Preemies (Premature Babies)

Sorry Readers for taking such a long time to blog about preemies! Have been so busy with work during the weekends (my only working days ^.^) . Be prepared to see lots of photos which might make you feel a little heartache!

Premature babies are born before 37 weeks gestation. Most premature babies have no long-term health problems, but some babies die as a result of being born too early. The lungs are the last organ to mature and respiratory disease is the most frequent complication for a premature baby. That is why I was given steroids injection before my C-sect.

When the doctors told me that they were out alr, I couldn't believe my ears. I was thinking, "Its either I'm deaf or they are mute". I didn't hear a single cry, I thought they didn't survive or something. The nurses calm me down and told that they were crying just that their respiratory system are still immature so there wouldn't be any sound.

Their Life In NICU @ KKH
Qi was only 3days old. Look at her size, and see how I feed her through a feeding tube. Only 1ml every hour, which is not even 1oz each day! She was on CPAP(continued positive airway pressure) to remind her to breathe as she couldn't breathe on her own the moment she was born.

Han was also 3days old & I nearly lost her....
All I see was tubes all over the incubator, needles into her skin, eye shield over her eyes. I broke down after the doctor told me what happened. She was having PDA(a type of heart defect found in babies because the circulation of a fetus is different from that of a baby who has been born), Pneumothorax(when air leaks from the lungs and is trapped between the lungs and the chest wall), jaundice, suspected of blood infection & desaturated for quite a few times(baby not breathing). Even undergo a surgery, injected with morphine&caffeine, and had a tube punctured into her lungs to drain the air bubbles. She was alr so small, yet have to go through so much pain.

1st month of life.

Still so small & I remembered that Qi's weight went down to 879grams! Omggg can you imagine how small it is?! & they're even shorter than their Papa's feet! :( Han was still having PDA and a hole near her armpit, but luckily no more jaundice & suspection. Just hoping that they will gain weight!

Jiejie (Qi)

Small&tiny :(



 

Meimei (Han)

Incubated can still sleep so cutely, aww..

They spent their 满月 in the incubator. :( & also Han's very first time trying to breathe on her own without CPAP. Was so happy when I finally see her without any tubes around her head!

This was taken in the afternoon but when I went back in the evening, I was told that she barely make it for an hour.



2nd month of life.

Jiejie (Qi)

My first time carrying Qi. I'm so damn nervous cause I have never carried a baby before and she is such a small little one with all those tubes, not even 2kg!

4/12/12, She's breathing on her own, without CPAP!

Second time carrying my little princess :)



 Look at her tongue, so long!



No longer incubated!!!!!



The sweetest smile that melts my heart. Heartwarming. Taken on the 2nd last day of hospitalization!



Meimei (Han) 

First time carrying meimei :)



"I'm above 1.8kg so I don't have to be incubated! :)"







Trying to feed meimei but she desaturated again. :(



 On 8/1/13, SOMEONE IS GOING HOME!!!

Minnie Mouse :) "My romper is so oversized!"

Daddy carrying home ^.^

But, poor Han still had to stay because everytime the nurses tried to feed her, is either she couldn't finish her feed within 30min or she'll desaturate. & she couldn't be latched on too. So when Qi is back home, I still carry on my routine on going to hospital every single day to visit my darling, talk to her & give her support. It carried on for about a month.

On 30/1/12, SHE IS FINALLY ABLE TO GO HOME with conditions....

• I have to learn how to insert the feeding tube for her
• How to perfom CPR on babies

Not something pleasant to do, as I have to insert it from her nose to her stomach. My hands were shaking whenever  I do it for her, too scary. Missed by a cm is not allowed at all! But still, I have to do it in order to bring her home! SO, I DID IT! :)

"YAY for Mummy! :) Its my 2nd last day in hospital, so I gave a wide smile!"

See how chubby she is! Hahahaha!

Han came home with her feeding tube but we took it off within a week! We fed her every hourly to make sure she gets enough milk instead of feeding 3 hourly, struggling to finish her feed.

Luckily she came back before CNY so she gets to wear pretty clothes with Qi! :D

This is my girls's incubated life.

I hope mummies or mtb don't get too worry as KKH has all it takes for premature babies. I have no doubts in their skills and facilities.

As you see them grow, you'll realise how fragile life is &

how strong mothers can be, always protecting our little ones, be by their side as and when we can.

Quote of the day.

" Nothing wins over a mother's love."