I have created a new site especially for Lucian and updates on his NICU stay. You can get to it at http://ourlovelucian.blogspot.com or by clicking on the link to the right.
I wil continue to update this blog too but mainly with family pics - like it was before this NICU experience. OurLoveLucian will have pics and journals on his progress.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
NICU Day 13
Lucian has responded quite well to the drugs to try and correct the PDA - open duct between the arteries. Apparently last night they listened for the murmur which is the sign of the PDA and heard nothing. We will wait to see if they hear anything today. Tomorrow he will have another Echocardiogram to see if it has truely been corrected. Please keep Lucian in your thoughts and prayers.
Other than that he is doing well - no real advances. We are just concentrating on the heart at the moment and he is not feeding since they have him on IV for all foods. He is more gorgous every day - I am a little biased. I haven't been able to hold him for 3 days now as they don't want him to have any added stress. I am so anxious to have another hold. Every day I come in hoping that I can have a cuddle.
I feel a lot more relaxed about the current heart treatment and know that all of this is important to get him home and in my arms. There are other Mum's here who have been throught the same thing with the PDA and it has been successful. I am trying to keep positive.
I will be sending e-mail updates from now on instead of the blog. If you don't get an e-mail in the next couple of days and want to get my updates, please e-mail me and I will add you to the list.
I can't express enough how much all the prayers and thoughts you have been sending our way are appreciated.
Other than that he is doing well - no real advances. We are just concentrating on the heart at the moment and he is not feeding since they have him on IV for all foods. He is more gorgous every day - I am a little biased. I haven't been able to hold him for 3 days now as they don't want him to have any added stress. I am so anxious to have another hold. Every day I come in hoping that I can have a cuddle.
I feel a lot more relaxed about the current heart treatment and know that all of this is important to get him home and in my arms. There are other Mum's here who have been throught the same thing with the PDA and it has been successful. I am trying to keep positive.
I will be sending e-mail updates from now on instead of the blog. If you don't get an e-mail in the next couple of days and want to get my updates, please e-mail me and I will add you to the list.
I can't express enough how much all the prayers and thoughts you have been sending our way are appreciated.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
NICU Day 11
Quick Update because I told Mark I would be in bed early.
Today was a pretty stressful and emotional day. Lucian has patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Basically when in the womb there is a duct between the 2 outgoing ateries in the heart so that blood doesn't go to the lungs as it does not need too, it gets all the oxygen from the placenta. So this little duct diverts all the bloods pumping out of the artery to the lungs to the other artery pumping it to the body. Lucians duct has not closed as it should after birth so they are starting him on some drugs to try and get the duct to close. Of-course there are risks with the drugs however the right side of his heart is working a little too hard and his lungs are processing too much blood so we need to have the drugs. They started this course tonight and he needs to have the medication 3 times, once every 12 hours. Tomorrow night will be the last of this treatment. Apparently is has a 60 - 70% chance of fixing the problem. One more course of this can be administered if it doesn't work. He can't have any breastmilk as the side-effects include reduced bloodflow to the intestines and renal system so he will be fed intravenously.
He also has PFO (patent foramen ovale) which is a hole between the 2 incoming chambers of the heart. Again this is another necessary hole in a baby in the womb but after birth this should close. This is not worrying the doctors at the moment and they do not plan on treating it.
Today was full of X-Rays, EKG's, Echocardiograms, blood tests and all type of other proceedures. My poor little man. He was just so tired. I just wish I could make it all go away. I know there is nothing I can do but touch him and whisper words of love to him. It is so hard to sit by watching your child - helpless.
I am praying for good news tomorrow.
Today was a pretty stressful and emotional day. Lucian has patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Basically when in the womb there is a duct between the 2 outgoing ateries in the heart so that blood doesn't go to the lungs as it does not need too, it gets all the oxygen from the placenta. So this little duct diverts all the bloods pumping out of the artery to the lungs to the other artery pumping it to the body. Lucians duct has not closed as it should after birth so they are starting him on some drugs to try and get the duct to close. Of-course there are risks with the drugs however the right side of his heart is working a little too hard and his lungs are processing too much blood so we need to have the drugs. They started this course tonight and he needs to have the medication 3 times, once every 12 hours. Tomorrow night will be the last of this treatment. Apparently is has a 60 - 70% chance of fixing the problem. One more course of this can be administered if it doesn't work. He can't have any breastmilk as the side-effects include reduced bloodflow to the intestines and renal system so he will be fed intravenously.
