Leah is now almost 8 months old. She was born August 22nd after 5 days of contractions, a lot of worry, and many visits to Labor and Delivery. Because I was so far into labor the last time I went into the hospital they were unable to get me to St. Cloud in time to deliver. They originally wanted me to deliver there if I went early because St. Cloud has a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and the hospital in Alexandria is just not equipped for such a preterm baby. So, a team from the NICU came by ambulance up to Alexandria for the delivery. Right after Leah was born they checked her out, then I got to hold her for about 2 minutes before she was whisked away by ambulance to St. Cloud. Ryan went down to St. Cloud right away to be with her, while I spent the night in the hospital. At 8 o'clock the next morning I was discharged so I could join them in St. Cloud. So much for recovery after childbirth!
Leah spent the next 30 days in the NICU. Ryan, Brooke and I shuttled between home and my parents house in Coon Rapids. It was such a crazy time. I was supposed to start school, but just couldn't. I felt the need to spend most of my day at the hospital with Leah. I just couldn't part with her. My parents were kind enough to watch Brooke a great deal. It really took some of the stress off. Leah was a model patient. She never had to be on oxygen, and after about a week was taken out of her isolette because she could hold her own body temperature. All she had to do was learn to eat and grow. We were so happy the day Leah came home from the hospital, it had felt like that day would never come.
Two days after we brought Leah home from the hospital she stopped breathing. I was home alone with her and had checked on her while she was in her swing. When I checked she was not breathing, she was completely limp. I immediately tried giving her a breath and called 911. They helped walk me through CPR and I was able to get her breathing. The ambulance came, checked her out and took her to the ER. After numerous tests they could not determine what was wrong and admitted her. Later that evening she had another episode and was then sent to St. Cloud and admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Leah spent another 6 days in the hospital trying to breath. She had to be hooked up to oxygen and had many very scary moments. It was determined that she had a virus that her little body just had a hard time handling.
Leah's birth and the experience afterwards has to be the most traumatic and stressful time of my life.
Because we are so thankful for the care she received we are walking in the March of Dimes- Walk for Babies next week. The March of Dimes supports and raises money for research and education on preventing infant loss, diseases, and premature births. We are hoping to see some of the nurses who cared for Leah in the hospital too!
Leah was born at 30 weeks, was 4 lbs. 1 oz. and 16 1/2 inches long.
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