Kangaroo Care - World Prematurity Day 2013.

"What the heck is that?" I said to the neo natal nurse when she asked me if I'd considered Kangaroo care. Evan had been born 2 days prior and was showing signs of improvement. The nurse thought it would be a good idea for me to have some Kangaroo care time with Evan. When I discovered what it meant I was practically champing at the bit to get him out of his incubator. So we did it, we had our first session of Kangaroo care.

So I sat, for 6 hours straight with my little bundle fast asleep and next to mama. It those few hours, all is sats improved, he increased his feeding amounts and he opened his eyes for the first time. He knew, he was with his mama. The warmth of his skin next to mine was the greatest feeling on earth. I had my baby in my arms.

Even Daddy had a go! 

A few short hours later whilst back in my room the most amazing thing happened, my milk arrived! I literally exploded out of my bra and my nipples burst! I remember catching it in a cup and Craig frantically running to the midwives station to get some sterile bags to put the milk in. It was an amazing feat of nature. 

The next day, I tried to feed my little man but he couldn't suck God love him. He was just too little and too weak so we gave him my milk with a NGT and he lapped it up! He grew bigger and stronger and within the week he was out of the level 1 room and moved to the nursery and I really believe it was because of Kangaroo Care and mothers milk.

World Prematurity Day is tomorrow - Sunday 17th November, for more info click here: BLISS

World Prematurity Day 2013 #GiveAHug

I’m a hugger, I always have been. There is nothing nicer than a great big bear hug from a person. That feeling of comfort as they wrap their arms around you and envelope you with warmth. So imagine my despair when my son, born 7 weeks too early couldn’t receive a hug. Rushed out of me in an emergency situation, wrapped in a towel and bundled into an incubator and moved up to NICU. I lay there, helpless, exhausted, emotional and desperate to give my son his first hug.

It wasn’t meant to be for another 38 hours, that doesn’t seem much, but when you’ve gone through the trauma of an emergency in childbirth its a lifetime. As I lay in recovery, being tended too by the medical staff, my precious newborn was spending his first few hours in a plastic box, fighting for his life and I was 2 floors away fighting for mine. My poor husband completely helpless not knowing if to stay with me or sit with our newborn. The medical staff could see his exhaustion and convinced him the best thing he could do for both of us was to go home, sleep and come back recovered and that he did. He came back to me 12 hours later, and sat whilst I lay and slept, for 38 hours. Our son spent that time, in a box learning to breathe and waiting for his hug.

The time had come, Craig was told if he wanted to, he could get Evan out of his plastic home and hug him but he declined and said “that first hug must come from mummy”. So he waited for me to wake, and wheeled me up to NICU. I still get goosebumps now remembering that journey up two flights in the lift, in a wheelchair, wires and bags all hanging from me and my desperation to see my boy, our baby, our miracle. I remember crying as he wheeled me into the ward, crying out of excitement desperate to get to his bay and there he was, ready to be taken out and given to me. Finally he was placed in my arms, his heart beat was racing, and as I put him inside my dressing gown next to my chest it steadied. He was home, in my arms next to his mum skin to skin as it should have been 38 hours previous. We were hugging, mother and son having their first hug. It’s a feeling that will stay with me for life and a feeling that was captured beautifully by our greatest supporter - Daddy xx

World Prematurity Day this year is Sunday November 17th, BLISS along with other worldwide organisations will join together to raise awareness for premature babies. Why not take a look at this link to find out some more: http://www.bliss.org.uk/media-centre/wpd/ ...........

and we still like hugging :) xx