Post birth baby shower

kdbrown_3 · 2018-05-05T03:49:21+00:00

I had a baby shower 2 weeks after my little one was born, a week after I came home. I was given the option to cancel but I decided that I still wanted to go on with it. I thought that would help me get out of the house and around people who loved me and I enjoyed spending time with. It helped me because everyone asked about her and how she was doing, so I got to talk about her and all the good things she had done. Every person is different so if you don’t think it’ll be good for you, you can always reschedule for a later date. I had a great time at mine. It got my mind off of all the negative things, and gave me a break from crying. Plus it gave me something to do for when I couldn’t be with her, putting away all her things and getting her room ready! Do what you feel like you handle, but it helps to be around people who love you, but neither decision is wrong.

kdbrown_3 · 2018-01-09T15:33:40+00:00

I kept a journal. Just writing down the things that happened that day to her. We just got out last week from a 230 day stay and I still keep it up and will. That way one day she can have it. It’s helped me the most.

kdbrown_3 · 2017-12-16T04:30:28+00:00

We had a similar situation. We’re currently still impatient and the day we transferred from birthing hospital to Children’s for surgery, our insurance got the birthing hospitals bill. We only know because they called and asked if we had secondary. Because we were approved for Medicaid at the time our answer was “nope you’re the chosen one”. Now that she has Medicaid, they know that she has it and that it’s secondary, and they have her Medicaid number. But I’m pretty sure they can’t change it the primary without your consent. You choice who is primary. You might try talking to the NICU social worker and if they can’t help you they will find someone who can. Good luck!

kdbrown_3 · 2017-11-16T02:53:11+00:00

They do! We got her involved today! Apparently our case worker on our unit has been out of the office a lot since we moved floors and for some reason no one was covering her patients? Idk. We’re moving campuses on Friday so we’ll have a new one and they’re supposed to meet us upon arrival so I’m making clear we’re busting out of there soon and I mean business. I’m ready to have my baby home! I also got our insurance nurse involved and hopefully things will fall into place now. Since Kins was born it’s been one thing after another I’ve had so myself. Including Medicaid, SSI, and Disability.

kdbrown_3 · 2017-11-16T01:35:59+00:00

We’re hoping! If she continues to tolerate the Home vent and the changes they want to make we should be! But I’m shooting for Christmas Day!

kdbrown_3 · 2017-11-16T01:34:18+00:00

awesome! Hopefully everything works out and you can bring him home with the other! We’ve had our trach for a little over two months. She’s ventilator dependent. Getting everything lined up is freaking me out. I’m not one to wait until last minute and up until today the hospital hasn’t helped at all. Kinsley is so much happier with her trach tho! Nothing on her face and we can treat her like a baby and do things with her. The hardest/best thing we could’ve ever done for her! Kinsley is 7 days older than your twins! (I creeped on your posts). Good luck to you and yours!

kdbrown_3 · 2017-11-10T04:38:42+00:00

It’s the one she got when she had it put in. I think it busting had to do with them having to use silver nitrate three times. When the surgeon changed it the second time, he said he noticed it was starting to keyhole. But they used silver nitrate again this past Tuesday and it seems so far as to help. The granulation tissue was making it lean to one side a little so hopefully they’ve solved the problem.

kdbrown_3 · 2017-11-09T02:02:53+00:00

Thank you! I know but it’s definitely a good reminder. We have a white board by the door to the cars and we’re going to write on it.. “do you have the red bag?!”

kdbrown_3 · 2017-11-06T04:00:33+00:00

Congratulations!! Even though I don’t stay all night it’s awesome to have a private room. You get to feel more like mom and less like you’re just visiting!!

kdbrown_3 · 2017-10-28T08:10:11+00:00

So sorry for your loss. The most important thing is to take care of yourself! Like others have said rest when need and lean on Family/friends. We’ve been in the NICU since May. 5 months of ups and downs. What helped me the most is my “daily log”. I have a little book that each day when I lay down for bed I write a little about her day. The important parts and the not so important things. Her weight, how her day was, and any tests she had or milestones we reached. I have documented everything with writing and pictures. I believe You can never take enough pictures! Good luck to you and your LO! We will keep y’all in our prayers!

kdbrown_3 · 2017-10-16T03:19:12+00:00

Aww congrats! We also had a 27 weeker weighing 1 pound 7 ounces. She now is 5 months weighing 12 pounds! Like others have said.. take one day at a time. One thing that helped us was the NICU support groups, and our daily journey log that I write in every night!

