NICU Day #1

Can I just say that I love UMC? James got to go with Timothy to the NICU right away after he was born. It was kind of crazy and a little sad that after all these hours with so many people coming in and out and then a room full of people ready to welcome this little guy into the world and help him that, suddenly, I was all by myself.

Derek did pop in to congratulate us and Debi stayed with me most of the time. She and another nurse helped me get changed and changed all the bedding for me. Seriously, with all the bleeding I had been having and an amniofusion, it was not a pretty sight. Then they gave me some more blankets and a menu and I got to eat lunch (I really didn't mind going into labor right after eating lunch the last time!) and call family with the news. At 4pm, Debi told me that they were ready for me and I could go see Timothy and then she would take me to my private room. (Private room - hooray! I was so sure I'd be sharing a dinky little space this time, since I didn't have twins and wouldn't even have a bassinet in my room.)

I had already met Melissa, the woman in charge of the NICU. She had come to room #5 with James and explained what we could expect for Timothy and where things stood. She was so nice. (Especially since I told her a few weeks ago in the elevator that I hoped I wouldn't have to see her again! She did remember me and told me that she still wasn't offended.)

Timothy was only on CPAP - Continuous Positive Airway Pressure - only. No additional oxygen needed. Blessedly, this is minimal respiratory intervention and is really just an assistance to keep his lungs partially inflated at all times so that, when he breathes, he doesn't have to work so hard every time to go from completely empty to full. As lung development is one of the most major concerns of pPROM, this was an enormous relief, to put it mildly.

The first thing I saw when I first laid eyes on him in the delivery room were Timmy's toes. Oh, they are so cute! And soooo tiny! His littlest toes aren't even the size of a pen tip!

It was hard to leave him and I was more than ready for Kangaroo Care (this is skin-to-skin cuddling with baby) after the din had quieted for the night and the crowds thinned.

Laurel was our nurse and I was soooo glad she told me I could hold him because, initially, Melissa had said she wasn't sure we'd get to hold him that day. I wanted to cry because I had just had him and couldn't do anything more than stroke his sweet little arms and legs. I think I could have stayed up all night once he was in my arms with his little diapered bum not even filling my right palm and his sweet little face tucked into my chest. I held him from 11pm to 1am and was so in love and at peace with everything.

I was so sad to leave him and was nearly in tears when I got back to my room. Until I checked my phone and discovered my pPROM week day buddy, Jenn, had delivered that morning as well. (She was exactly 4 weeks ahead of me and we would celebrate every Sunday together. She was due for her c-section on Monday, but her sweet little girl decided she wanted to come sooner so she too was welcomed into the world on April 21st, 2010. Congratulations, Jenn!)