As told by mum, Haylee
My partner and I were nervous but so excited to be pregnant with what would be our 4th child between us. Having 3 boys already we were convinced that we would be blessed with another boy. You can imagine the excitement when we found out we were expecting a wee girl.
Sunday morning, 3rd November I said goodbye to my partner as he went off to work in Auckland (5 hours away). It was just my son and I at home and I’d felt a bit off all morning so decided to have a nap. I woke 3 hours later to pain and some bleeding. My midwife was away so I contacted the on-call midwife who advised to go to Maternity and they’d be expecting me.
I dropped my son at my mums and headed to the hospital alone, where I was quickly hooked up to the monitors. It was confirmed that I was in preterm labour and the doctors suggested my partner get home from Auckland ASAP. I was given the first steroid injection to help develop babies lungs and some other medication to try stop labour. My partner arrived at 11pm where the medication had seemed to ease the contractions somewhat. Monday morning I was given the second steroid injection and told that if labour continues now then it won’t be stopped. By mid day Monday my waters had broken and I was started on antibiotics however nothing else eventuated Monday night and into Tuesday afternoon. Tuesday night there was talks of me going home on Wednesday but to be monitored for the remainder of my pregnancy and an induction at 37 weeks.
Wednesday 06.11.24 I woke feeling pretty good, was having breakfast and even talking about going home with my partner. About lunch time the Drs and midwifes came in and did my obs and a bedside scan. The Dr decided I wouldn’t be going home as my amniotic fluid was very low but my obs were perfectly normal. By 12.40pm I told my partner I felt extremely unwell and not right at all. He called the buzzer and the midwife took my obs. I had a high temp, low blood pressure and high heart rate. The Dr came in and said it was suspected that I was getting chorioamnionitis (sepsis) and because of this I would be having going to theatre NOW and I’d be put under general anesthetic meaning my partner could not come in with me. At 1.20pm I was wheeled to theatre and by 1.34pm our baby girl Pippa Mae was born weighing 1960gm and 42cm long.
My mum and partner were outside waiting to follow Pippa into SCBU while I was in recovery. I was wheeled into SCBU on the hospital bed at 4pm to have my first cuddle of our baby girl. It was so hard seeing our baby girl hooked up to all the machines but we knew she had the best care. She was so tiny that even the little preemie size nappies were big on her.
Pippa was placed on CPAP but was off this within 5 days and from there progressed in leaps and bounds, she was sucking a bottle at 33w 3 days and loved to pull her feeding tube out. When Pippa was put into an open bassinet even preemie clothes were too big on her.
Leaving the hospital without your baby would have to be the most unnatural feeling on earth. It is so hard to balance life outside of the hospital and also wanting to be at the hospital with your baby 24/7.
We were told to expect to be in SCBU until up until due date 31.12.24 but our determined baby girl was home after 23 days on 29.11.24. We are forever grateful to the amazing team at Hastings Hospital.
Pippa is now 11 weeks old, weighs 4.3kg and is 54cm long. She is in size 0-3 months clothes and size 2 nappies.
Thanks so much for sharing your personal story
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