He also has PFO (patent foramen ovale) which is a hole between the 2 incoming chambers of the heart. Again this is another necessary hole in a baby in the womb but after birth this should close. This is not worrying the doctors at the moment and they do not plan on treating it.
Today was full of X-Rays, EKG's, Echocardiograms, blood tests and all type of other proceedures. My poor little man. He was just so tired. I just wish I could make it all go away. I know there is nothing I can do but touch him and whisper words of love to him. It is so hard to sit by watching your child - helpless.
I am praying for good news tomorrow.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Mummy home from hospital
This pic is now a week old but I thought worth posting. It was taken the night I came home from hospital.
NICU Day 9
Lucian is off the BiliBlanket. His Bilirubin levels have settled somewhat. He might need some more BiliBlanket but for now he is good. He is now eating 14cc's every 3 hours. That is almost 3 teaspoons! He is still on C-Pap and will be for a little while yet. I kangaroo'ed with him again today - chest to chest. We snuggled for about an hour. He just slept and I tried not to sleep! He has also gained weight again. He now weighs 1470grams so is not far off his birth weight of 1535 grams. I am sure all that breast milk is doing him wonders. You should see our freezer - there is barely any room for food with the amount of milk there - and I have only been home a week. I don't know what we are going to do. I think I may need to start storing in bags instead of the NICU bottles. I simply can't fit much more into the freezer!
NICU Day 8 Update
Lucian is doing well. His respiration and heart rate are still a little elevated however that is not concerning the Doctors. Apparently this is typical in Lung Disease of Prematurity - which of course he has since he was born 11 weeks early.
His Biliruben levels did increase since they took him off the phototherapy lights so he is on a Biliblanket. He went on that on Thursday - 1 weeks after birth and was on it again on day 8. As I have mentioned before, I anticipated that he would need to go back onto some type of phototherapy.
He is still on C-Pap and they don't anticipate trying him again on his own until after this weekend. The original C-Pap tubes have created a sore on the skin between the nostrils so they have changed to a different fitting. This one is like a little mask that sits over his nose instead of the one in the earlier pics that actually goes into the nostrils. The sore should heal itself although they may need to alternate between the mask fitting and the nostril fitting as the mask fitting can iritate the bridge of the nose. We just have to keep an eye on it and hope that soon he will be of C-Pap alltogether.
I had a hold on Thursday for about an hour. It was wonderful. Day 8 I didn't hold as his respiration was a little erratic and we had a time crunch so I just let him rest and sleep without Mummy cooing all over him. I am looking forward to the next hold which should be Saturday - day 9.
That is about it. I finished knitting him a new preemie sized little hat and it is waiting until he is off C-Pap so we can put it on.
I know you are all thinking about us and it really helps.
His Biliruben levels did increase since they took him off the phototherapy lights so he is on a Biliblanket. He went on that on Thursday - 1 weeks after birth and was on it again on day 8. As I have mentioned before, I anticipated that he would need to go back onto some type of phototherapy.
He is still on C-Pap and they don't anticipate trying him again on his own until after this weekend. The original C-Pap tubes have created a sore on the skin between the nostrils so they have changed to a different fitting. This one is like a little mask that sits over his nose instead of the one in the earlier pics that actually goes into the nostrils. The sore should heal itself although they may need to alternate between the mask fitting and the nostril fitting as the mask fitting can iritate the bridge of the nose. We just have to keep an eye on it and hope that soon he will be of C-Pap alltogether.
I had a hold on Thursday for about an hour. It was wonderful. Day 8 I didn't hold as his respiration was a little erratic and we had a time crunch so I just let him rest and sleep without Mummy cooing all over him. I am looking forward to the next hold which should be Saturday - day 9.
That is about it. I finished knitting him a new preemie sized little hat and it is waiting until he is off C-Pap so we can put it on.
