your DD may go through a lot of different emotions at different stages.

Original poster
StillMedusa · 24/04/2021 20:55

We're about 25 miles from the JR (DD2 lives 5 mins away from me).. thank GOD she didn't have a home birth is all I can think as the outcome might have been unthinkable.

I haven't caught up with DD2 this evening yet.. I think she finally got some sleep this afternoon and I want them to have time together without me endlessly pestering the for updates even though I want to Grin

As for my name.. well it's tricky... My Mum is Granny (and she does not want to be Great Granny..understandably!) . Other grandmother is going to be Nana. My brother is only 37 so finding it very funny to be a great uncle, is going to be Grunkle ...so.. I'm going to be Grulie.. a combo of Granny and some of my name. DH ..Grampy (or grumpy!)

Yes we are daft!!!!!

OP posts:
aibutohavethisusername · 24/04/2021 21:55

Sending you a handhold and thinking of Teddy.

TheThingsWeAdmitOnMN · 25/04/2021 01:33

25 miles is a bit of a trek for a daily commute, but at least it's not more I guess. Lovely that they live so close to you.

Grulie is going to make buying cards interesting 🤣

I have a Great Aunt. - she's only 15 years older than my Dad. So she was only ever 'her name' to my Dad, but once I was born my Dad used to take great pleasure in very loudly calling her Great Aunty Hername. 🤣 but I only call her Aunty Hername. And her kids are my age, so they've always been in the cousin count, even though they're really my Dads cousins

Hope DD2 is getting some sleep tonight & there's some good news tomorrow. (& yes, thank his she didn't opt for a HB)

I hope you're getting some sleep. I was until some teenagers thought they'd gather under my window & talk utter shite to each other🙄🙄

indiakulfi · 25/04/2021 01:40

I hope that he's with her soon.

hiredandsqueak · 27/04/2021 14:49

@StillMedusa hope there is positive news about baby Teddy and you've got to have a cuddle Flowers

SheldonesqueTheBstard · 27/04/2021 15:55

🧸 hope he is doing well op 🌻

AdoraBell · 27/04/2021 16:01

Thinking of you all, everything crossed for Teddy and the whole family.

DiscordandRhyme · 27/04/2021 16:05

Hoping Teddy has had a productive few days.

Thinking of you 🌸

Original poster
StillMedusa · 27/04/2021 19:33

He's doing really well!!!
He's come off the ventilator already and after a day of just nasal prongs for oxygen he's stepped down to the low dependency unit! While he still has a feeding tube he has started taking a tiny bit of donated breast milk (he was just on dextrose) Best of all, they have a room at the Ronald McDonald house ..as he is progressing really well the docs wanted DD2 there so she can hopefully get him breast feeding asap (and can express now her milk is starting to come in)

He can now cry! He's spending all his cuddles trussed up like a turkey as he startles easily and likes to try and pull his tubes.he actually managed to pull his feeding tube out once, so I think he's going to be home quite quickly as long as he doesn't go too yellow (also a bit jaundiced)

I won't actually get to meet him til he is home, but it feels like he is going to get there a lot sooner than we were told, so fingers crossed.

DD2 has just been incredible.. she's a nurse herself but it's different when it's your own, but she has just been so positive and (mostly) calm throughout. I'm awe of her. (tbf she's always been way more competent than I ever have been Grin)

Just cannot wait to meet him...

OP posts:
Happylittlethoughts · 27/04/2021 19:43

Just catching this thread Stillmedusa. I must admit to having tear in my eye- for you, for your DD and for Teddy. Go Teddy!
You must be so proud of your girl. Welcome to the world little fighter Teddy. Sending you love and positive thoughts. Many happy years ahead. X

hiredandsqueak · 27/04/2021 19:50

Oh such lovely news, well done Teddy and his lovely Mummy. My Grandson Ted is now 9 days old and has regained his birthweight, both he and his mummy seem to be pros at the breastfeeding.