New Years Eve 2014. At 7.00am I was woken with a popping feeling, which just so happened to be my water breaking.
I had been told by MFM that if my water broke at home, I had to get to the hospital fast. As there was a risk of cord prolapse due to having polyhydramnios. Polyhydramnios is too much amniotic fluid. The MFM team were concerned that there could be an issue with J's gastrointestinal tract so were planning on checking that as soon as he was born.
I walked into the hospital with a towel between my legs, so it was pretty bloody convincing that my water had definitely broken! 😂 Contractions started not long after we arrived to the hospital. The birth itself was probably the easiest part of the journey so far, because the emotional roller coaster up to that point was 💩.
I had an epidural and J entered the world at 10.20pm. He was taken away and his Apgar score was completed, as well as his ability to swallow which were all clear. Thank goodness!
We were in hospital for 4 days trying to learn the ropes with our firstborn. During that time, he was not feeding well and was borderline jaundiced. He would fall asleep at the boob and not attach at all. I was expressing to get my milk to come in and they let us go home while we were trying to top him up with formula feeds. He just wouldn't take them though.
After less than 24 hours at home, I lost it. Something didn't feel right. We went to our GP who confirmed that he was dehydrated. He had barely taken anything since we had been home. J was also jaundiced and totally exhausted. Two of my stitches from my episiotomy had also bust so I needed to return to the maternal assessment area. This was not the homecoming we had hoped for. Me going to one hospital and Hubby taking our newborn to another. I hate to think of how many still pregnant Mums I completely freaked out when I was in the maternal assessment area, without my newborn, bawling my eyes out. Then being wheeled over to the Childrens Hospital clutching bottles of expressed milk. Ah, memories. 🙈
A whole host of tests were ordered. J needed an IV, catheter, nasal gastric tube and a lumbar puncture. I will never forget Hubby going to get antibiotics for me, the Doctors telling me they were going to put the NG tube in so did I want to go make myself a cup of tea. I agreed because I didn't want to see my already distressed baby, even more distressed. I came back and J wasn't in his bed, he was gone. I honestly had the thought "Holy crap, I've already lost the baby. Hubby is going to kill me". Turns out the nurses had him in the nurses station, giving him lots of cuddles. It isn't often they'd get a baby that fresh in the ED so they were loving on him. Which, in hindsight, is hugely comforting.
He was put on powerful antibiotics while we waited for the bug to show itself. It turns out he had a urinary tract infection. He was also put on a light blanket for the jaundice. Whatever he didn't manage to take by bottle was given via the NG tube and we saw a huge improvement. By night 3 in the hospital, I lost the plot again, so Hubby stayed with J for 2 nights while I went home to get some sleep. Waking up though after that solid night's sleep had me looking like Dolly Parton. 🐄
I made the decision to stop expressing and go to formula, everyone was so supportive of this which I appreciated so very much. I was already beating myself up about it enough as it was. The very first 80mL bottle that he finished, I kept. I was so proud! After a week in the children's hospital, we attempted our homecoming again.
A few days later, I wasn't happy with his feeding though so we went to ED for some help. He sounded like he was drowning whenever he would drink. Not to mention that his mouth, being midline, was a struggle for him to "work out". They suggested thickener which helped, but then caused constipation. Which is a story for another time.
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