Perfection...at just 25 weeks

Our little miracle...Lily Grace

Lily Grace Trzeciak, the most beautiful human being I have ever seen. Proof that the best things in life come in the smallest of packages.

Turns out my cervix had other ideas and Lily could not wait a moment longer. At exactly 25 weeks she decided to enter the world in a birthing suite at Monash Hospital. Mr T and I had celebrated another week the night before with a hospital burger and chips…the next morning at about 7am, I called Mr T to tell him he had to come back…quick!

A group of at least half a dozen midwives wheeled me quickly down the corridors to the birthing suites as they were concerned little Lily might make a very quick appearance once labour began.

They suspect that I also had some type of infection in my membranes which caused the cervix to begin shortening initially, and a fever I developed throughout labour combined with increasing heart rate in Baby T seemed to confirm this. Baby T also presented with an infection after birth, which they treat with antibiotics, but further supports the infection hypothesis. They test the placenta of anyone who gives birth before 28 weeks, but we may never know why Baby T had to come so early.

I won’t give you any blow by blow details of the labour, nobody need that! I will say though, she didn’t come quickly, and I took a full 12 hours to deliver our little precious. Mr T was of course amazing, and decided that regardless of Lily’s gestation, I deserved to have a labour that was no different to any other, and made it a wonderful experience, joyful and full of love. Not bragging either, (I know she was small) but the midwife said Mr T and I made a great team and should teach antenatal classes….

We had not really had time to prepare for birth or the fact that we would be a Mummy and Daddy quite so soon. We'd missed antenatal classes, physio classes, Beer and Bubs for Jerry...

Four nights following Lily’s arrival it was time to go home…without her. It’s hard to feel like a parent when your baby girl is still in the hospital. After nine days in hospital though, I was happy to be returning home to my own bed, my own food, my husband and my puppy dog. I had been craving the return to some sort of routine or normality for a while. While we had shifted from one unknown to the other, the second half of our journey which lies ahead will hopefully become easier each and every day Lily spends in the NICU growing bigger and stronger, day by day. 

The NICU team are amazing and with nine separate bays, there are about 100 other babies in the NICU and Special Care Nursery with Lily. It is like walking into a space station, with mini babies growing in rocket ships that whir and hum and move as nurses tend to the babies 24 hours a day. Mr T and I have learnt a lot about all the new words and medical things they are doing to keep Lily safe. They go out of their way to help you bond and feel like the Mummy and Daddy. They have let us change her mini nappy, take her temperature, and taught us how to comfort her in a way that mimics the womb. They have given us special cuddle me cloths to sleep with at home and then place in her bed to keep our smell with her. They also feed her tiny amounts of my milk already, and we read stories and hum to her.

Lily has nearly completed her first week in the NICU, and is doing as the doctors ask of her. She has had many medical procedures already including brain scans, xrays, IV drips inserted, a blood transfusion, platelet transfusion, antibotics….etc….She is doing well with her oxygen and most days lately has been breathing normal room oxygen levels (about 21%). We are amazed everyday by her strength, determination and power. We are already so proud of our little girl and how remarkable she is- it is a true miracle!

It has taken us a few days to feel comfortable to share pictures of our darling. i have had mixed emotions over celebrating her arrival, but have realised i should feel proud of our little girl, and she deserves to be celebrated and shared with you all. The first few days were really hard, with lots of tears for our little girl, I have been quite emotional for the last five weeks and have struggled a little this week with feelings of guilt for not being able to complete a full pregnancy, or give Lily a more stable start to life. 

The actual experience, despite distressing at times has been a positive one. We have met so many people over the last few weeks who have shown genuine care, concern and passion for their jobs. It has restored my faith and belief that there are lots of good people in the world. It is not possible to show an amount of gratitude, thanks or appreciation for the generosity and kindness we have been given by complete strangers…that’s not even including the huge support network we have from our beautiful family and friends, who have rallied around us to make us feel loved!