A Little Premature

As Ashlyn turns three months old, I am trying to remember her first hours and first days in this world. My Labor and Delivery story and five day stay in the hospital can be read below, but this post is about Ashlyn's surprise entrance, almost five weeks early.

Due to severe preeclampsia, the doctors decided to induce me but before this could be done, an ultrasound had to be performed to check on the baby's lungs. Praise the Lord, everything looked great with the baby; however, there are always some unforeseen events that could occur with the baby after delivery, so a NICU team was present, just in case. Again, another praise, that Ashlyn looked and sounded great after she was born, her lungs were developed, her breathing was great, and she didn't have any trouble eating. Ashlyn weighed 4lbs 15 ounces but was holding her own. She didn't have to go to the NICU, another praise.

Ashlyn is considered to be what is called a "late-term preemie," but one thing to watch for with preemies is their body temperature. The babies have to regulate and maintain their body temperature without any help from the warmers, so the nurses wrapped the Ashlyn in at least four blankets, they put three hats on her head, a shirt on her as well as a shirt upside down to be used as pants. Ashlyn needed to have a temperature of 98 degrees for 4 hours straight before she could have a bath. She had a little trouble doing this, so it took a while before she could have her first bath.

Wrapped up like a burrito

Upside down shirt as pants (you can kind of see it in this pic)

Ashlyn was doing great so she was able to come home with us! She was almost 4 1/2 pounds so in order for her to leave, the nurses had to perform a car seat test. Ashlyn had to sit in her car seat for 40 minutes with different monitors hooked to her to check her breathing and oxygen levels. She passed!

Here is a pic of Ashlyn during the car seat test.

Now, three months later, Ashlyn continues to do well. She is gaining weight and eats well. She weighs 8 pounds 3 ounces now (some newborns are this size, hehe). I know there will be some developmental delays, she might possibly lag behind on some benchmarks by about a month. She is JUST starting to smile a little, which is WAY different than the other girls who started smiling at six weeks old. She is a little fighter though. Other than a few delays, it doesn't look like there will be any long term affects due to Ashlyn's early arrival. Yet, another praise!