One day old

I still can't believe she is here! Wow! Stuart and I are now the proud parents of three children! Maple was admitted to the NICU after observation last night. I am more scared than I remember with Oscar and Bailee. I think we know what we are in for this time and we are in very unfamiliar surroundings.

Maple Violet is the sweetest thing. I loved her unconditionally from the moment I first felt her on my chest. I will never forget that moment, it was like time froze and it was just me and her. She would have been a big baby if I went full term weighing it at 6lb, 7oz at 35+5 weeks! Although plump, she still seems so tiny, I cannot imagine Oscar and Bailee being considerably smaller.

Maple has thick, curly, dark brown hair. I went in to visit her after giving birth yesterday afternoon and through the night. I am expressing every 3-4 hours to ensure I produce establish a good milk supply for her. She is nil by mouth due to her immature lungs and breathing problems. She is in an incubator and hooked up to wires to monitor her breathing.

Maple violet on the CPAP breathing machine (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). Oscar and Bailee needed this too. You can see her chest contracting very deeply, she has respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). The reason behind this the consultant told me, is one or a combination of two things:

1. An infection of the lungs
2. Low surfactant, lining the airspace of the lungs (Common in premature babies)

We got her bloods back and thank god it is not an infection.

I am quite surprised our little girl is having these breathing issues. We thought I was past the 'safe' point in my pregnancy and that even if we were to have an early baby, it would not need a VIP suite in the Special Care Baby Unit.

I just want to cuddle her and hold her. We are feeling optimistic, it is just quite startling seeing her chest concave so deeply, to hear her raspy, gurgly breathing and to be in this situation again.

Everyone wants to know what is going on but I have a new phone that I don't know how to text on. I am really looking forward to Stuart coming to visit today so we can oogle over our beautiful new baby girl together. Obviously, we need to make sure someone is there for the twins, so we are thankful that Becky came late last night spur of the moment :-)

I cannot wait for Maple to be strong enough for us to take her home to meet her big brother and sister. I know Oscar and Bailee will love her to bits! They told me she will be home close to her due date. I am taking that with a grain of salt, however, as that seems to be the thing they say to all parents with babies in SCBU..... she is going to come home much sooner!