# My baby story



## Laura22 (Apr 13, 2011)

I might have got a few bits muddled or wrong. I'm very tired and emotional!

Hey all!!!! Well, what a time I've had the last 12/13 days! Here's the story as I remember it. I've not got the best memory in the world so if I missed bits or got any wrong, I'll ask Matt 

It all started at 9am on Thursday 31st March. I was due to go for routine CTG monitoring as arranged by my consultant for the end of my pregnancy. Anyway, I'd had a high blood sugar level (Just over 17mmol for the diabetics!) which I thought was very strange as I'd not had anything I shouldn't and done all my jabs. I didn't think too much of it. I was on the monitor for around an hour and the senior midwife came to check on progress. I'd only felt Imogen move twice in that entire morning and her heartrate was pretty flat at 140-142bpm when normally it would show different measurements depending on how much baby is moving. Anyway, the midwife was very concerned and started bleeping all the doctors she could think of aswell as saying to me "There's a chance you could be having a caesarian... today".

Anyway, a doctor came to see me (Matt had just turned up at this point) and within maybe 2 minutes I was in a wheelchair being charged down to the delivery suite. I was put in my own little (huge) room and they told me to strip and put on a hospital gown. I was so so so scared by this time, crying, shaking and getting myself into a panic. Matt calmed me down as I signed a consent form and was rushed off to theatre. Matt had to go and scrub up and when he came back in, they did a spinal in my back and my bottom half went TOTALLY numb. They kept talking to me as the operation was going on and at 10:52am that day, my gorgeous baby girl was born. But there were issues.

She was distressed in the womb and was having troubles breathing for herself. Her blood sugar levels were also flactuating between high and low so they whisked her off the the NICU unit  . Matt went with her but I only got to see her for about 5 seconds. She had all different proceadures done and I think one invovled a camera being insterted into her throat and her being temp paralysed so they could do what needed doing. She ended up with having the umbilical cord removed and a drip of dextrose going in directly to her stomach, a ventilator and antibiotics for an infection that she probably picked up from me. Meanwhile I was being sewn up and taken back to my room to recover when I saw my parents sitting there. I was so so upset that I just burst into tears. I totally blamed myself for Imogen becoming so ill. It wasn't until nearly 5:30 that afternoon that I was wheeled in bed to the NICU unit to finally meet my daughter. I hadn't regained all feeling in my legs and toes by that point and when I saw her, I started crying again. Seeing her little body covered in tubes, wires and surrounded by machines just set me off. 

She was on the ventilator until I *think* 3rd April which was Mother's Day. Matt took me to see her in a wheelchair (I couldn't walk far at that point) when I noticed a pink thing on top of her incubator and it turned out it was a Mother's Day present which I loved. Matt didn't mention to me there was a card so when I opened it and saw two photos of her and a lovely card, the waterworks started again. I also have my first ever cuddle with her that day.

Anyway, over the next few days she continued to make excellent progress and was eventually moved to the Special Care Baby Unit where she came off the antiboitics and dextrose. She was being fed through a tube in her nose and I was expressing my breastmilk and taking to down to her 2/3 times a day. We were told we could try breastfeeding her which is something I was really keen to do. It didn't work sadly, she happily latched on... but wouldn't suckle. Nothing we tried got her to drink so we tried feeding her via cup a few times but she didn't take to that either so on Monday, we started her on bottles and she's already a pro!

On Sunday, when everything medicine related stopped, she was allowed up to the ward with me. I was so happy to finally have her with me after 11 days and I finally felt I could start being a PROPER Mummy to her. And today, she came home 

I might have missed a few things out but to be fair, it is late and she had me up most of the night last night so I am a bit wary lol.

There you have it though in a nutshell. Imogen arrived on 31st March 2011 at 10:52am weighing in at 7lbs 10 1/2oz (her 0-3 month clothes drown her lol!)

Oh, and I thought I might add a photo of myself and her taken on Sunday this week








I'll add more tomorrow


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## Blythespirit (Apr 13, 2011)

What a little beauty! 

