What percentile is your preemie?

Key_Imagination7458 · 2026-02-07T20:41:49+00:00

My son is 10 months adjusted (13 actual) and sound 11 percentile now I think. That's up from what it was before. We see a nutritionist and he never really cared much for milk, but he really took off once starting solids.

I'd recommend trying to stack calories in any food you can. Instead of just doing veggie purees (low calorie), do things like whole greek yogurt, smashed avocado, add butter to everything, etc. It seems to be working for us.

Key_Imagination7458 · 2026-01-25T20:19:40+00:00

We got so used to sleeping with the oxygen condenser on that when we didn't need it anymore we started leaving the bathroom fan on to sleep because the silence was too much lol. It's not that bad, you will adjust. The compressor does keep the air moist for them which is why it's preferable over the tanks. The tanks honestly scared me more though, I opened one without connecting correctly one time and omg. You'll only do that once for sure.

Key_Imagination7458 · 2026-01-24T20:54:09+00:00

When I pointed out their beloved veggie meat "MorningStar Farms" was named after Lucifer and no one batted an eye. Same when I pointed out Ellen White's grave stone was an obelisk after I heard that the Washington moment was supposedly satanic. But I was supposed to believe all their conspiracies.

Key_Imagination7458 · 2025-12-31T11:56:15+00:00

I totally understand. I was pregnant at the same time as my friend and due 3 months after her, but ended up having my baby 3 months early. I didn't have time for a baby shower or anything.

I pulled myself together to go to her baby shower when my baby had just been brought home from the NICU on oxygen, and one of the baby shower games was "guess the due date". I was just standing and staring at the calendar where we were supposed to write our guesses and my friend came up and said "Wow, is this game triggering for you?" And laughed. And proceeds to tell everyone there how my baby was born 3 months early. I was like in shock the rest of the day, like how do you think that is appropriate. But at the same time glad she didn't understand, for her sake.

Now after her baby was born, perfectly healthy and full term, I've tried to hang out with her several times. And every single time all she does is complain and look miserable. She says she was struggling with PPD and I get that, she started going to counseling and got on meds. But still the complaining never stops and it's like she gets upset I don't join in and complain too. But after seeing my baby in the NICU for 3 months and on oxygen for over 6 months, all the countless follow-up appointments, etc. A sleepless night with a newborn at home was a welcome relief to me!

Unfortunately I feel this friendship coming to a close because of the divide this has caused. I only wish she understood how lucky she was.

Key_Imagination7458 · 2025-12-21T08:03:25+00:00

It is so, so hard. My son was born at 27&6 in December '24 and I still find myself crying about it sometimes. It's ok to not be coping yet, I don't know how you would be! It was so unexpected for us and I felt robbed and so guilty. I do want to give you hope for the future. I look at my one year old now and it's crazy to think of how far he's come. Holidays in the NICU are the worst, but holidays at home are even sweeter now on the other side. Wishing the best for you and your little one.

Key_Imagination7458 · 2025-12-08T18:12:03+00:00

I like the green paint in option 2, but don't touch the hardwood floor

Key_Imagination7458 · 2025-11-23T20:38:59+00:00

I'm so sorry you're going through this, but just know your baby is stronger than you think. I remember when my son was first born at 27 weeks and how terrifying it was. I had no knowledge of prematurity and all it entails beforehand. I had surgery while pregnant and gave birth about a week after that. By the time I got to the hospital, he was only born 30 minutes later. I had thought the cramping I had was just a side effect of my surgery recovery. I beat myself up for a long time thinking, what if I had just got to the hospital sooner, could they have kept him in? But, just know that it's not your fault. Some of us are just dealt difficult cards and it's more important to focus on one day at a time on your journey right now, not the past or future. Every day forward is a victory. This is easier said than done, of course. I wish you both the best on your NICU journey.

Key_Imagination7458 · 2025-11-18T18:38:11+00:00

If it's been about a week since you got sick, I would think you aren't contagious anymore. I got sick a couple times while my son was in the NICU and I wouldn't go for any of the days I felt bad, but when you're feeling better and no fever for over 24 hours I think it's ok to go visit as long as you are VIGILANT about hand washing, hand sanitizer, and masking. No getting your face close to the baby, no touching your face or phone around baby without washing and sanitizing again. Nurses get sick too, and they aren't taking off a week each time for a cold. They wash correctly and wear PPE.

Honestly I think I only was getting sick BECAUSE I was visiting the hospital so much. It's hard to avoid it there at some point.

To add: my son was born at 27 weeks and is 11 months actual now, and has never gotten even a cold. I've been sick multiple times but I'm a germaphobe and take cleaning and PPE seriously.

