What To Expect...When You're Expecting A Preemie?

So I finally had my NICU consult today--I was starting to get concerned because I really wanted a chance to talk w/ one of the neonatologists before I delivered and considering that delivering next Tues. (or sometime next week) is a possibility I was worried the consult wouldnt happen before then

But it did, today, and here is the scoop--based on what I asked lol so the neonatologists gave me the run down of what I can kinda expect going based off a baby born at 29 weeks (granted if I deliver next week I will be 31 weeks but with Little Buddy being smaller--we are guessing he wont necessarily be developmentally at 31 weeks...but he could be) So for a baby born at 29 weeks (normal size for 29 weeks) there is 95% survival rate. Little Buddy could still be smaller than a 29 week baby so she said the survival rate does go down a little bit to like 85-90% survival rate. I dont like thinking about survival rates because I am using positive self thought that Little Buddy WILL survive.

But at 29 weeks she said that the baby will almost 100% need respiration help. Depending on how much help he needs it will either be through a nasal canula (the little tubes going up to his nose with oxygen-this is what I am hoping for) or he will need to be intubated (a tube in the trachea going down the windpipe to the lungs) intubation is obviously more invasive so we are hoping to not need that. The thought of having LB be intubated scares me...I know that seeing that would be really hard so I am REALLY hoping that a nasal canula will suffice.

Little Buddy will also need to have an IV line for antibiotics depending on what his blood work shows they may decide to do a PICC line (which Im sure everyone knows what that is now after my PICC experiences in 1st tri). An IV or PICC line I dont think will scare me too much...

Little Buddy will also have some brain scans done--preemies are at a really high risk for brain bleeds and they said they will be monitoring this pretty closely.

LB will also need a nasogastric tube (a small tube inserted through the nostril, down the esophagus to the stomach) for gavage feedings (tube feedings) they are obviously REALLY pro-breastfeeding and will want me to pump ASAP for this--I still need to talk w/ the Lactation Consultants about any help they can give me w/ renting pumps (if I need to) and pumping schedules, etc.

She said that it may be a while before I can hold LB--they highly recommend the kangaroo care (Skin-to-skin contact between parent and baby. During kangaroo care, the baby is placed on the parent's chest, dressed only in a diaper and sometimes a hat. The baby's head is turned to the side so the baby can hear the parent's heartbeat and feel the parent's warmth.) Unfortunately Kangaroo Care can only be done once the baby isnt in critical condition which may be a while for LB.

The neonatalogist also said that with some babies that are born as small as LB may be born there is a 10-15% risk that there will be long-term issues such as cognitive delays, feeding/growth issues, etc. She said that I can expect LB to be in the NICU for a minimum of 4 weeks. Honestly I was preparing myself that LB would be in the NICU until his due date so 4 weeks wouldnt be SO bad. But it could be longer.

So overall, my NICU consult wasnt a very upbeat consult but having a baby in the NICU isnt a very upbeat situation. I havent really processed some of the statistics that she told as far as survival rates and long term issues. It may be bad but I am choosing to be in denial until the situation arises--I can deal with it then.

As every other consult I've had, this one was full of "we really wont know anything until he is here" and "we really cant predict anything" and "you will just have to wait and see"--talk about waiting on pins and needles. But I need to remind myself--that things can go wrong with even "healthy" full term babies. There are moms that go their entire pregnancy in the dark not knowing their child may have issues only to be surprised at birth. God is at least giving me a heads up--I feel like hearing this hard things now will make my reality in the next week (or couple of weeks hopefully) less of a low blow- I wont feel so punched in the stomach as I would imagine you would feel if you went in thinking everything was great and normal.

They said I can schedule a tour of sorts to come up to the NICU to see what it is like (which I've already seen it from when I briefly worked here doing social work in the perinatal services dept. we mostly worked with moms who had baby's in the NICU--helping them cope and get hooked up w/ resources in the community HA! how ironic!) but I think it would be good to go w/ Donnie so he can see and it wont be such a shock for him. Either way, tour or not, its going to be a HUGE shock to see LB just in general--we've been waiting all this time to meet him and it will be exciting either way! AND it will be shocking to see a baby as tiny as he is (Ive been told by other preemie moms to take lots of pictures when they are that small because once they are big you will NEVER believe they could have been that small) and it will be a shock to see him hooked up to the variety of things I listed above.

So that was my afternoon--I am still waiting on my PT consult which I will probably be jelly legs by the time they come to see me--either that or I will be a mom to an outside baby and therefore not need the PT consult anymore haha

That is all the news for today--I am going to go back to watching trashy tv shows online such as Teen Mom :-)