[chrisandaaron]

Well, we are matched again (5th time). Baby boy was born Feb. 6th at 31 weeks. According to our SW he is doing really well, but still being fed through a tube since he is still learning to suck. We are still waiting on TPR, but if all goes as planned we will be traveling on Tuesday! Any advice from Mom's or Dad's of preemies would be much appreciated. My son was 9lbs 14oz at birth... that is 3X the size of this little guy. So, this is new territory for me!
Thanks

[mckenna]

no advice, but congratulations!!!!

[AdrienneG]

The nurses at hospitals nursery and NICU are priceless. Ask them all the questions you have, especially about caring for a preemie. Find out what they feed the baby, how much, how to burp the baby, what health issues to look out for. Congratulations on your match!

The nurses at my son's hospital were priceless. They taught me everything they knew and were like 'Ok Adrienne, go ahead and feed him. Change him. Burp him." and taught me how to do those things effectively.

[K&J's mom]

Hey Chris, Congratulations!!

Our daughter was born 10(11 in April) years ago. She was a preemie and was in the hospital for about 3 weeks. We thought we were going to have to tube feed her at home and they were teaching us this, but the second to last day before she was released she started sucking. She had to have her lungs injected with lasix and on an oxygen for about a week. She improved fast though. She was a big preemie at 6lbs. They induced because they thought she was 2 weeks over due. Turns out instead of conception being july 4th, it was the end of september.

She is doing great. I did a lot of massage and skin to skin rocking when we brought her home. They said she would probably have asthma because of lung problems in hospital, and she does, but it is under control. She also had a straight esophagus at first, instead of having a curve in it, and this caused throwin up problems when she would laugh a lot or run a lot. Also, certain foods seem to not sit well, hers was hot dogs. I have read that other preemies tend to have this also.

Again, Congratulations!!!

Katrina

[AwaitingBeloved]

Congratulations, Chris! Wooo hoo!

For clothes, Baby Depot at Burlington Coat Factory has a good Preemie section. Outside of that, I'm no help! So excited for you.

[mckenna]

by the way, have you named him yet????

[StorkWatcher]

I have an excellent book on this I bought when we were matched w/ preemie twins (but then ended up with a full-termer). Will PM you later today w/the title.

I used this website, too http://www.pediatrics.wisc.edu/patientcare/preemies/.html
My niece was a preemie. She was also on a feeding tube for a little while and came home on oxygen. These are such special little babies!

My quick advice, if you're matched, KANGAROO CARE! Ask the NICU for details if you're not familiar w/ it, but as much skin-to-skin contact w/ the baby will calm them, help them breathe and help them thrive.

See if the NICU has a preemie support group. Many times, they'll have social workers and other preemie parents on-call to help.

Good luck!

[redhedded]

Chris, Wow! How awesome. There are many here with expertise, but I have a tiny bit of experience. My son was born at 35 weeks, weighing over 5 lbs. He spent 2 weeks in NICU, due to heart condition, poor response, hypotonia and lots of testing. He had a ventilator and feeding tube when we met him; his oral feeding took off quickly. Today, he is a busy, happy, healthy, all boy boy! (He was expected at 29 weeks when his first mother began premature labor.)

A is right. The nurses are priceless. They will educate you, show you and let you do it yourself. Jump in and do what they allow.

My dearest friends son was born last year at 24 weeks. His NICU stay was long; it was hard and unpredictable. Today he is a healthy, happy babe, doing so great.

[mommyoftwo]

My son was a preemie as well. He was born at 33 weeks. He weighed just over 4 pounds. The nurses are your key to success. I went and visited him for three days and he was discharged a week early. So I didnt have much time to get ready. He was eating by the time I got to meet him. You just have to push the feeding as much as possible. He ate every 4 hours...Like clock work. The nurses had him on this schedule..and I just followed the schedule. You will most likely go to the peditrician at first for weigh ins. He went every week for the first month to make sure he was gaining weight. My little preemie will be three in April. He is a happy, healthy, wonderful boy. I got most of his clothes from Babies R Us. It had the biggest selection. I would say he wore preemie clothes fot the 1st 10 weeks. I think the hardest part for me was the sleep. He slept all day and was up all night. But I dont think that had anything to do with being a preemie. They also told me to watch for developmental targets at the time he was supposed to be born. So if you are supposed to be sitting at 6 months, I had to add 7 weeks. He actually hit everything on time except for speech. Good luck..PM me if you have any questions.

[Weezyreid]

Some of the things they will be looking for to discharge this little one home for you, is weight gain, feeding well (its completly normal for preemies (even those born at 35 or 36 weeks) to need a feeding tube, as they are just to young yet to know how to suck...and sometimes too sleepy to be able to feed from bottle) they look that they don't drop their oxygen levels during feedings, that they tolerate feedings well, they look to see that they maintain their oxygen levels while sleeping (and in the same breath don't have any sleep apneas...this is normal when they are first in NICU...as they sometimes just forget to breath....all they normally need is a bit of stimulation...like rubbing their tummys.
You will be able to participate lots, with kangaroo care, helping with feedings, changing diapers, bathing, you will get use to all the buzzers,....and the nurses will be your best resources.
Enjoy this time....oh one things is that babies who spend a lot of time in NICU really like the schedule, and can also sleep with lots of noise in the house...
I hope all goes well this time
Louise

[tondy24]

Sorry I don't have any advice to give, but I just wanted to say Congratulations Chris!!!

[redribbonrose]

Yeah Chris! Congrats!

[Casey677]

FINALLY!!!! Congratulations!!!!

I have no advice for you other than to ask a lot of questions!!! My munchkin was 35 1/2 weeks and over 5lbs, so I don't know about one that small!!

[momofmykids]

CHRIS,
OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG! I'm in shock and I KNOW you are.

Congrats!

[Aaronsmommy03]

HI!! First of all congratulations!! Our son was born at 30 weeks and was just over 3 pounds. We spent a lot of time in in the NICU and like other posters have said the nurses will teach you everything you need to know. They are priceless. My son did not need to be on a ventilator (except for his transport by helicopter to a bigger hospital right after his birth). He had a feeding tube for the majority of the time he was there (which was 5 weeks). But as soon as he learned how to suck and was feeding really well, gaining weight, and maintaining his body temperature he was able to come home. He is now a healthy & happy 3 year old!! Good luck.