March 18th, 2016

Born too soon....

WARNING: Potential trigger post to increase the awareness the journeys of premature babies & their parents

When their baby is born, most mums & dads feel an overwhelming about of love & joy....and sleep deprivation & the usual early parenting challenges sets in....

See this video and you will see the amazing journey of a family of 3

Little Ward, was born 14 weeks too soon, weighing 600grams

He was born at 28 weeks gestation, weighing almost the same as a tub of butter....

All babies are special....but premature babies and their parents are extra super special & need extra care, love & nurturing

Hour by hour....day by day, the status of their babies health is incredibly uncertain & at times labile....

Shell shock ....."is my baby ok? Is my baby going to make it?"

Not even getting a chance to hold their baby, although briefly after a minimum of 3-4 days after birth, sometimes, several weeks

There are many scares, but they may pull through & some don't.

Couple this with knowing that you have to go home every night without your precious baby, night after night for 14 weeks

You can't sleep because you are either overtired or battling an episode of insomnia, because you are frightened that the phone will ring and you will be told that you need to rush to the hospital because your baby may not make it by sunrise....you go.....and then he's ok......

Try living this for 14 weeks - a pure living hell....

That's 3.5 months.....

As premmies get older & closer to going home, they are still incredibly vulnerable, even in the long term.

Some premmies need to go home with medical devices like oxygen treatment to survive - this can continue through to early toddlerhood....

These premmies need close developmental & medical observation for many years after birth to monitor for cerebral palsy, developmental delay, hearing & visual impairments, slow growth, feeding issues & frequent infections that can be life threatening.

Prior to discharge from Neonatal Intensive Care, parents are taught how to do CPR on their babies & will usually go home with an apnoea monitor to monitor their babies breathing.....

If you are a new parent with a new baby born at term and feeling tired, frustrated & overwhelmed....these parents wish they were in your shoes....

It really puts in in perspective doesn't it?

These families need your help by:

Checking in regularly

Offer some home cooked meals, assistance with household chores

Helping with kinder, school runs & Childcare

A shoulder to cry on

Being present & giving them some company, because they feel so alone

Co-ordinating a team of helpers so that they have ongoing help & offers of assistance to make sure they are comfortable, fed & nurtured...



http://mommyshorts.com/2013/05/28-examples-of-crap-my-husband-pulled-while-i-was-in-labor.html