Thank you for sharing your story. I'm sending all 3 of you lot's of love and hoping all the drama is over now and that you can just enjoy your little princess. XXXXX


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## mmackay20040 (Apr 13, 2011)

Firstly, a massive congratulations to you all!  She's absolutely beautiful!  Secondly, well done for coping so admirably through what I can only imagine was a horribly terrifying experience.  But look at the amazing end result!!  I'm so so thrilled for you all and so glad you're now home with the gorgeous Imogen!! 

Take care of yourself and of Imogen (and her Daddy) and looking forward to seeing more photos! 

M xxxxxxxx


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## margie (Apr 13, 2011)

Congratulations Laura. Imogen looks absolutely adorable. Sorry that you had so much drama - you couldn't have been 100% yourself if you had to stay in yourself for so long. Glad that you are both home now - sending hugs to you all.


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## Sheilagh1958 (Apr 13, 2011)

Congratulations to all of you.

Welcome to the world Imogen


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## teapot8910 (Apr 14, 2011)

Congratulations to you both, she's such a cutie!! xxx


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## Jennywren (Apr 14, 2011)

Congratulations Laura and Matt , Imogen is beautiful


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## Steff (Apr 14, 2011)

Congrats to you all hun, what a little beauty she is too xx


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## novorapidboi26 (Apr 14, 2011)

WOW, congrats to you and your man..........

that seemed like some ordeal, was all that down to your diabetes or was it just one of these things.

My wee boy, also came out the sun roof and picked up group B strep from mummy, was in an incubator for a week, it was comical as he was a bruiser, 9lb 6Oz........

Glad everything worked out all OK..............


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## MrsCLH (Apr 14, 2011)

Oh Laura she is beautiful, congratulations to you and Matt! I have to admit I shed a little tear at your story, especially the bit about the mother's day present, pregnancy hormones eh!


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## Copepod (Apr 14, 2011)

All's well that ends well - a healthy baby and a happy mother. Wouldn't be normal if you weren't exhausted, overwhelmed etc. 
Hope you're enjoying being a family in your own home, even if it took a bit longer to achieve than you might have liked.


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## Robster65 (Apr 14, 2011)

So pleased for the 3 of you Laura. You all deserve a nice restful time. Or at least as restful as you can manage 

Rob


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## grahams mum (Apr 14, 2011)

she is beautiful congratulation  and dont think that it is your fault about your baby going in the incubator although i am not diabetic and graham was not when he was born he end up in the SCUB unit because his blood sugar dropped and i did not have any milk he had tubes every where and i was keep crying all this because of an incompetent midwife (it wont happen this time )when you are a first time mum every thing is new is impossible to know everything good luck and have lots of rest if you are happy your baby is happy as well xxxxxx


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## Akasha (Apr 14, 2011)

She is beautiful! Congrats!


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## PhoebeC (Apr 14, 2011)

Crying my eyes out!!

You had a horrid time hunni, I hate how they just leave you and dont explain why or whats going on.

Shes so sweet, and has done so well to be out so quickly.

Jemima was the same with breastfeeding, she was latched on but not suckeling. Bless them its hard enough getting the tube out of their mouth and get them on the bottle without adding a boob! Maybe give it another try at home when your both settled.

xx


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## bigpurpleduck (Apr 14, 2011)

Many congratulations to you both! Imogen is beautiful 

Sorry you had such an ordeal in the hospital, it sounded horrible. Glad you're both out of the woods and home where you should be. Enjoy!


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## Dizzydi (Apr 14, 2011)

Congratulations Laura, what a beautiful little girl and beautiful name x


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## xxlou_lxx (Apr 14, 2011)

So Glad youre both ok, what a traumatic experience to go through! I bet you will Never forget the 1st night of having her with you in your hospital room... an amazing feeling after being seperated for so long! 

I hope you enjoy being a mummy as much as I do hun! 

Huge congratulations to you and your other half as well  Hope to see more pics soon  xxxxx


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## Fandange (Apr 14, 2011)

Congratulations to both you and Matt, and welcome to the world, little one. She is so precious! I hope that your recovery is quick!!


