[Jimbo's Journey Into Brotherhood]
[Home][Site Map][Preemie Mom][CP Mom][Early Intervention][Special Ed][Siblings][Miscellaneous][Links]
My husband and I had been trying for a baby for a year and a half when we finally received the good news. The pregnancy went well with nothing out of the ordinary. However, our son was born at 34 1/2 weeks gestation. Little did we know how much of a miracle it was that he weighed 6 pounds and 7.2 ounces and we were able to bring him home in just two days! By four months of age, Jimbo was on track developmentally and we never thought of him as a preemie. That is, not until his sister was born.
As published in Preemie Parent Connection, July 1996, Vol. 1, Issue 3
For those readers who have been with me since my premier issue,
you know that I started this newsletter to fill a need that I felt after
our daughter was born 10 weeks prematurely. What I have failed to get across,
though, is that our first child was also a preemie -- by 5 1/2 weeks. Despite
his weight of 6 lbs. 7.2 oz., his gestional age was confirmed by tests to
be 34 1/2 weeks.
Jimbo’s birth story starts out like all of our preemie’s birth stories — calling the doctor/hospital on a suspicion but ‘knowing’ (hoping?) that we would just be sent home and laugh about it in the years to come. Just as all our stories go, I wasn’t sent home — I had a son in less than four hours after arriving at the hospital. And those four hours flew by as I asked a multitude of questions. Not grasping the concept that we were really having this baby NOW, we did our best at grasping pieces of the reality. There wasn’t time to transport me to a more suitable hospital so we expected our baby to be taken by helicopter immediately after birth.
This, however, is where our son’s story changes from a preemie birth experience to that of a normal birth experience. Jimbo was just perfect and he was in Daddy’s arms only minutes after his birth. He joined us in my room about an hour after he was born and met his grandparents at that time. I assumed his care as much as I wanted and I could hold him as often and as long as I wanted.
The only problems we encountered due to his prematurity was his inability to suck. We really had to teach him to suck and after 30 hours of unsuccessful attempts to breastfeed, there was a concern that he would develop jaundice. At that point, Daddy gave him a bottle and he took an ounce of formula. We were home on Jimbo’s third day of life. By 4-5 months, Jim was caught up developmentally and I have considered him “normal” every since.
In conclusion, I must admit that even though my first baby was born 5 1/2 weeks early, I did not emotionally and psychologically become a preemie parent until Emily was born. And it wasn’t until this past year that I learned just how much of a miraculous outcome we have experienced with our first preemie.
When Jimbo was about 17 months old, we began to feel the yearning for another child. This time, though, it only took me a couple of weeks to get pregnant! Naturally my doctor planned to watch me very closely since my first baby was born so early. Everything was going wonderfully and I was preparing -- just in case -- for another early delivery. However, at a routine prenatal checkup, I was diagnosed with severe pre-eclampsia (a.k.a. toxemia)! Although I didn't understand what all the fuss was about since I felt fine, I obeyed my doctor and admitted myself to the hospital.
Emily's Story
As published in Preemie Parent Connection, Premier issue, December 1995
On January 12, 1995, at a routine prenatal visit,
the nurse asked me why my blood pressure was high. I told her that I thought
I was quite calm since I had the stress of my son’s minor corrective
surgery behind me. She had me lay on my left side for a few minutes then
she took my blood pressure again.
When my doctor came in, he sat down and explained to me that if it were just a case of high blood pressure he could attribute it to the recent stressful events in my life, however, since it was accompanied by a four plus protein level in my urine, it meant trouble. After discussing my condition further, I left my doctor’s office and admitted myself into the hospital. The following morning I was transported by ambulance to Crouse Irving Memorial Hospital in Syracuse. I had began to show signs of swelling and was desperately trying to understand my diagnosis of severe pre-eclampsia.
My condition was maintained for a week and then labor was induced. At 3:51 A.M. on Thursday, January 19, Emily Jo was born. She weighed 1115 grams (about 2 1/2 pounds) and was 15 1/4 inches long. After delivery my condition worsened, instead of improving, and I spent Emily’s first three days almost completely unconscious in the recovery room.
Emily’s gestational age was 30 weeks, she was small for her age but very strong. She was treated for Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Hyaline Membrane Disease, Apnea and Bradycardia, Hypotension, Heart Murmur, and increased bilirubin levels. Thankfully, she was on the ventilator for only 13 days.
After seven weeks, and a lot of persisting, Emily was transferred to Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown; Shortly after her arrival, she was started on bottle feedings. Two weeks later, weighing four pounds, Emily finally came home.
Emily has not been sick at all since she has been home. However, this is not to say that it hasn’t been difficult. In the beginning, she decreased in the amount she was taking at her feedings and what she did take came back up. I found her to be over sensitive to noise and touch and startled herself into what seemed like endless crying jags regularly. All of these things continue to improve as she gets older.
She no longer has to be seen for ROP Stage 1, however both of her eyes drift at varying degrees and we are naturally pursuing evaluation and treatment. Emily is behind in her fine motors skills and we are evaluating her for this. There are several possible causes for her developmental delay, one of which might be a mild case of cerebral palsy. We have her enrolled in the Early Intervention Program, as well as seeing specialists to follow the suspected cerebral palsy.
As published in Preemie Parent Connection, Premier Issue, December 1995
We had been telling our almost two year old son that he was going to be a big brother for some time, and I always had him help me with my preparations for the baby. I was determined to do all that I could to make Jimbo's transition from only child to old er child a pleasant experience. It was quite the contrary.
My husband did the best he could to bounce between Emily and I in Syracuse and Jimbo at Grandma's. When I was well enough to think about being released, my husband began to tell me that Jimbo ca lled out for "Mom" all the time. He told me that he gave one of our wedding pictures to Jimbo and tried to explain where was. He continued to tell me that Jimbo carried my picture around the house. I knew then that I had but one more challenge ahead of me -- to ease my son's fears and separation anxiety-- when I got home. I was right to expect this, however, he got over it in about three weeks.
The first week after my release, we took Jimbo back to stay at Grandma's house so we could spend the weekend in Syracuse with Emily. After that, I was well enough to take Jimbo with us and take turns with each of our children.
During the second weekend that Jimbo went with us, he showed me that he did have some understanding of all that was going on. I came out of the NICU to stay with Jimbo while my husband went in with Emily. A nurse came and went through the double doors to the NICU, before the door closed Jimbo took off attempting to go through the doors. When I grabbed his arm and pulled him back he whined, "Sister"!! That was the first time he had said that word.
I ended up sneaking him in to the NICU window to see his sister that visit. At another visit one of the nurses took him in and another nurse brought Emily right up to the window for him. After Emily was transferred to Watertown he was able to see her regularly.
The day Emily came home, Jimbo was just as excited as the rest of us. As a matter of fact, he was right there with his stool up to the changing table for Emily's first diaper change at home. I see quite a unique bond already between my two babies.
I really don't know why things went so smoothly for Jimbo for as traumatic of an experience it all was, but I like to think that it was because I included him in everything we did for Emily. I really believe he had an understanding on some level because even today when we pass a tall building he will point to it and say, "Hospital....Sister".
Back to Preemie Mom Table of Contents
[Home][Site Map][Preemie Mom][CP Mom][Early Intervention][Special Ed][Siblings][Miscellaneous][Links]