So, without, further ado, you know you're the parent of a preemie if...
- ...you're concerned that a large poo will result in a loss in weight that night
- ..you can't remember what day of the week it is, but you know exactly how many days old your baby is
- ...the doll carried by a little girl is larger than your baby
- ...you add olive oil or double cream to every meal
- ...the ambulance officers and first year med students ask you if you're medically trained because all these medical terms just roll off your tongue when describing your child's medical history
- ...the first and last thing you do in the day is ring the hospital
- ...you know the number of the unit off by heart
- ...you find yourself looking at other little babies thinking yours was never that small, was it??
- ...you look back at their photos and still cry over a year down the line
- ...you have an answer to everything that people will ask
- ...you go out with the rain cover on even when its not raining
- ...you start using their corrected age to stop people asking questions,
- ...you hear beeping even when you're asleep
- ...you have read a lifetime of magazines in a matter of weeks
- ...you get overly excited about weigh ins
- ...the unit is on your christmas card list
- ...you talk about poo more than normal
- ...the staff phone you worried if you've not called at your usual time
- ...a month after discharge you're still changing your baby from the side
- ...you can tolerate the breast pump on the highest setting and did away with the hand pump in a matter of weeks after getting RSI and breaking the first one from over use
- ...sats of 92 are considered excellent, despite what nurses at Paed wards think
- ...the names and phone numbers of all the agencies involved are typed up and taped to the kitchen boiler for all those phone calls
- ...you have to get a trolley in Boots to pick up prescriptions
- ...every achievement your preemie makes is so much more precious, you celebrate them breathing independently, eating lumps and learning to sign
- ...you take a vomit bowl everywhere you go cos reflux hounds you!!!!
- ...you correct the new resident's medical update at the discharge meeting
- ...your baby's red book notes section is full up
- ...you actually envy mothers with stories of big babies and resulting tears!
- ...you have spent your own money on home alarms you don't actually need because you can't imagine your baby "unplugged"
- ....the first thing you say to a visitor to your house is not "would you like a coffee" but instead is "please wash your hands, you're not sick are you?"
- ...the space under your stairs is not filled with shoes and a hoover but oxygen cylinders.
- ...you enquire about your friend's/children's health, not to be polite, but to double check if you should make plans to meet up
- ...somebody tells you that the cousin of the wife of his brother also had a premature baby who is now 2 metres tall, has got 3 degrees and is the president of America.
- ...you have their drugs chart pinned to the front of the fridge so you know what's left to give in the next 24 hours
You know you are the parent of a preemie because all their achievements mean more
Thanks a million everyone.
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2 comments:
Hi
Have only just found your blog through Bliss and being a relatively new parent to a preemie (Noah was born at 23 wks & 6 days and is now 6 wks & 2 days)I found I was already able to associate with lots of those comments-it's really put a smile on my face. We have been through some incredibly tough times so far but maintaining some humour has been vital. My addition: You know your the parent of a preemie when you have the unspeakable joy of seeing your little ones hair for the first time when their CPAP hat is breifly removed.
All the best Debs
How true are those? I can relate to most, and a good number of them made me laugh!! Nice one.
Elizabeth's doll IS much bigger than she was (and probably weighs more too) and we are still asking our health visitor for extra pages for the red book! ..... and I still lie about her age on occasions to stop people asking questions!!
Keep up the good work,
Elaine xx
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