Natal (or neonatal...?) Tooth

A few weeks ago, Emilia's nurse said there was a little bump on Emilia's lower gum. She wasn't sure what it was. We asked the Nurse Practioner to take a look and she said it could be a tooth! I had never even heard of a baby having a tooth at that gestation. She said it didn't look like an inflammation and we would need to watch it closely.

Last night's nurse said it was a tooth... finally erupted a little from her gum, as confirmed by a doctor as well. I don't know what to think. She started to suckle so enthusiatically and I am so looking forward to the time that she will finally be able to eat at the breast but now she has a tooth!?!

I don't even know if this is considered a natal tooth or a neonatal tooth... because she's only 33 weeks gestation. Would she have been born with that tooth if she had been carried to the term? Or is this a neonatal tooth since it came out after she was born? It doesn't matter if it is a natal tooth or neonatal tooth. Apparently 1 in 2000-3000 babies is born with a tooth and natal teeth are more common than neonatal teeth. I just hope it does not interfere with her suckling. If the tooth comes out a bit more, it might hurt her tongue... When we start nursing, it might hurt my nipple too. I was hoping that it would not turn out to be a tooth because it could mean Sick Kids now has to remove it. Now I will start to pray that it will be loose so that extracting it won't be painful for Emilia.

Emilia is 33 weeks gestation

Emilia is 33 weeks gestation. This past week was quite eventful for her because she had to be tested numerous times for an infection and it was found that she indeed had an infection in her blood with a random bacteria that is not very commonly seen in neonates. The bright side of this is the bacteria is not particulary dangerous and it has not caused meningitis. She needs to be on antibiotics for 7 days. She does not seem sick though. She is active and alert, still suckling well and poohing well. I guess the longer the hospital stay, the higher the chance of getting an infection along the way. Emilia has had a few infection scares in the first few weeks of her life but this is the first "confirmed" infection - after 53 days in NICU.

Her weight is now 1.8Kg but because her weight gain was very drastic, I think it may be due to fluid retention, not true growth. She is now 40cm in length. Still small but much bigger than when she was first born.

Family Photo

Took a picture of ourselves during our Kangaroo Care, three of us together, for the first time since the day Emilia was born.

Emilia weighs 1630g

Emilia weighs 1.6kg now. She has not doubled her birth weight yet but she is getting there.
She got a blood transfusion two days ago and she is much better after that. Her oxygenation seems much much better. She even has a pink glow.

NICU Diary 2

After more than a month in NICU, you start to recognize all the bad signs when a baby is not going to live.
You see doctors and nurses rushing.
You see parents crying at bedside all day and all night.
You see them in the same clothes as yesterday, and the day before.
You see the social worker visiting them.
Next you see the chaplain.
You see the baby being carried out quietly to another room.
Probably where the baby will spend the final few hours in the arms of the parents.
You see an empty bed space.
You see the baby's name tag taken away.

Even with today's advanced medicine, there are babies who will never get to go home with their parents. Babies who arrive too early and have to be intubated and poked from the beginning to the end of their short lives. Babies who will never know the warm loving touch of their mom and dad. Even in one of the best hospitals in the country, we still fail them.

My heart aches...