A Premature Delivery testimony...
I was so ill and had to be monitored so closely that he was three days old before I got to see him. Then I was only able to touch him. I didn't get to hold him until he was 11 days old. We had to wait because there was an IV in his head. We were told that if it got pulled out, he could bleed to death. I remember coming home from church and calling the hospital. They said they had taken the IV out of his head! I asked when we could hold him and they said the next time we were up there! Well, we dropped everything and went to hold our baby boy. It was such an awesome feeling.
They use a technique called Kangaroo Care. Both parents are encouraged to use it. I was asked to wear a button down shirt. They had me unbutton my shirt about half way down. Then they placed the baby skin to skin on my chest. Kangaroo Care helped me bond with my baby and gain back what I had missed. Most mothers get to hold their baby immediately after delivery and begin bonding. It's very hard to see the baby lying in the incubator and not be able to pick him up.
The worst part was going home and having to leave the baby behind. The hospital staff was very kind. They allowed us to call the NICU anytime we wanted to check on the baby. I would get up in the middle of the night to pump, and I would call and check on him.
Due to all the medication in my system, I had to dump out the milk after it was pumped. The "pump and dump" was just to keep my milk flowing until I got off the medication. We had hoped that I would be off the medication soon and would be able to give Colton the breast milk. This wasn't the case. I felt helpless knowing that my milk could help my baby grow stronger, but he couldn't have it. He had to be fed with a feeding tube.
My advice to other mothers going through this is to pray, keep family close, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Also, check with the hospital for support groups. My husband and I attended a support group of other parents of preemies. It helps to talk to someone who has been through it.
This happened nearly six years ago. Colton will start Kindergarten in August. To look at him now, you would never know he started out so tiny. Just remember, there is always hope!