I know you are all thinking about us and it really helps.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
NICU day 6
Lucian is pretty much the same - still on C-Pap and still out of Phototherapy. His blood levels today showed that this Biliruben levels had risen a little but not enough to warrant going back under the lights just yet. He has also started to gain a little weight. At birth he was 1535grams and then he dropped to 1340grams (ish) and now he has started to gain again which is great. He is now taking 9cc's every 3 hours - almost 2 teaspoons.
I had the opportunitiy to hold him today for the first time. It was a very emotional experience and of-course I just wanted to hold him forever... He got a bad case of the hiccups when I was holding him and then settled. It was wonderful, skin to skin, and he was very calm but alert. He had his eyes open the whole 20 mins I was allowed to hold him. I will hopefully be able to hold him every day and as soon as he is strong enough should be able to hold him for up to an hour each day. I will definitely not be missing out on my daily holds of Lucian.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
NICU Day 5 Update
Lucian went back on C-Pap at the beginning of Day 5. His heart rate was a little elevated and his respiration was faster than prefered. I know there is always a high chance of going backward when they try him without different meds and equipment so I am fine with it. They will keep him on C-Pap for a couple of days and then try him without again. He is only 5 days old. Today I should have been 29 weeks 3 days and he has only been in this world for 5 days so I am more than happy with where he is at the moment. He went off the phototherapy so his Biliruben levels did drop and were continuing to drop - which is a good thing. It is quite common for the Biliruben levels to rise again when the lights go off so we will just wait and see how he does. He may have more sunbathing to do later. He is now having 7cc's (just under a teaspoon and a half) of breastmilk every 3 hours so he is digesting more and more every day. He has lost weight - which is anticipated - just as with a regular newborn, however I am sure he is bigger to me. He is getting more fussy and responsive which is a great sign also. I spent most of the day at the NICU with him and started to knit him a new hat. It is obvious that the hat I had knitted is just a little too big!!!
Monday, December 04, 2006
NICU Day 4 update
Lucian had a very good day today. He spent it sunbathing under the Phototherapy lights again. Today they took him off the C-Pap breathing assistance so he is officially breathing by himself. He also moved into a less critical room. He will probably be in this particular room for some time - since he really needs to beef up. He is now on 5cc's of milk every 3 hours. That is a whole teaspoon. His biliruben level has gone down but they are keeping him under the lights just to make sure it doesn't go back up. I am more than happy with that. I changed his diaper today and also did the feeding - which is basically holding up a tube with the milk in it and letting it drain into his feeding tube. Tomorrow we will hopefully get to have our first holds. I am so excited. The NICU strongly believes in Kangaroo Care so I will start that tomorrow if he is able to be held. Kangaroo Care is skin to skin contact with the Mum - so basically he will just snuggle up with Mummy - chest to chest. We also got good results from the Brain Ultrasound. Everything looks good. No bleeds.
Today was a very good day. I know there will be days that don't go as we would like - but today was a very good day!!
Today was a very good day. I know there will be days that don't go as we would like - but today was a very good day!!
Lucian Swaab pics
This is Lucian less than 12 hours old... check out how small his hands are in comparison to my fingers...
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Welcome Lucian Swaab
The news - and Baby - is out. Lucian Swaab was born on November 30th 2006 at 10.37am. At birth he weighed 1535 grams and measured 42 cms long. He was just a little over 11 weeks early but is doing really well in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit).
Before Lucian was Born
I was admitted to hospital on the monday before the baby was born. I had gone to my OBGYN that morning as I felt something was not right. I was in no pain however due to Isaac being early I was on high alert. My OBGYN examined me and found me to be 1cm dilated and had a "floppy" cervix (my cervix will forever have esteem issues now!). She sent me directly to Labor and Delivery at the hospital where I deliverd Isaac. The hospital is about 45 mins drive in moderate traffic.
When I arrived they did a sono and saw that I was about 60% effaced (my cervix was no longer 4.8cm long but only just 1cm remained) and I was a tight 1cm dilated. The monitored me and saw I was not really having labor contractions however my uterus was irritable so the doctors put me on Magnesium Sulphate through an IV. They also gave me some oral medication to stop the contractions too. The drugs didn't bother me that much. I reacted well as many women complain badly of the side effects of the Mag. They also started a course of Steriods for the baby - to assist with development - particularly lung development. I was on Mag and bedrest at the hospital until things stabilised.
