Molly-Rose,

our true little miracle

 (story by Shus, Mollys mum)

Molly-Rose was born on the 5^th February 2003 at 25 weeks (3 months early). 

We started IVF in August 2002, keeping a very positive and open mind as we knew it could possibly be a long road.  We took the normal course of drugs and then came the big day, they put two little embryos back and we all prayed hard for a positive result.  What happened next caught everyone off guard.  For some unknown reason I had a rare reaction to the drugs and ended up in ICU at Epworth hospital, with severe hyper-stimulation, my right lung had collapsed then my left lung partially collapsed.  My stomach had also started retaining fluid.  Throughout the next 8 weeks in hospital I underwent numerous procedures to drain litres of fluid from my lungs and stomach and had grown so big.  I was told I had a high chance of not keeping the pregnancy.

Finally after 2 mths I was released from hospital and had a wonderful few months, with continuous scans and tests and at every one, bub was still there, growing bigger every day, proving them wrong.  I willed her on with all my strength.  Then at 20 weeks the haemorrhaging started and I ended up in hospital for the remainder of the pregnancy.  Five weeks later at 25 weeks Molly-Rose decided she would join us and at 8.20pm on Wednesday 5^th Feb 2003 she was born weighing 880grams (less then a pound of butter), no bigger then my hand, amidst quite a commotion at Cabrini hospital.  The NETS ambulance arrived very shortly after and she was whisked away to the Royal Women’s Hospital.  My lasting memory of that was seeing this tiny little face peering out from a mass of bubble wrap tucked up inside an incubator.  I followed with my Hubbie driving the car, I don’t think either of us really understood what had just happened, we were in a sort of limbo.  Did I just give birth?

When we arrived at the RWH they took us to the Neonatal Intensive Care ward (NICU), and so began our fast track introduction to a whole different world.  A world of beeps and humming machines, good days and bad.  You soon learnt a good beep from a bad beep.  The NICU became a new home for us, the nursing staff our new family.   It took me 15 mins before I could approach Molly-Rose’s incubator, all I could see at first was a lot of tubes and wires, then somewhere under them all I made out the tiny form of our little baby girl.  My heart broke, what had I done, how could I let this happen, I kept saying sorry over and over again.  It was late and the blue glow from the lights on the baby next to us lit the area we were in.  The next 24hrs were critical for her and we sat by her all night, praying god would let our little girl live and give her the strength to battle this. 

Molly-Rose was in hospital for a total of 117 days (4 months), it was a mixed bag of ups and downs, good days and bad days, days when you couldn’t see that light at the end of the tunnel and days when it was quite clear.  In those fours months we went forward a few steps then back a few steps, then forward again. She had chronic lung disease, which was making it a little difficult for her to get off her breathing machine (CPAP), we had a few attempts then after 43 days it happened.  A wonderful day for us, then came the count down to her coming off oxygen, she’d become an “oxygen junkie”!!.  She caught golden staph twice, the first time she was very ill and we had her christened in the Incubator, the second time it was caught early.  The usual blood transfusions, heel pricks and IVs. She had ROP stage 3(eye disaese) and then developed haemorrhaging behind the right eye, which lasted for weeks, at one stage we were told she might lose her sight in it.  She was a terrible feeder, we would get so far and then end up back on a continuous feed drip, but finally after lots of perseverance from the staff we got the mls up, this meant she was very slow to put on weight, though to this day food is definitely not the centre of Molly-Rose’s world.  I will never forget the first time I got to hold her when she was 2 weeks old, an amazing feeling of love and admiration for this little person filled me.  Every little feature so tiny, except for two big blue eyes that spoke volumes to me. People asked how we coped, I told them that we drew our strength from her each day, as we watched with such admiration as she battled the odds, if she could do this we certainly could.  She was one month corrected when we finally took her home on the 4th June 2003 weighing 2656 grams.  The day we left was one filled with absolute joy, excitement and nerves, we’d always had someone around to guide us, from now on it was just the three of us, a family at last.  We stood at the entrance of the hospital door as we left, took one deep breath of fresh air and walked on into our new life together.

Since leaving we have spent a lot of time back and forth to the Royal Childerns Hospital, she has been back in hospital twice for respiratory issues and ended up back on oxygen for a while at home when she was younger but we did our best to get over each hurdle and move on.  We can never thank enough the staff from the Royal Womens Hospital and the staff at Frances Perry House where she spent time in the special care nursery, without their fantastic work and marvellous support I don’t know how we would have got through.  They are all our angels and we can never thank them enough.  The other prem mums I have made good friends with since leaving have been a great source of strength for me and I thank them all, they are a wonderful group of strong women, who all have amazing stories of their own to tell.  It was these great friendships and encouragement from the RWH that spurred us on to start Lifes Little Treasures (www.lifeslittletreasures.org.au) for parents like us, along with our online support partner

L’il Aussie Prems, we aim to assist as many families as we can.  We don’t want any parent to have to go through this experience alone.

