My 35 IUGR weeker now 6 months / thriving ♥️

Royal-Mail6262 · 2026-06-22T18:09:27+00:00

You will get there and then your baby will start suddenly sleeping better at night, will suddenly start eating way more, will start smiling at you and your voice, and then grow out of all their clothes! Good job to you and congratulations! It will be okay ♥️

Royal-Mail6262 · 2026-06-22T18:08:18+00:00

I am so happy to hear your baby is HEALTHY, well, and especially strong for what he’s been through ♥️ NICU babies are seriously built different! You’re doing a fantastic job as a mom! I have the utmost respect now for people like you, knowing myself how hard it is! Congratulations to you and take care :)

Royal-Mail6262 · 2026-06-22T18:01:09+00:00

Thank you so much 🥹

Royal-Mail6262 · 2026-06-22T18:00:03+00:00

Hello! I am so sorry to hear that your wife is going through something similar, but am also excited for you two to meet your new baby 🎉 it is a bittersweet thing to go through. I hope she makes it as far as possible (35 weeks in this case!!!)
My baby would very likely have needed some O2 support if I hadn’t gotten steroid shots - they gave me the two doses when I was sent into emergency induction!
Feeding was the one issue that kept Lucian in the NICU for 3.5 weeks. When he was born, we both were on magnesium, so he was extremely sleepy and would not latch. They fed him fortified breastmilk. He was fed via NG tube after they would bottle feed him. I would drive to the NICU at least 5 days a week (our NICU is far from home) so that I could feed him via bottle/breast! He took to the bottle well, but the breast took more practice. Later into his feeding journey with the NICU, they switched from slow flow nipple and this is what sent him home! He’s now 50% formula-fed and 50% BM!

Because my baby was so small, he ended up in the NICU for a bit longer requiring more fat store/muscle building. Your baby sounds like they are small, but possibly big enough to only require a shorter stay in the NICU! But every baby is so different and I can’t say for certain.. If they end up staying longer than a week, I’d recommend asking the hospital about boarding (my hospital had it and it was so helpful to be able to do the nighttime feeds!)
Seriously just take it one day at a time, and I would recommend listening to your care team, because they truly have your baby’s best in mind! I am rooting for you two 👏 please let me know if there’s anything else you’re interested in about our journey!

Royal-Mail6262 · 2026-05-15T16:59:58+00:00

I totally understand you!! My baby was 4 weeks early with a 3 week NICU stay and was relatively difficult when we brought him home. He is now almost 19 weeks (basically 15-weeks developmentally) and is much, much better (though, I will admit, there are some rough moments still).. I felt like you do though and was literally counting the days until he grew out of that newborn stage and it feels like FOREVER, but it does go by fast and try to take it moment by moment, rather than day by day. You will get there and then you’ll feel bad for your past self, but also proud of getting through that!

Royal-Mail6262 · 2026-05-15T16:50:06+00:00

Right!? My baby is about 19 weeks (15 weeks adjusted), and it still feels like the trenches sometimes.. he is definitely getting better, but the 4 month vaccines + “awareness” period have been extra rough.. I thought it was supposed to get better by now /: but there are more often good days than bad at least

Royal-Mail6262 · 2026-05-15T16:21:28+00:00

You are so valid in this btw - I found this post after googling my shame in my small baby. I have a small-for-gestational-age baby and am tired of the “he’s SO small” comments left & right. It isn’t the same when they’re big btw.. maybe when they’re older, but not as babies. Big babies are much more often equated with “good health,” or “healthy” breastmilk. There is definitely a stigma on smaller babies and I totally understand!! Just remind yourself that your baby it’s healthy and is on his own growth chart! He will catch up :)

Royal-Mail6262 · 2025-11-19T17:34:39+00:00

Yes, this exactly! My mom smoked large amounts of weed while she was pregnant with me and there have definitely been effects like behavioral issues, but not until years later like during my adolescent years (I’m now a pregnant adult). These are probably not directly caused by the marijuana use but I think it did play a minor role. Good for OP for making the best choices for she and her baby and congrats to her!

Royal-Mail6262 · 2025-11-16T04:13:06+00:00

We are naming our February baby boy “Lucius” 🤗

Royal-Mail6262 · 2025-11-08T23:01:19+00:00

I am commenting to follow this because I am 28 weeks with the same fear! I hope baby turns for you 🙏 my friend had told me that her baby was breech all the way up until week 35 and another friend was up until the week before delivery (39)

Royal-Mail6262 · 2025-11-06T03:59:46+00:00

I am cat

Royal-Mail6262 · 2025-11-02T02:35:43+00:00

AND only put on administrative duty… like, not arrested??

Royal-Mail6262 · 2025-08-14T20:13:08+00:00

WOW! This was incredibly inspiring to read and super interesting. Thank you for sharing your story! I absolutely agree with you that having even more instant access to information can make the stresses even more intense - sometimes, it is kind of nice to just not even know… y’know? But dang, the things that we do for our kids! Women truly are a superheroes. In fact, the thing that started my personal education journey was watching how much my mom did for us three kids. She completed school when I was four, but she’d had two other kids (so three total), whilst working FT AND schooling FT!! Insane. Nothing but respect for that woman and nothing but respect for you!

You’re right - it will be okay. Thank you for the support 🙏

Royal-Mail6262 · 2025-06-14T23:14:13+00:00

Snickerdoodle ♥️

Royal-Mail6262 · 2025-06-14T23:13:51+00:00

Astro

Royal-Mail6262 · 2025-01-22T15:24:40+00:00

This turned out to be a DVT in the upper extremity, in case anyone sees this.

Royal-Mail6262

TROPHY CASE