You all know about Boo’s birth – how Daddy wasn’t there and how my experience was pain free; both were due to her being 6 weeks premature.
Yesterday was World Prematurity Day #WPD but Boo was in hospital with yet another Health Hurdle and it all looks as if it’s linked to her being a premie. So you’ll just have to do with this post a day late!
I could go through every detail of the days and weeks leading up to the birth of Boo but I’ve learnt that it won’t change a single thing. I wasted precious hours when she was newborn trying to blame myself: did I do too much? Did I not recognise the signs? Should I have bought myself a step by step pregnancy book? The real answer is that over 60,000 babies are born premature in the UK each year so I’m sure I’m not alone in having these feelings.
It took a very kind doctor during the early hours of Boo’s third day when I was weeping away (Baby blues with a premature baby is not a good look I can assure you!) who sat me down and said what’s done is done you can’t put her back but what you can focus on is giving her the best possible start and after a cup of tea and another five minutes of crying that’s exactly what I did.
We are blessed that Boo had no major health issues and only needed a kick start in life with the help of an NGT, treatment for Jaundice and temperature regulation. Watch this video to see how far premature babies really can come!
Smiling and crying is no easy task!
People often ask how it feels to have a premature baby and the answer is just the same I still cried with joy when I held her for the first time, I was amazed at just how tiny her feet were and how beautiful she was! Yes it was an emotional rollercoaster but throughout it all with the help of the fantastic neonatal team at Lincoln Hospital I never lost sight of why we were there, for our beautiful baby Boo.
Ever since we came home with our mini bundle I wanted to help in some raise awareness of premature babies and their families; support is vital not only in the early days but for the months and years ahead so I’ve decided to run the 2013 Lincoln 10K in aid of Bliss. I’ve run the race twice previously with last year being part of my Operation Yummy Mummy but this year I’m determined to come in under 80 minutes (stop sniggering I’m the wrong side of a size 14 so at the moment I’d be lucky to do it in less than 3 hours!). However I’m under no illusion that my plans to get back into running and shifting some serious weight won’t really happen until 5 weeks before the race when I start waking through the night with nightmares of not finishing the race!
If anyone would like to donate a personal trainer/ home gym etc I will gladly pay you in home baked cakes – the irony!!!
I will get round to setting up a Just giving Page but in the meantime you can follow my efforts here and with #operationyummymummy over on twitter.
Oh how I remember that day and taking that picture. You’ve both come a long way x
I’ve wasted hours too wondering what I did wrong and why my baby was born so prematurely, but I try not to and just focus on the child – well young woman now – that I have and try to do the best for her, instead of wondering what might have been. Enjoy the race, you might surprise yourself – giving birth often helps women to run faster!
Candi recently posted..A right to life for my daughters: a post for world prematurity day