211107 - UK

Mary Ann frightened us today. Her oxygen level felt to 60! It’s supposed to be 100. The nurse said that is because she’s still immature. No, that can’t be the reason, I thought. Mary Ann is so perfect and strong. How can she still be immature? The nurse said that we should think about how few weeks old she is and how young she was when she was born. That is right of course. But we just see her as big now and so strong.
The nurse also reminded me that it’s normal that they do well and suddenly something happen so it seems for the parents like they have to start all over again. But often it’s just the baby trying to show he/she is the boss for few days.
After the scare she was doing fine again. She was so relaxed and lovely to watch. Neil got the exchange camera but it didn’t have any new batteries in. Instead I found a picture of another little preemie in her/his week 34: http://pediatrics.about.com/od/newbornsandbabies/ig/Premature-Babies/34-Week-Preemie-in-the-NICU.htm. It is easy to see how well Mary Ann is doing then compared to that picture of another preemie.
She is now in week 34+4. That means that round next week her oxygen should be stabile. When it has been stable and she doesn’t need caffeine for some days, they will take her of the monitor. I have been longing for that. Although now I’m a little nervous about it. The staff would never take the monitor of her if they were not sure it would be okay for her. Let’s see what’s going to happen with the monitor next week.
We have tried to exercise her sucking today with success. I managed to give Mary Ann her dummy. She had it for half an hour, but only because I held it for he. She was not so interested to hold it herself. It is important that she learn to suck. The quicker she learns to suck to quicker we can get her home. Therefore I gladly hold the dummy for the little miss.
I had my sick leave papers taken care of at work this afternoon. Neil gets all the maternity leave so he will not be back at work before August/September. But that means I have to be back 23 of March. I was so sad when I heard that I so quickly have to be back. Hence it will be hard to start work again. Yet, I still feel it’s better for him to have all the leave. Also since I still want/have to spend time on exercise and own hospital visits. I went to water aerobics this morning before the hospital. Feeling great because of the water aerobic this morning made me see things in another perspective. I started to plan how I can do it all still plus doing something with Mary Ann. I found that there is a water aerobic class just before baby swimming every Wednesday. A kombi solution is a good idea. It is more difficult to cancel the water aerobic class one morning when I know that that means that Mary Ann is not going either. Normally I didn’t need tricks like that to make me go. But it might be more difficult when Mary Ann comes home. I’m sure I rather sit with her at home then when I don’t work.