In early September, I received a call from a client of mine who was due mid-October. She was on her way to the hospital because she thought her bag of waters had broken. We talked for a short time on the phone and then kept each other informed over the next few days. It turns out her water did break (for an unknown reason), but they wanted to keep her without inducing her so she could hit the 34 week mark before having her baby. We emailed back and forth and had a few phone conversations throwing around ideas for her options in such circumstances. The induction took a long time and was a rather difficult process as her body wasn't yet prepared to undergo labor, but after only four or five pushes (!), their little boy was born at 4lb 3oz. The most amazing part - he was breathing completely on his own! He stayed in the NICU for a short time but was amazingly strong and only needed help with eating as his suck/swallow reflex had not developed at the time. Now he is even stronger at 7lb - living life at home with his parents and breastfeeding well.
I am amazed at this story for so many reasons. First of all, my clients were both incredibly calm and accepting throughout the entire experience, taking each piece of the process as it came to them and making the best of it. To have a baby six weeks early must be difficult for so many reasons, but they simply opened their arms with excitement and said, "Here we go!" To think that such a tiny babe could breathe on his own also fills me with admiration - at a baby's abilities, at a woman's body... And now to see his growth and his progress makes me really happy and contributes to my belief in the benefits of breastmilk. I am also thankful that we live in a place where this babe could get the help he needed, even if it was only a bit of assistance. Many babies need more help than this, and we are very lucky to have access to some exceptional care.
Here's to happy endings...
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