On Wednesday evening I started having contractions which they were treating with another drug - terbutaline - as needed through injections. The Terb really helped in the beginning but then we get into a pattern that I would start contractions, they would monitor me to see if I was really having them, see that I was, then give me the steriods. I must have had 2 shots within 2 hours on Wednesday evening. They didn't want to do an internal unless we couldn't stop the labor. Later that evening a new nurse came on and when I complained of these mild contractions she didn't want to monitor them unless they got a lot more painful and more frequent. I let her know a few times that these were pretty regular however she was in no hurry to monitor me. I fell to sleep and around 3.30am ish I awoke to regular more painful contractions. She put me one the monitor, tried the Terb again but it wouldn't work for more than a few minutes then called the doctor. The doctor examined me and found me to be 5cm with the amniotic sac "bulging". Off to Labor and Delivery again to see if we could get this to stop. I, of-course, was very upset that I had dilated more and that a delivery might be imminent. I called Mark and the poor thing had only just gotten into bed from a night shift. He drove straight over.
Delivery - All the details - not if you are squeemish
More Mag and Terb in the L and D ward. More contractions. Ice chips. But the contractions had a mind of their own and weren't going to stop. They were so much more painful than Isaac's. With Isaac I only reached a pain level 10 when in transition. With this one I was at a 10 around 6cm. As soon as it was obvious that they couldn't stop the labor and I would be delivering, I called for drugs... I have done the Natural No Drug with Isaac and have nothing to prove anymore so went with the Epidural and I have to say it is wonderful!!! I would highly recommend it!!! They gave that to me just after 8am. Labor was a lot more comfortable and must have progressed well - I didn't feel a lot - although I did require top ups.
When they thought I was ready to start pushing they were setting up. My water still hadn't broken although the doctor did say I was really ready to go. My OB doctor was there along with the nurses. They had called the NICU neonatologists. As I was getting ready my water broke. Without pushing, Lucians legs and some of the torso was out. The NICU doctors were literally there within seconds and they worked at getting the head out. All I could see was a foot which is not the part of the baby you want to see when delivering. I pushed to assist the head out and he popped out and was rushed to the baby table where they worked on him. No crys immediately which was terrible wondering what was happening. He was OK just taking his time getting his breaths and the Mag that I had been on for so long really effects the baby. I didn't get to hold him (I still haven't) and they took him directly into the NICU.
After Delivery
I felt great after delivery and was up and about after about 3 hours. I managed a shower early that afternoon and then ran and peaked at my newest little man.
Initally Lucian was on the respirator and intebated. They also started him on some Blood Pressure meds to stabilize his BP. Now he is 4 days old and has been off the Respirator and no longer Intebated since he was about 1 day old. They stopped the BP meds on day 2 and now he is just on C-Pap of room air and minimal pressure. His Biliruben levels went up - as we expected - and now he is having phototherapy - just as Isaac had. They started to feed him breast milk on day 2 and is now on 4cc's of milk every 4 hours - that is just a little less than 1 teaspoon. This amount will go up every 12 hours unless he starts to have problems with digestion. Today they will do the brain ultrasound to check for bleeds on the brain. Apparently they are quite common.
We are just taking it a day at a time.
He looks just like Isaac did as a baby - only a lot skinnier. He is just beautiful and I can't believe how lucky I am to have 2 beautiful boys. I can't wait to hold my littlest man. I have been very relaxed about all this. Probably a little denial and also the fact that we have already been through this once before. We know the drill. I am in no rush to get him home. He is in the best place for him now - but I know that when I can give him a hold I will just lose it. That is the one thing that really makes me get misty eyed - imagine holding Lucian. It won't be long.
I will keep you all posted.
Before Lucian was Born
I was admitted to hospital on the monday before the baby was born. I had gone to my OBGYN that morning as I felt something was not right. I was in no pain however due to Isaac being early I was on high alert. My OBGYN examined me and found me to be 1cm dilated and had a "floppy" cervix (my cervix will forever have esteem issues now!). She sent me directly to Labor and Delivery at the hospital where I deliverd Isaac. The hospital is about 45 mins drive in moderate traffic.