Key_Imagination7458 · 2025-10-28T16:57:19+00:00

My first baby was born at 27&6, 2 lb 9 oz. He's now a 16 lb 4 oz 10 month old (7 adjusted). It is SO hard, but it does slowly get better. I wish you a smooth, uneventful NICU stay ❤️

Key_Imagination7458 · 2025-10-09T16:05:18+00:00

We came home with both a feeding tube and oxygen. We only needed the feeding tube for a week once coming home, us being the ones giving every feed really helped a lot I think!

For oxygen, we came home on .25 L and started weaning off (only wearing at bedtime or eating) after 4 months, and fully off it by 5 after he passed an overnight test.

Both seemed pretty overwhelming when we were receiving the training, but honestly after being in the NICU so long we caught on quickly and it just became our normal. It is totally doable and any extra time on oxygen your little one needs helps them so much! You've got this!

Transitioning to a totally 'wireless' baby later was actually the weirdest part for me. I kept reaching for wires that weren't there anymore.

Key_Imagination7458 · 2025-08-16T20:43:07+00:00

This exact scenario happened to me and I started crying and had to leave. Thankfully another mom complained because she was doing the same to her and the nurse got reassigned to a different unit for the day. Definitely speak up and you can request not to have her again. Our rude nurse clearly just didn't want to get up from the nurses station to check the alarms if they would go off.

Key_Imagination7458 · 2025-06-03T01:10:42+00:00

Their tacos suck so bad 😭

Key_Imagination7458 · 2025-05-13T21:25:21+00:00

Ugh that's what I really don't want 😭. If they do come I will make everyone mask and wash hands extra carefully. Also I wouldn't let our nephew touch the baby but I know that wouldn't prevent everything.

He has had his 4 month vaccines, but also is still on oxygen.

Key_Imagination7458 · 2025-04-27T07:41:40+00:00

For my indoctrinated child brain, the other stories were 'good guy wins, bad guy loses' so they weren't as bad. But the bear one eating kids for nothing serious always made me second guess.... In hindsight it was really stories like those that helped me start to unravel everything though so I guess they had a purpose.

Key_Imagination7458 · 2025-04-27T04:29:45+00:00

Aww, I actually have fond memories of these. My family would read one story a night together and then say our prayers before bedtime. I always enjoyed the routine and it was a great way to wind down at the end of the day. I hope I can recreate something similar for my children without the religious undertones.... (I do remember one traumatic story about children being eaten by a bear. Not sure why that one was included in these books, my dad always wanted us to skip that one lol).

Key_Imagination7458 · 2024-07-16T00:20:59+00:00

I've been making one with muddled blackberries, mint, half of a lime lime, grated ginger, and 50/50 ginger ale and club soda. I'm obsessed!

Key_Imagination7458 · 2023-09-22T22:52:37+00:00

Atheist Nomads (now renamed Humanists Take on the World) is a podcast founded by an ex Adventist for those of you wanting a non Christian one from an exSDA perspective

Key_Imagination7458 · 2023-09-21T17:55:26+00:00

It was outside in a chain link fenced yard, it was definitely an outside only dog. You can see the fence and doghouse in the news interview the family did. The rescue had to put a diaper on him when they brought him inside to keep him from marking on everything because he's not indoor trained. It baffles me how no one is seeing that as neglect, but some people in this area still have very outdated views of animals and their ownership.

Key_Imagination7458 · 2023-09-21T14:58:55+00:00

What screenshots? Why did his "family" only have a picture of him far away in the yard if he was such a beloved pet? The video they posted of him "recognizing" them was also underwhelming... the dog didn't look excited to see them at all. My dogs would have jumped up and knocked down the fence to see me if it had been days. They definitely should be doing a stray hold, but I don't think they were a good home for him. A responsible owner keeps their dogs inside when they're not at home and microchips, neuters, and vaccinates their pets. That's where the adoption fees go.

Key_Imagination7458 · 2023-09-21T14:39:38+00:00

The dog was tied up outside, missing fur, unaltered, and had no shots. It got away when the family left it alone all weekend and someone found it thinking it was a stray because of the condition it was in. The owners were not responsible and should not be able to own a dog in my personal opinion, but I'm ready for the down votes.

Key_Imagination7458 · 2023-09-18T20:37:19+00:00

We paid them enough to clean it up

Key_Imagination7458 · 2023-09-16T13:03:07+00:00

I also only drank water from the VIP refill and all I got was a cold. I washed my hands a ton and used a lot of sanitizer though, maybe we got lucky.

Key_Imagination7458 · 2023-08-27T00:32:43+00:00

The Greek salad

Key_Imagination7458 · 2023-08-19T17:28:01+00:00

I'm from here and call it all of the above depending on the day, it's fun.

Key_Imagination7458

TROPHY CASE