Molly-Rose has grown into a most wonderful little human being, she is very active and social, always eager to discover her surroundings and meet new people, and she is now 6 years old and weighs 14 kilos.  She has just started school & loves it.  To watch her walk around as she busily gets on with her day is a constant source of enjoyment to me; I’m never far from a tear of Joy. 

Shusannah
Vice President
Lifes Little Treasures Inc
“Supporting families of premature babies”
Web: http:// www.lifeslittletreasures.org.au

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 Thank you so much for sharing your amazing story.  What a rollercoaster ride for you and those around you.  Your website is full of great support and news and a must for family and friends looking for ways to support those around them through the journey of the birth of a premature baby.

Warmly

Elizabeth xx

 Have you seen us on facebook? why not follow us!

La Toriana’s Profile
          

At La Toriana we have a passion for kids fashion.

Our labels include, Alimrose, annieB, Lambykins, Fairy Floss Creations, Eternal Creation, Vanchi, TikiBoo Kids, Little Pearls for Little Girls, Tea Princess, Three Little trees, Tummbear, babyjo bamboo baby wear, nest organics, early birds premature baby clothes, teeny weeny premmie baby wear, Oopsidaisi, boxy design, anamalz, Briit design, Bump buddy, cheeky little soles, Sounds for silence, Deshabille, eco peko, fINNIGAN fINN, gertie and me, Hey baby, huggalugs, i candy, lazybones, locolili, miniwhisk, mon tresor, nana huchy, nanny pickle, OOBI baby, penny scallan, Tabitha Emma, Tippie Toes, Princess ratbag, Alannah Rose stationary, Vintage Kid, Wild Things of Noosa and so many more!

We have the best online collection of premmie baby clothing, premature baby gifts and keepsakes too.  We showcase great Australian and New Zealand designers as well as neonatal and NICU appropiate baby clothing as well as organic premmie clothes and accessories.  Checkout our vast range of premmie wear and newborn baby items in our secure online baby boutique.  If you are looking for a baby that has been born prematurely, then you ahve come to the right online store.  La Toriana specialise in providing great quality, stylish and affordable designer leabel products for low weight babies and babies born early.

Word of wisdom from mums of Premature Babies

• I guess I could say try and “normalise” things as much as possible. So cuddle your baby/s as soon as you can and feed them, and bathe them and just love them, even if they feel tiny and fragile and you are scared to touch them in case you hurt them. They need to know you are there for them from the very beginning. L, June 2008

• Record as many details of your journey as possible including photos and a diary. And 2) reach out and make friends with other premmie parents. When you are at the hospital you do not feel like a minority, yet when you get your baby home, you all of a sudden feel very alone and there seems to be no-one else around that understands. M, May 2008

• They have their own time, own target. Each baby is different and only you know your baby so take each comment with a pinch of salt. They are special creatures and give them as much love as you possibly can… S, August 2008

• Take photos everyday while in hospital. While it may not be the happiest time it is amazing to see the difference day to day and is a good way to remind yourself that they are growing. J, April 2008

• Don’t ever feel guilty or blame yourself for your bubs coming early. D, September 2008

• Don’t be scared to ask for help! Accept offers of help and take heaps of photos as they grow up so fast. Cherish every moment, write a diary – I never did and wish I had with both boys. If your hospital offers professional photos get them done, take their foot and hand prints, have a teddy or something for comparison photos. R, February 2008
• Be positive, and take it all one day at a time. J, October 2008
• Don’t compare. Its the hardest thing to stop yourself from doing. But all prems are different, so even the same gestational age babies will have different development graphs. Your baby is unique, so just focus on the positives and don’t compare to what other babies are doing. L, November 2008

• Take lots and lots of photos – and make sure you keep a copy of them somewhere safe. I lost a lot of photos when my computer died and I didn’t have a backup. Also I wish I’d kept a journal, even if it was brief, because all those vivid early memories which I thought I would never forget are starting to dim now that time is passing and so many new memories are being created as Talia grows. K, January 2008

Special thank you to http://www.preminperth.net  who has a wonderful website dedicated to premmie babies

also thank you to:

Quotes published with permission of L’il Aussie Prems. 

Thanks Julia for sharing your photo’s too.  What a wonderful caring and sharing person you are.

 Warmly Elizabeth xx

 Have you seen us on facebook? why not follow us!

La Toriana’s Profile

At La Toriana we have a passion for kids fashion.

Our labels include, Alimrose, annieB, Lambykins, FairyFloss Creations, Eternal Creation, Vanchi, TikiBoo Kids, Little Pearls for Little Girls, Tea Princess, Three Little trees, Tummbear, babyjo bamboo baby wear, nest organics, early birds premature baby clothes, teeny weeny premmie baby wear, Oopsidaisi, boxy design, anamalz, Briit design, Bump buddy, cheeky little soles, Sounds for silence, Deshabille, eco peko, fINNIGAN fINN, gertie and me, Hey baby, huggalugs, i candy, lazybones, locolili, miniwhisk, mon tresor, nana huchy, nanny pickle, OOBI baby, penny scallan, Tabitha Emma, Tippie Toes, Princess ratbag, Alannah Rose stationary, Vintage Kid, Wild Things of Noosa and so many more!