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## Twitchy (Apr 15, 2011)

Bless you Laura, she's beautiful! What a difficult time you've come through! My M was in an incubator & with a nose tube for the first few days, it's a really awful feeling isn't it?...but it's brilliant that you've got her home now & she's doing well!  Don't let anyone make you worry for a second about the bottles - M was the same (my feeble attempts to breast feed & top up were a bit of denial really, he was more having a comfort suckle then a feed on the bottle, doh!) but now he's a bit strapping 4 yr old, about a head taller than most of his mates! Good old aptamil lol! 

Well done - take it easy now & rest when you can (!), look after yourself! xx


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## Northerner (Apr 15, 2011)

Bless you all, she is wonderful  Many congratulations, so pleased she is thriving


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## newbs (Apr 15, 2011)

Congratulations!  Sorry to hear the birth was so traumatic though.  My youngest daughter was delivered by emergency caesarean and also wouldn't suckle, you shouldn't feel guilty about any of it - or worry about it, the formulas now are great too.  So pleased that Imogen is home now (love her name) and hope you can relax and enjoy being a mummy now.  Take care.


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## Cate (Apr 15, 2011)

Congratulations   my son was delivered by emergency CS and spent 5 weeks in NICU/SCBU with over 3 weeks being tube fed, I had to wait over 24 hours before I saw him.  We did manage to breastfeed in the end, but mixed with expressed/formula milk so it is possible if you want to go down that route - well done for pumping and well done for taking her home so soon!


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## Laura22 (Apr 16, 2011)

We don't want to put her on formula whatsoever so I keep expressing for her. She also doesn't have dummies either. But she's doing fine. On her playmat at the moment and she was attemptibg to smile last night!


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## PhoebeC (Apr 16, 2011)

Laura22 said:


> We don't want to put her on formula whatsoever so I keep expressing for her. She also doesn't have dummies either. But she's doing fine. On her playmat at the moment and she was attemptibg to smile last night!



Wow shes fast, trying to smile already  xx


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## Mark T (Apr 16, 2011)

Laura22 said:


> We don't want to put her on formula whatsoever so I keep expressing for her. She also doesn't have dummies either. But she's doing fine. On her playmat at the moment and she was attemptibg to smile last night!


If you ever end up going to formula or using a dummy, don't feel guilty about it!  It's just one of those parenting things that happens.  You don't suddenly become a bad parent, just as you aren't a bad parent because Imogen ended up in a SCBU.

I wish you the best of luck in following what you want to do, but sometimes the baby has other ideas and it's not your fault.  Society likes to give parents guilt trips over things which really are not that important compared with being a loving and caring parent.


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## margie (Apr 16, 2011)

There can be any number of reasons why people use formula - so if you have to - try not to stress, for instance when my nephew was born his Mum started breast feeding but the hospital decided he wasn't getting enough nutirents so they suggested topping up with formula and he had vitamin drops too. They are in another European country - not sure how common the drops are here. 

He loves his Dummy - he takes it out when he sees his food and then puts it back afterwards.


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## PhoebeC (Apr 16, 2011)

Oh you might want to get a dummy just to be safe. I was 1000% agasint them, but then the colic hit.
They might not find their thumbs for a few months, some of them need the comfort. Just as they need cuddles.
But i get what your saying!

My aunt is breastfeeding and baby luke has a dummy. Hes just started weaning so shes put him on formula, give herself a break. Made no difference to him suckeling.


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## Laura22 (Apr 16, 2011)

We have dummies as a back up but hoping we never have to use them. She sucks the side of her hand and if she won't settle, we let her suckle on our finger but only for the few seconds she cries then take it out.


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## Strawberrygirl (Apr 17, 2011)

Congratulations to you both, so glad she is home with you now and you can try to relax and enjoy her - make the most of every minute, they change so quick!


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## smile4loubie (Apr 17, 2011)

Congratulations hunny =) Cant wait to meet her (and you n matt) in June xxxx


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## lucy123 (Apr 18, 2011)

Congratulations to all of you - love the name!


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## Lizzzie (Apr 24, 2011)

Came to this very late but just wanted to add, CONGRATULATIONS. Sorry to hear you had such a dreadful time but that's a beautiful ending and she's lovely. Hope you are having a wonderful Easter weekend and enjoying your life together.


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