Girls - HELLO!!!!!!!
This is my first brief time on internet since the huge, massive, no superlative big enough to desribe change to my life.
I will write about the whole experience one day in the distant future when I have a second, but briefly my son's name is Jordi - it's a Catalan name, pronounced as you read it phonetically. My waters broke when I got up to go to the loo at 1am on 8 Jan - it's wrong on the stats thread btw - got to hosp at 2-2.30, was dilated 2cm, up to delivery suite by 3.30, born at 7! I had back labour which was a bit painful (!!!) but I coped with gas and air, massage from DP and hand holding from MW. The worst thing was they had to constantly monitor his heartbeat which invovlved pressing against my tummy all the time - not nice. I did move around a bit which didnt always go down well but I had to to manage pain. Refused offers of pethidine and epidural as no way I wanted him to have heavy drugs in his system at 31+4 delivery. It was ok - I'd do it again.
Jordi's in the special care baby unit in intensitve treatment in an incubator. He is breathing for himself but needed a bit of oxygen to stop his lungs sticking together when he breathes in, a machine called C-PAP, whichh provides postivie pressure in his lungs. He's had to have phototherapy on and off for jaundice but not for last 24 hours. Also, he's been off the C-PAP for hours at a time and is from 6pm this eve off for six hour stretches if he tolerates it. Sorry if this language is alien - you pick it up fast. He's being fed through a tube into stomach and is currently getting 14 mls of my milk and formula an hour - he was on one ml on end of day one if that gives an idea of prorgress. I coudln't hold him until Friday which was the worst thing but have had him out I think 5 times in total now - amazing. I was in hosp until Sat when they kicked me out. My life now revolves arounnd expressing milk eight times a day if I can, visiting him , crying, worrying, being amazed I have a son, and trying to get some rest inbetween (ha, ha, ha) - tiredness like you'd never believe. Donty know if any of you have ahad prem babies before. It's a strange little world of red-eyed, worried women (and some men), tiny, fragile delicate lives being cared for by some of the most amazing people in the world. I would willingly kill for the NHS after seeing the work they do for these tiny tots and I mean that literally.
As for me - emotions all over the place, had a nightmare day on Sunday when was a weepy mess but that's natural. Will put a pic up when I get some on this computer. Sorry haven't had tyime to read posts, hope all well, thanks for congrats, oh and a few top tips - buy everything you need NOW, and take some straws to wherever tyou're having the baby to drink water from when your mouthi is dry from gas and air/screaming....
Also, if you can avoid having continuouus monitoring, do it - ie go to MW led unit, or whatever, cos unless its essentila for your baby, it's a pain in the back/front!!!
Love to all, have been tyhinking of yoyu and dying to get in touch, but literally no time to do anyting. Be back on when I can, hope your'e all well, excuse crap typing, am on fast break between expressings.
Callie xxxx aned Jordi xxx