Yesterday I got a surprising email from a mom I befriended with during the NICU days. Her daughter's incubator was next to Emilia's and she and I were quite close before they got transferred out..
Any way, her email was telling me to watch out for a cold/flu because her baby got hospitalized again because she got sick with a cold. Apparently a visitor (her niece) had a cold and my friend's whole family came down with the cold too. For some reason, her preemie baby girl was the last one to get sick, but most seriously ill. She was too sad and upset. She said all the alarm bells and noise in the hospital brings back the terrible memory from the NICU days and the worst is having to watch her baby cry.
Her email was a sad reminder how vulnerable our babies are just as the holiday season is starting off with more visitors into our house. I do ask them to wash their hands before touching Emilia but I really can't see if they are washing thoroughly or simply dipping their hands in water. Also not everyone knows that after you wash your hands, if you touch other things, like your cell phone, your hands are not clean any more. That is why I have the alcohol sanitizer near Emilia all the time. Sometimes I don't want to nag people to use the sanitizer because I might offend them, but offending my guests might be better than having Emilia back in the hospital.
Emilia was born on May 31, 2011, at 25 weeks and 5 days in gestational age. She came home on October 21, 2011 after spending 143 days in the hospital. Today she's a thriving, happy baby who continues to amaze us every single day. This blog records the journey of our miracle baby.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Emilia is 3 months and 1 week old
Bringing Emilia home also brings me a series of medical appointments, almost one each week. Perhaps having a newborn baby is the same too. I don't know.
RSV shots, her paediatrician's office, physiotherapy, CCAC visiting nurse, York Region Early Intervention, NICU follow-up clinics, eye check-up, Sick Kids respiratory... and today I got a call from York Region that it's almost time for her infant hearing follow-up test. She needs to go all the way to Ajax for a hearing test next month.
She might be going through a growth spurt right now, but she's been waking up more frequently in the past few days. I have been just feeding her whenever she's fussy but I am not sure if that is what I should do. I don't want her to get into a habit of getting fed (or being put on breast) when she cries.
Respiratory wise and growth wise, she is doing well, I believe. I just hope she does not resist too much when it comes to her sleeping (and nap) time. There was a time when I just put her in the crib when she was drowsy and she would just fall asleep herself. Now, on some days, none of my soothing techniques works and it drives me crazy.
Her 100th day is coming up (Saturday). I am going to have a small party with my family on Sunday. It's not her "real" 100th day any way, but I want to do what I couldn't do while she was in the hospital.
RSV shots, her paediatrician's office, physiotherapy, CCAC visiting nurse, York Region Early Intervention, NICU follow-up clinics, eye check-up, Sick Kids respiratory... and today I got a call from York Region that it's almost time for her infant hearing follow-up test. She needs to go all the way to Ajax for a hearing test next month.
She might be going through a growth spurt right now, but she's been waking up more frequently in the past few days. I have been just feeding her whenever she's fussy but I am not sure if that is what I should do. I don't want her to get into a habit of getting fed (or being put on breast) when she cries.
Respiratory wise and growth wise, she is doing well, I believe. I just hope she does not resist too much when it comes to her sleeping (and nap) time. There was a time when I just put her in the crib when she was drowsy and she would just fall asleep herself. Now, on some days, none of my soothing techniques works and it drives me crazy.
Her 100th day is coming up (Saturday). I am going to have a small party with my family on Sunday. It's not her "real" 100th day any way, but I want to do what I couldn't do while she was in the hospital.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Obsessed with developmental milestones
I have been a bit obsessed with the developmental milestones that Emilia is supposed to meet. I get these newsletters from Baby Center and Pampers that announce "this week(month), your baby is suppsoed to do ...". Though I think Emilia has been meeting all her milestones so far, it's still too early to tell. Of course every baby is unique... but I can't help but wonder whether Emilia will be developmentally delayed down the road because of her premature birth. This is the reason why I am so obsessed with giving her exercise and sensory stimulation. It's as if I must "undo" any effects that premature birth has on her if there is any. Sometimes I am singing, reading, talking, and playing with her as an obligatory duty, not for enjoyment of the time I spend with her. And of course, all the health care professionals we meet always ask me if I am giving her LOTS of tummy time. I want to tell them she hates tummy time and it's nowhere near the 20 mintues/day recommendation, but I simply tell them I put her on her tummy "as much as possible" and then I start to feel like an inadequate parent.
In the parenting book I am reading these days, the author says babies are like snow flakes. Each baby is a unique individual and we cannot simply categorize them and expect them to act this way at this age and that way at that age. Everyone says I should enjoy the baby while I can. Yes, I will try to be her best playmate rather than her personal trainer.
In the parenting book I am reading these days, the author says babies are like snow flakes. Each baby is a unique individual and we cannot simply categorize them and expect them to act this way at this age and that way at that age. Everyone says I should enjoy the baby while I can. Yes, I will try to be her best playmate rather than her personal trainer.
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