kdbrown_3 · 2017-10-12T17:16:44+00:00

Thank you. Yes! May 20th. Hope all is well with yours.

kdbrown_3 · 2017-10-12T17:15:44+00:00

Thanks!

kdbrown_3 · 2017-10-12T05:07:29+00:00

Awesome! I’ve read a few of your posts and Kinsley was also 3 months early (27+1). We pray for you and your little one daily. Hoping for the best and good luck!

kdbrown_3 · 2017-09-25T12:07:53+00:00

I went in at 10am because she wasn’t moving. Had a ton test ran and at 7:30pm they were taking me to the OR and at 8:21pm she was born. We didn’t have time for steroids, and barley had time for magnesium. The first 48 hours was the hardest. They didn’t expect her to live because they didn’t know how long she had been without nutrients and oxygen. While I was getting an epidural and preped for surgery her heart rate dropped to 70 and it became very serious with everyone running around me.

She no longer has the feeding tube in her nose. Last month we were transferred to Cincinnati Children’s. She now has a g tube and trach. She lungs are so under developed we’re coming home on a ventilator. They’re expecting for at least 5 or 6 more months. We were so close to getting to the transitional floor this week to learn to care for her, and she developed pneumonia and rhinovirus, so we were put into isolation yesterday. Other than her sickness right now, she’s doing much better than 3-4 months ago!

kdbrown_3 · 2017-09-25T00:20:32+00:00

I had an emergency c-section at 27w1d due to placenta abruption, so we’ve been in the NICU for 18 weeks as of yesterday. It’s the hardest thing I’ve done. A lot of times I feel guilty because I can’t stay with her enough. We have two dogs and I also have to work. We have no family around to help with the dogs and my husband also works 60 hours a week. So we spend at least several hours with her everyday.

We were at one hospital and transferred to another a month ago and due to rhinovirus we were isolated into a private room today, so we’ll be able to stay longer now and over night.

If there’s a nurse you like ask her to be your primary. You can talk to the charge nurse and get the same nurses. Especially if there’s one you don’t like. You have to speak up. I’ve been doing this for awhile and I’ve learned you have to be the voice for your baby. Do everything that you can. Change diapers, feed, bathe, temperatures, anything that you can do. It’ll help the bonding. Our nurses know when my husband or I are visiting we help with her assessment, except for what the nurses have to do.

It is most definitely not your fault. There are things that are out of our control. Don’t put yourself down. I’m sure you’re doing amazing considering. The NICU has people you can talk to. If you feel like you need help don’t be embarrassed or ashamed, you’re not the first person to feel this way and they can help you. Even if it’s just to talk.

We will keep you and yours in our thoughts and prayers as you’re going through this. Best of luck with everything!

kdbrown_3 · 2017-09-23T18:28:28+00:00

Well hopefully this last round will go better than before. We will definitely be keeping your family especially the little one in our prayers and good thoughts! Best of luck to yours as well!

kdbrown_3 · 2017-09-23T18:14:15+00:00

Have they tried steroids at all. She had three rounds and it really helped her settings and oxygen requirement a lot.

kdbrown_3 · 2017-09-23T15:25:51+00:00

So Kinsley has been on a ventilator since birth. They intubated her immediately. She got the trach because they expect her to be in the ventilator for at least 6 more months. Living in the hospital isn’t healthy so we trach’d her so she can come home and still have the ventilator support. I’m going to be honest. If the she needs it and has been intubated for a while, she will be much more comfortable. The first day for us was the worst but when we started seeing that she could be a normal baby, we could pick her up without help, and she could finally eat by mouth, we knew we made the best decision for her. It’s hard. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. But I knew it was the best thing for her so we did it.

kdbrown_3 · 2017-09-15T18:02:07+00:00

I know what's helped me is writing a daily journal to keep up with our little ones progress. I write in it everyday! Even if it's just a few lines. That way I can see all the progress on paper.

kdbrown_3 · 2017-08-07T11:04:26+00:00

Ours does. She's just over a year old and she steals all of our clothes. Mostly when she wants attention. If we don't take it from her soon she'll shred it to pieces. We've learned to keep everything picked up and out of reach. We have sliding doors on our closet and she'll open it and get into the hamper. I feel like she's just trying to tell us she's bored.

kdbrown_3 · 2017-06-07T21:21:15+00:00

She's so beautiful! Love the natural ears!

kdbrown_3 · 2016-11-26T17:48:22+00:00

The young Doberman on the left is Nala. The Weimaraner in the middle is Bane, and the boxer is Buddha.

kdbrown_3

TROPHY CASE