Our baby was 3 weeks early, couldn' t send this msg earlier as we were too busy.

On Jan 21st,2008 Morning around 6.50 am I was having slight back pain, so wasn' t serious, got up burshed my teeth, around 7.05 it got more severe, so woke up my husband and asked him to clear the driveway just in case it go more bad. By 7.30, it was getting bad, so called the Dr office they told me to come to hospital. So we started around 8.10 am and by the time they let me get into hospital dress and after few questions checked at 9 am, i was 6 cm dilated and when they checked my water broke, and it was gushing for 10 min or so and keep tripping. Ofcourse I was going mad with my pain and asked them for epidural. The pain got worse and i got epidural around 10.30 am, what a relief. Then the contractions slowed down and was 10 min apart, initially it was 1 min apart. Around 12.45 they asked me to push, 2 of the nurses came and helped rotate the baby' s head and tried to mount him. I wasn' t really expecting normal delivery as it was C section first time, even my husband keep telling if u are tired, let' s go with C section as I had 24 hr labour plus c section for first son. I was trying with help of nurse, and finally he almost came out, Dr was there and within another push his came out at 3.14 pm. He was 6lbs and 15 Oz and 20.5 inches tall. We named him SWARAN!

He was with me in the room, and I could nurse him within an hour around 4.15 pm, he was doing pretty good, when they checked his glucose level, as I had Gestational Diabetes, his sugar was 20,should be 50 and above. So they took him to NICU immediately to start the IV. Later they came and told he seems to fight with some infection so started antibiotics. In another 1 hour they said he is not able to maintain his temperature. So I had to pump colostrum and give it to him, I wasn' t able to walk so went in wheel chair to see him in the NICU,it was so bad with so many tubes and wires connected to him.

Next day morning they said, he has some heart murmur, later they said his lower body has less pulse,(one of our friend' s son had this and ended up in open heart surgery on third day), we were shocked and heart broken. They took ECG and results were sent to DSM for specialist, we didnt receive anything till 5pm, so the nurse were convincing us that if something wrong they
will call immediately so hope for best. We were praying the whole night, I went to my tubal surgery in morning, by the time I came back around 12 noon, the news was good, that ECG was normal. Still he was having tough time regulating his glucose and temp, so he was kept extra day in NICU and sent home on 24th evening. My elder son and MIl came to hospital, so we all went home.

By then he had jaundice, so have to take him to hospital on 25th, 26th to poke his little feet and take blood test, and wait for result and see pediatriation, almost half day in hospital made us even more scary as it is place where u don' t want to sit longer with a new born. His Billi was getting higher 16.9 and no sign of reducing. So we were asked to come again on Monday 28th for the same routine, by then he was 16.7, so they were not sure it is good enough, so we went again on 30th to check and it was 15.8 by then. So we know it is coming down, but he wasn' t gaining wt at all, he came to 6lbs and 6 oz. Luckily by 14th day appt he was at birth wt again.

That week my elder one developed bad cold/cough/vomitting, so we have to keep them away, myself and little one almost
quarantied in bedroom, elder one was with his dad, it was so tough to do that. On Feb 10th, we went to temple to naming ceremony and pray for his long life, by the evening he started coughing and we know something brewing. Yes, he got cold and suffering so badly, so took him to Dr on 11th, Dr said if it gets worse bring him, it was getting worse not worse enough to take him to dr, on the other words, nothing can Dr do to make him feel better from cold/cough/congestion. We have to put humidifer, vicks steam, nasal aspirator and steam in bathroom, all sorts to make him feel better, tough week it was. By Fri he got little better, but sat morning I saw lot of discharge on his left eye, so called Dr, they said bring him. So took him Feb 16th to Dr, he was given ointment for his eyes. By Feb 17th, he got diaper Rash, and we have to keep him out of diaper for 2 days, still kind of recovering, have to call and see Dr today to make sure he is ok or take him to Dr.

All this is worse, to make it more tough for us, the weather here in IA this year was so bad with every other day snow and wind chill going -20 - 30, we were so scared every time we take him to dr appt, he could make it or not even with warming up the van for 20 min or more. Overall 25 days seemed like 25 yrs for us to help him get through all the illness.
He hasn' t gained much wt yet, just 7 lbs and 10 Oz now which is way less for almost a month old baby, hope things get better soon.


Elder was doing lot of tantrum in the inital week, now he is perfectly fine as long as we let him sit near the baby, we were avoiding that as one or other is ill, but I guess we got no choice it will make things worse. He really loves the baby and so proud that he is big brother. ck replied. Congrats on the arrival of ur little prince. It is so painful to even read thro what u r going thro. I wish u n ur family get lot of mental strength to sail thro the tough time. This bad time shall pass soon just take one day at a time. Swaran is going to be very special n adorable that u' ll forget this bad time. Its a wonderful name just enjoy him. Best wishes. Ck. rc replied. after reading all ,i can only pray that may god bless ur baby with healthy and happy life.