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Welcome!! I'm so glad you found us when you did! Yes, the idea of having a baby that is labeled as "different" is SO scary, but relax. She's not going to be as different as you may think right now. She'll have your husband wrapped around her little finger so tightly, he'll wonder how he ever made it without her. If you get bad news on the heart, don't let that ruin the rest of your pregnancy. A HUGE percentage of us have been down the route of open-heart surgery, and while horrifying at the time, it's just another turned page now. You can do this, I haven't a doubt. As far as questions:
1. Even if you don't see any heart problems right now, is there a chance she still will have them?? (the answer may very well be yes, so be prepared) If there are problems, what will be the course of care at birth??
2. Does the hospital where I will deliver have a NICU?? Dow we need to plan on delivering in a more capable hospital? Many times our little ones will have a wee bit of trouble right in the beginning, with breathing, etc., especially if there are heart problems. My son's APGAR's were 9...and only an hour or so later he couldn't breath properly. He had to be transported to a more capable hospital an hour away.
3. Can you give me information on Early Intervention and contact information so I can go ahead and figure this all out? Will the hospital have a social worker on staff??
My best advice if you plan to breast feed is to go ahead and get the best pump you can find, or ask the hospital if they will have one that you can rent. Your daughter may very well be able to breast feed but many of our children have problems with it when they are very young as they tire so easily.
And some may disagree, but I say stay away from most books and such. Try not to overload yourself right now. A lot of this info. can be terribly discouraging and a lot of that discouragement is unfounded. While you are still at the point where you can't love and cuddle your baby, too much info can cause you to think of the baby as a diagnosis, rather than your precious new daughter. Keep buying her the adoreable pink and yellow dresses, and green, green is lovely on the darker skin tones (i'm very jealous), and doll her nursery up like none other. Imagine that precious little angel as she really will be instead of what some books will inadvertantly cause you to imagine.
Keep your head up and be proud.
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Kelley, Robby's wife
mom of Daulton, the Mayor (10-07-98) and Drake, my treasure on loan from God (4-19-04) DS
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03-24-2006 11:00 AM
