All the best T&R, you are such a beautiful couple, inside and out. Lil Max will be home soon and normalcy will begin.

Just wondering, Sarah, do you know if Trista is breastfeeding?

Sarah’s note: Taking him out hiking. And no, we don’t know if she’s nursing. She had been rooming in with him though.

My second daughter was born at just barely 37 weeks, 7lbs 5 oz. She was about to be discharged when we (because of our medical background) forced the nurses to measure her oxygen levels…she just didn’t look or sound right to me. Anyway, her sats were at like 70%…and she was sent to the NICU. She underwent a battery of tests and they found she had a collapsed lung. She stayed in the NICU for 5 days with an oxygen helmet on her head(to help heal the hole in her lung), and a nasogastric tube feeding her. She couldn’t be picked up because her oxygen level would drop so much she’d pretty much pass out. It was very scary. I told my husband that I walked into the hospital with her and I wasn’t leaving without her, whether I had to sit there 24 hours a day or not. Anyway, the day before Mother’s Day I was allowed to bring her home, and after a month and a half of trying to train her to the breast, we were finally on track. It was an exhausting, very stressful time. I have major empathy for anyone who has to go through it. I was so stressed that despite pumping constantly in the hospital, my milk didn’t come in until after she was home and things were back to normal. My heart goes out to anyone who has to do the NICU!

I want to tell everyone about the great websites I found for baby birth announcements. These sites,

http://www.cardspersonalized.com
http://www.cardsshoppe.com
http://www.express-invitations.com

have all kinds of baby birth announcements, and have their announcements cards divided into categories. This makes it easy to find the type baby cards I was looking for. Plus they have lots of wording ideas, verses and sayings to help you.

The thing I liked most about these sites is that I was able to find the image I wanted, then add my personalized message using the ink color, typestyle and fonts I wanted, and then instantly preview my new card. WOW, was that cool!! They also printed and shipped my order the same day I ordered. I could not find any other place on the internet who did that. They are GREAT!!

My son was full-term, 8 lbs, 1 oz. He was in NICU with pneumonnia. I never left his side. I sat in a hard wooden rocking chair for days, without sleep or food. Because I was discharged I didn’t get medical care and my episiotomy became infected. I just wasn’t thinking about myself at all. But there was just no way I would leave his side at that point, and fortunately, I didn’t have other children who needed care. I really feel for women who don’t have the option to stay. But I hope that those who do have some support.

Jory- I hear what you are saying and I hope your 29 weeker is doing great. My triplets were 28 weekers and spent 10 WEEKS in the hospital on the vent for weeks, surgeries, tons of transfusions. Not taking your baby home is so difficult. I hope all went well for you. Our guys pulled through and are doing great. Congrats to all the new moms who can’t take their babies home right away….you are all in our thoughts and they will be home before you know it:)

I as well had a daughter in the NICU (born at 29 wks) it is an extremely hard and emotional time. My thoughts go out to Trista and Ryan. Good Luck!! And Congratulations on your new “wee” one!!

My thoughts go out to Ryan and Trista!

My son was born at 34 weeks because I developed Pre-eclampsia, and when I left the hospital he had to stay for another week. It was so hard to leave him there because I had been able to touch him and talk to him for 7 and a half months. It makes it even more difficult when you have to ask someone to drive you to the hospital just so you can see your child once a day. Most people don’t understand the heartache a mother goes through during a time like this.

It sounds like he and his parents are doing well though, and I’m sure Max will be a completely healthy little boy!

My son was born at 36 weeks also.. At first he was not in the NICU but I caught the flu.. At time of birth he was only 5 pounds… But when we were released i had the flu so he ended up getting RSV and at 11 days old ended up being in the NICU for 17 days….. It’s true people everyday take their healthy babies for granted…My son was on a ventilator for 6 days not able to even breath by himself. So, I just want everybody who reads this to know if they walk out of the hospital carrying their baby with no problem they are very lucky… And, if anybody is wondering, my son is a healthy 2 1/2 year old.

Also don’t forget that the baby was born in Vail at a very high altitude. This could also be a reason for a smaller baby to stay in the NICU because of oxygen reasons

Sarah’s note: True! We only posted what Ryan’s mom had mentioned.

Thank you for your comment Michelle. I don’t think all of us realized, at least I didn’t, that a “big enough” baby might need to go to NICU too. Thank you for the enlightenment!