Today is an important day to me because my daughter was born at 32 weeks and weighed 3 pounds 11 ounces. So I thought I would share what I remember about those first weeks. We are so lucky that Nina came home because not all the babies get to.
I remember the moment they told me they were going to have to take Nina out early because my kidney’s had failed and they had no choice.
I remember thinking, can’t you just hook me up to another machine to keep her in there. I wish this wasn’t happening
I remember that that when she came out, I was able to hold her a couple seconds before they whisked her away because she took a breath on her own. I didn’t see her again until more than 24hrs after that.
I remember my strong intimidating dad with tears in his eyes after visiting Nina at the NICU
I remember not being able to hold her
I remember them saying they would have to make sure there was no bleeding by doing a brain scan (she did not)
I remember when they said that development issues were a possibility (she has none)
I remember when they told me there was a hole in her heart but were optimistic it would close (it did)
I remember when they said they would have to close the NICU to install her Pic line because it needed to be completely sterile
I remember she had oxygen because even though she breathed on her own she wasn’t strong enough to push air in and out of her lungs
I remember being overwhelmed
I remember them calling her a NICU overachiever
I remember the nurses gushing to me about how beautiful they thought she was going to be, how much they loved taking care of her, how she never cried unless someone messed with her for a test. Then she would get pissed.
I remember them struggling to get her bilirubin count right. She spent a lot of time in a glowing box wearing shades and I would have to hold her with a blanket wrapped around her that glowed. (they felt sorry for me because I wouldn’t have been able to hold her at all otherwise)
I remember when the tubes were all removed and she took her first feeding through her mouth instead of a feeding tube.
I remember when she was moved into the almost going home room in the NICU
I remember that because of her overachieverness she was able to go home way earlier at about 3 ½ weeks after being born. She was 4 pounds when she left the NICU
I remember the love and care that each doctor and each nurse gave to each baby. I'm eternally grateful. My daughter was blessed to have them.
