An early christmas present. Last Friday, December 8, our little girl was born by C-section at 30 weeks, weighing 1.1kg!

I haven't updated the blog for a bit as I have been in hospital and was discharged last night. Here are the two pics I had planned to upload last Wednesday!!!



Last Tuesday Jasper and I put up our Christmas tree, and it is funny the things you think about but all of this week I was so glad we had put it up and spent the afternnon searching for a branch, bringing it in and decorating it together. It was such a lovely mummy and J day.



The next morning, at our regular obstretricians appointment, Zoran and I said how I wasn't feeling that things were OK and Dr Campbell told us that we should have an ultrasound, and he booked us in right away, 15 minutes later we discovered that my BP had progressed into preeclampsia and our little one was compromised and not getting enough cord blood. We were booked into Royal North Shore hospital, a large teaching hospital with neonatal facilities and thought we'd be having a baby within the next few hours. Luckily her CTG traces were able to track her while I was given steroid injections which are to mature her lungs to improve her chances, ideally 48 hours is needed, so I was on strict bed rest in the hospital antenatal ward, with BP checks, protein checks, blood tests and CTGs of the baby. At 6.45am friday morning Zoran, all gowned up, and I, entered theatre. They gave me a spinal block,



and she was born at 8.22am by ceasarian. Here are some photos...


Three minutes old.


One day old, tucked up in her nest in her humidicrib, CPAP helping her breath and a canula delivering all other needs. She had two apneas in the first twentyfour hours and is now on cafene doses to keep from from forgetting to breathe.


Day two, with groovy sunnys for some phototherapy.


On Saturday Jasper came in with Zoran to meet his baby sister, he was so excited and exclaimed over her tiny hands and feet. The next day he made little nests for her on all of the beds and wants to bring her home (humidicrib, nurses and all) now.


Six days old. She has regained the weight she lost over the last few days. She little beanie helps keep her warm. My hand is cuddling her - this gives you an idea of her size. Her rosy cheeks are where the CPAP was held on, but has been removed.



Today, no longer on CPAP and coping well. They had to remove her CPAP yesterday as she developed a hole in her lungs and her chest cavity filled with an airbubble which was collapsing her left lung by ten percent. This morning they performed a small procedure which sucessfully removed the trapped air and she was left to have a very quiet day to allow her lung to re-expand. Her oxygen saturation levels are really good and she is very settled now, all curled up.



A tiny foot, Day 3.

She will be in hospital until close to her due dates about ten weeks. It was so hard to leave her there and come home, but it is lovely to be with Jasper. Our days are now spent divided between home and hospital, back being Bessie, expressing milk every three hours and recovering from the operation. It has been an emotional week, but we feel so blessed.
Txxx