Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Spotlight on Preemie... Gabe and his Mommy


Who is "your" preemie? (daughter, niece, grandchild, friend) & Tell me a little bit about him/her... Gabe. He was born at 31w3d weighing 2lb 3oz due to placental insufficiency and partial placental abruption. After he was born, we discovered the reason for his early delivery was because I have a clotting disorder.
How would you say YOUR experience has effected you? It has effected me in a lot of ways. Mainly, I don't take anything for granted. I know how much can change in a very short period of time. My pregnancy was "textbook" until it all went terribly wrong at 31 weeks.
How were you able to handle the NICU experience? Looking back, I didn't handle it well at all. People seemed to think I did, though. Both my husband and I went into ourselves and our marriage. We didn't let a lot of people in during that time. Self-preservation I suppose.
Before this experience what did you know about preemies? Well, I was a preemie. So, I would say I knew some of the basics (jaundice and trouble staying warm). But, other than that. Not much. I definitely didn't know a 2lb baby's prognosis.
What have you learned from all of this? Well, more than I ever wanted to know about neonatal care, that's for sure! Other than that, I've learned that I am stronger than I thought I ever could be and that I can be an advocate for my son.
What advice would you give another person in your situation? Do what feels right for you. Each of us deals with the NICU experience and becoming the parent to a preemie in his or her own way, and that's okay.

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