Hi there!
My name is Jemma and I have a 19 month old Daughter, Lucy.
Lucy was born in March 2002, 10 weeks premature.
She weighed 4'3 which is quite good considering she was so premature.
She had a very 'easy' stay at Special Care, she was off CPAP within 12 hours and
to our surprise out of the incubator in 1 week exactly.
She was placed in the cots in the other room.
I barely left her side.
This was my baby that we tried for, for 2 years and eventually through the help
of the fertility drug, Clomid, I conceived within 3 months.
I was only18 years old when we started trying for a baby, having problems conceiving
was way out of our minds.
Then, after 2 years my Daughter is born at just 30 weeks gone!
30 weeks to the day!
When the specialist were coming around daily they monitored Lucy and they could
see how desperate I sat and prayed her to come home.
My Sisters both had 3 healthy over term babies, Lucy was a worry to us all.
The only thing keeping her in was her feeding, as she hadn't learned to suckle.
She was tube fed for 4 and a half weeks after she was born, for 2 days she was
bottle fed still in SCBU and I stayed over night there during this time, the
next day, 5 weeks later I was allowed to take my baby home.
This was half the time they said she'd be there, as she was 10 weeks premature.
This, was the 1 of happiest days of my life.
(the other was when she was born!!)
Rob, my husband and I then decided I would use my maternity leave and even
though we'd be very tight for money, I'd stay and look after Lucy full time.
I haven't looked back since!!
She's almost 20 months in 2 weeks time and she's a real monkey!!
She's passed all her hearing tests and she's perfectly 'Normal' considering.
She did have a heart murmur on leaving the hospital but, like predicted, it went
away by itself in May that year, when she was due.
She was small for a long time but not anymore!
She's very tall and even though she's a very picky eater, she looks very very
healthy.
That's the only problem we have with her, she's not a very good eater, little
and often but all kids are the same!!
She's in her own bed now, has been for about 3 months maybe 4?
She sleeps all night and is now walking.
Lucy was slow to hold her head up alone, put her dummy in her mouth, sit alone
and walk but, she's done it!!!!!
Lucy has been walking for about 2 weeks roughly and considering she should only
be 16 months, I don't think this is late at all.
You can get the odd baby that will walk at 12 months, 13 14 and so on, some
babies don't walk until 18 months born full term!!!!
I am very proud of her, and at only 21 years myself, I feel as though I am 61!!
I love her to bits and pieces and I can't wait for Christmas!!
We had a party for her 1st birthday and I was so sad, felt it for her, as she
was on her back as everyone played around her.
Now, for her 2nd birthday in March she will be running everywhere!
I thank the lord often for giving me such a special little baby girl.
All parents think they're kids are special but you really don't know what
special is until you have a baby that fought to stay alive after being born so
very early.
I looked through the pictures of your daughter and she looks the sunshine of
health.
She's gorgeous.
Be proud of her for the rest of your lives, and be proud of yourself, you got
through it as a family as it is not easy at all.
I cam e home from hospital with out my baby or husband, he worked until she came
home, wanted to save the holidays.
This didn't help me.
My family all live away and I cannot drive.
This, I never will forget.
Everyday though my husband took me to hospital 30 mins there and back, worked a
shift in-between picking me up.
It tore me apart to leave her there, now, I never leave her side!! lol
It's good to share this with parents who understand.
Best wishes to you all
Jemma, Rob and Lucy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx