Looking at the crazy three year old running around our house now you would never know he had such a scary start to life.
By Heather N
The day started like the many before in this pregnancy and my last, at the hospital having a non-stress test done to ensure that the baby was still growing and thriving. I suffered with Inter Uterine Growth Restrictions (IUGR) with both of my boys. My oldest was born at term weighing in at just over 5lbs.
This morning I felt different as I dropped my 19month old off with my Sister in Law, as I climbed back into the car I told my husband I didn't think I would be coming home tonight. What I didn't know was that we would be meeting our beautiful boy just hours later.
I was hooked up to the test and I could tell something was wrong right away. The nurse immediatly called my doctor and I was told to call my husband back because I was being admitted. It turns out I felt horrible that day because I had extremely high blood pressure, though not pre eclampsia.
I was sent down for an ultrasound and told that I would be induced in the morning. A little later I over herd my family doctor and the specialist on call talking in the hallway, it turns out that the cord blood was flowing backwards so baby was getting none. I was immediatly rushed across the hall and induced. Four hours later we welcomed our new little bundle if joy into the world – at 35 weeks 1 day. He was breathing well on his own so they let him stay with me for an hour before they took him to the NICU. He was a tiny 3lbs 12oz.
We spent two weekd in the NICU, we had ups and many set backs. He had to be fully bottle feeding before we could go home, but he was stubborn and decided that the tube was much easier. It was a difficult balance having a toddler at home who needed me and a preemie who needed me in the NICU. But we managed and he came home at just over 4lb 1oz.
Today you would never know, he is an active three year old. We have no health issues and he has grown to be bigger than the average kid his age.
