We had been married all of about half an hour when we got pregnant with BabyBird. Ok, it might have been a smidge longer than that, but it was certainly not expected and not going with our plan of "we are going to take a couple of years and save and enjoy each other's company." Nevertheless, we were excited about our new growing family.
(This is the point here where I would include a pic of me pregnant--but alas, there are none.)
We had a textbook pregnancy and then at an appointment at 23 weeks, with my legs up in the air, the doctor asks kindly, "Did you drive yourself today?" No good can ever come from that. I was dialated and leaking amniotic fluid. Statistics at 23 weeks are bleak, at best.
We were put on hospitalized bedrest with the hope that we could hold off labor until 28 weeks. That seemed to be the magic number. Through steroid shots to strengthen BabyBird's lungs, through me being propped up on my head and not moving at all and pumped full of fluids--there was hope that we would make it to that magic 28 weeks and then 30 and on. THEN, came the fever and the news that I had an infection. We had to decide whether to deliver a barely 26 week baby with no infection OR wait and see if we could go 28 weeks with an infected baby. SO...in July of 2009, BabyBird made her debut at 26 weeks gestation.
Weighing in at a little over 2 lbs, she was a fighter from the beginning. The team standing by to put my non-breathing child on the ventilator was as shocked as we were to hear her screaming. She needed some oxygen support, but thankfully, did not have to be ventilated right away. Her tiny eyes were still fused shut, and there was virtually no muscle on her-- further evidence of how un-ready she was to meet the world--but she was here and breathing--3 months ahead of time.
One week old--two pounds of fighting, drooly baby and a mama who believed in her.
She spent several long months in the hospital (which I encourage you to read about in the archives on our blog, here.) After fighting many battles and making many friends in our "home away from home" we returned, toting an 8 pound baby and a heart/lung monitor that weighed about as much, that stayed with us for 9 long months.
Today, she is a thriving, chatty toddler who can give any of her peers a run for their money. We do quite a bit of work with organizations now that help families of these little ones and it never fails that at an event, I will have someone argue that my child was premature, because she is doing so well and doesn't "look premature." Which is a glorious problem to have--I hope we NEVER forget how hard she fought to be here and how strong she is today...and how blessed we are.
Many families do not have the same outcome and we are blessed to know many of them, whose children have serious developmental delays, health problems or who were just not long for this world. While our blog is not solely about prematurity, I hope it will remain a place where families of these tiny ones can come for hope, a story of survival and a place to find a kindred soul or two. We believe in miracles here...there is currently one at my feet, singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" while she does pirouettes in a tutu.
Photo taken by the lovely and talented Amanda Phelan.
