So today is a whole month since we brought our son home (8th July today), and it’s coming up onto the 13th of July, which means he will be 3 months old. And a few people have asked me about my story, so I think it’s coming up about the right time to explain.
I found out I was pregnant when I was coming up on 14 weeks along. I had to figure out how I got pregnant and who by. Turns out it was my last ‘serious’ boyfriend. We were only together for a few months, but I lost my virginity to him. We only slept together a few times before we split up. I fell pregnant just before my 15th birthday, in late November. I tried explaining to the father that I needed help, and if he wasn’t going to help, I was considering adoption. He convinced me to keep the baby. At my 16 week ultrasound, we found out our baby was a boy. Not long after that ultrasound, me and the father got back together. We sorted our issues out and became really close. We had a 3d ultrasound booked just before i reached 18 weeks. The pictures where great quality taking into consideration how far a long I was.
I was rushed into hospital for the second time, but this time was serious. I was just reaching 20 weeks into my pregnant. Half way! I was diagnosed with major placenta previa. That is when the placenta is lower than the baby. My son was on top of the placenta. And as he was growing bigger, as my pregnancy progressed, he was putting more pressure on the placenta, causing me to bleed and have sharp pains. As it was major, I was estimated another month or two before I delivered. A cervical stitch was put in place to make sure my baby would stay in for as long as possible. I was in hospital for a week, and ordered bed rest, no school or sexual contact. By this stage, I was already the size of a full term woman. I had so much amniotic fluid and a big baby for my stage. So much pressure was being put on my placenta.
At 23 weeks & 4 days, my waters broke whilst I was at home. An ambulance was called and I was rushed into the labour ward. My cervical stitch was removed and i was monitored over night. There was no sign of contractions or dilation. I was sent home the next morning to collect some clothes and get some rest, I was ordered to go back in if I felt the slightest pain. Within the next few hours, I was back at the hospital. Within 2 hours at being in hospital, I was already 9cm’s dilatated. My son was delivered shortly after.
He weighed 2 pounds, 1/2 ounce. Measuring 11cm’s long. He was tiny. He was admitted straight to the NICU and was put on CPAP. He was critical. His survival was 50/50. Not much happened after he was born.
He was in NICU for just over 8 weeks. He had his bad days and his good days. He made me proud though. He gained weight so quickly, and learnt to breath so quickly. He was off CPAP after 8 days, but went downhill at 12 days and went back on CPAP. He went back on canola at 17 days. And stayed like that. He had longs of ‘kangaroo therapy’. The nurses also done a lot of bonding therapy with us. To make sure he knew who we where.
The father proposed in the NICU too, on the 5th of May. He made my son’s heart rate increase. His heart rate always seemed to increase when there was love in the room. He was so clever. On the 8th of June, we got the all clear and our 4 pound baby boy was ready to come home.
He had daily checkups with the home nurse to check he was still making progress, and he was. He also has follow up scans next week to double check he is still doing well. He now weighs 4 pounds 10 ounces. He’s so big!
So yea, that’s basically my story. Don’t think i missed anything.