When I arrived they did a sono and saw that I was about 60% effaced (my cervix was no longer 4.8cm long but only just 1cm remained) and I was a tight 1cm dilated. The monitored me and saw I was not really having labor contractions however my uterus was irritable so the doctors put me on Magnesium Sulphate through an IV. They also gave me some oral medication to stop the contractions too. The drugs didn't bother me that much. I reacted well as many women complain badly of the side effects of the Mag. They also started a course of Steriods for the baby - to assist with development - particularly lung development. I was on Mag and bedrest at the hospital until things stabilised.
On Wednesday evening I started having contractions which they were treating with another drug - terbutaline - as needed through injections. The Terb really helped in the beginning but then we get into a pattern that I would start contractions, they would monitor me to see if I was really having them, see that I was, then give me the steriods. I must have had 2 shots within 2 hours on Wednesday evening. They didn't want to do an internal unless we couldn't stop the labor. Later that evening a new nurse came on and when I complained of these mild contractions she didn't want to monitor them unless they got a lot more painful and more frequent. I let her know a few times that these were pretty regular however she was in no hurry to monitor me. I fell to sleep and around 3.30am ish I awoke to regular more painful contractions. She put me one the monitor, tried the Terb again but it wouldn't work for more than a few minutes then called the doctor. The doctor examined me and found me to be 5cm with the amniotic sac "bulging". Off to Labor and Delivery again to see if we could get this to stop. I, of-course, was very upset that I had dilated more and that a delivery might be imminent. I called Mark and the poor thing had only just gotten into bed from a night shift. He drove straight over.
Delivery - All the details - not if you are squeemish
More Mag and Terb in the L and D ward. More contractions. Ice chips. But the contractions had a mind of their own and weren't going to stop. They were so much more painful than Isaac's. With Isaac I only reached a pain level 10 when in transition. With this one I was at a 10 around 6cm. As soon as it was obvious that they couldn't stop the labor and I would be delivering, I called for drugs... I have done the Natural No Drug with Isaac and have nothing to prove anymore so went with the Epidural and I have to say it is wonderful!!! I would highly recommend it!!! They gave that to me just after 8am. Labor was a lot more comfortable and must have progressed well - I didn't feel a lot - although I did require top ups.
When they thought I was ready to start pushing they were setting up. My water still hadn't broken although the doctor did say I was really ready to go. My OB doctor was there along with the nurses. They had called the NICU neonatologists. As I was getting ready my water broke. Without pushing, Lucians legs and some of the torso was out. The NICU doctors were literally there within seconds and they worked at getting the head out. All I could see was a foot which is not the part of the baby you want to see when delivering. I pushed to assist the head out and he popped out and was rushed to the baby table where they worked on him. No crys immediately which was terrible wondering what was happening. He was OK just taking his time getting his breaths and the Mag that I had been on for so long really effects the baby. I didn't get to hold him (I still haven't) and they took him directly into the NICU.
After Delivery
I felt great after delivery and was up and about after about 3 hours. I managed a shower early that afternoon and then ran and peaked at my newest little man.
Initally Lucian was on the respirator and intebated. They also started him on some Blood Pressure meds to stabilize his BP. Now he is 4 days old and has been off the Respirator and no longer Intebated since he was about 1 day old. They stopped the BP meds on day 2 and now he is just on C-Pap of room air and minimal pressure. His Biliruben levels went up - as we expected - and now he is having phototherapy - just as Isaac had. They started to feed him breast milk on day 2 and is now on 4cc's of milk every 4 hours - that is just a little less than 1 teaspoon. This amount will go up every 12 hours unless he starts to have problems with digestion. Today they will do the brain ultrasound to check for bleeds on the brain. Apparently they are quite common.
We are just taking it a day at a time.
He looks just like Isaac did as a baby - only a lot skinnier. He is just beautiful and I can't believe how lucky I am to have 2 beautiful boys. I can't wait to hold my littlest man. I have been very relaxed about all this. Probably a little denial and also the fact that we have already been through this once before. We know the drill. I am in no rush to get him home. He is in the best place for him now - but I know that when I can give him a hold I will just lose it. That is the one thing that really makes me get misty eyed - imagine holding Lucian. It won't be long.
I will keep you all posted.
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