We have the best online collection of premmie baby clothing, premature baby gifts and keepsakes too.  We showcase great Australian and New Zealand designers as well as neonatal and NICU appropriate baby clothing as well as organic premmie clothes and accessories.  Checkout our vast range of premmie wear and newborn baby items in our secure online baby boutique.  If you are looking for a  premmie baby keepsake doll, or organic baby wear for a bub that has been born prematurely, then you have come to the right online store.  La Toriana specialise in providing great quality, stylish and affordable designer label products for low weight babies and babies born early.

Organic Premmie Baby Clothing from Lambykins

Angela owner of Lambykins™ and Elizabeth owner of La Toriana® two country Mums, have been friends for over 20 years. Angela supported Elizabeth through three premature babies, two of whom became angels. Elizabeth vividly remembers the emotional rollercoaster ride and how it was traumatic enough without being able to find clothing made specifically for premmie bubs. She was told by a nurse to go to the toy store and purchase “cabbage patch” dolls clothes or have them specially made.

“It was the last thing I needed: my babies were vulnerable enough without seeing them in dolls clothes or oversized hospital-issued garments. I longed to have some nice clothes for my baby that actually fitted and were suitable for the NICU,” Elizabeth explains.

      Angela from Lambykins and Elizabeth from La Toriana.

Lambykins™ was established in 2004 and is renowned for producing a luxurious range of Australian-made merino blankets and baby clothing. After seeing what Elizabeth went through Angela was inspired to produce not just a gorgeous Organic Premmie Collection but a collection with meaning.

Each garment depicts a unique hand-drawn design and comes with a special poem on its swing tag that offers support and understanding for the parents of precious premmie bubs.

The designs, style, quality and attention to detail portray the core of the Lambykins™ brand. The Organic Premmie Collection of pants, jackets, sleeveless tops, bodysuits, hats and wraps come in 3 attractive ecodyed colours of blue, pink and ecru. The garments are safe to use in the NICU and come in true premmie sizes from 800 grams to 7kg (up to 3 months).

Elizabeth, a volunteer and sponsor of local and national premmie baby groups, donates a % of sales from her Premmie baby category.

La Toriana is fast becoming renowned for quality, stylish and affordable designer collections as well as for providing exceptional customer service.

 

Just released is gorgeous organic cotton `Premmie Nature Range’for precious premmie babies and newborns. Sizes will range from 800 grams to 00 (7kg)  

Contemporary prints beautifully handcrafted on pink, blue and ecru coloured outfits will ensure a special garment for your baby. Prints include leaf, giraffe, butterfly, flower, bird and tree designs.

I have never before seen such gorgeous quality of organic premmie baby wear and I love the designs… and am sure you will too.

Lambykins has researched well, and as such are able to provide quality premmie clothing.  Years before, premmie baby clothing was unheard of and we all were told to buy or make dolls clothes.  “How inappropriate”

now there is choice… and not only that there are affordable designer collections for new born babies and babies born prematurely.

Lambykins understand the need for specialised premmie baby clothing, and clothing that’s eco friendly to allow us to give our babies the best possible chance to their early start in life.  This new collection is great for newborn bubs up to 6 months, but also for small neonatal babies in isolette and cribs and have adapted clothing to suit the needs of specialise equipment in hospital and beyond.

Each garment comes with a heartfelt poem that’s so fitting of the moment and for our so precious premature newborns.  A perfect baby gift.

This collection helps La Toriana premature baby clothing section become one of the largest, stylish and most affordable collection of premmie baby clothing online!

www.LaToriana.com.au

This is Erin, born 14 weeks early, weighing only 428g/15oz. She spent 148 days in the Royal Brisbane and Woman’s Hospital NICU. She’s two weeks old in this photo

Story by Rebecca… mum to Erin 

Her story, my story, OUR story

Two days before the birth of my daughter I went to the hospital for a follow up scan after she measured two weeks small during her morphology ultrasound.

The images were fuzzy, nowhere near as clear as they were two weeks prior; our tech said that this indicated low amniotic fluid. She also said that at 26 weeks gestation our baby was only measuring 23 weeks. So, after a consult with an obstetrician who specialized in “troubled pregnancies”, I was admitted and we were told the worst. Our little girl had only a 10% chance of survival.

After a day spent in the birthing centre I finally had a bed—in the maternity section where I got to listen to all the healthy babies crying while their mothers cooed and cared for them. I cried most of the night. Every time I heard someone’s child stirring I’d think, “My baby is not going to cry”.

Thursday morning our daughter was born via C-section weighing 428g. She surprised the doctors, and the paediatric team decided she was well enough for them to stop and show me her before she was wheeled to the NICU.

During the first couple of weeks I was numb. Visiting the hospital was hard but not as hard as seeing my child attached to all those machines. She was incredibly fragile. More like a baby than I’d expected but not like any baby I’d ever seen before. Her skin was translucent and paper thin. So delicate those even simple, ordinary things like nappy changes caused it to tear and bleed.

After the shock wore off I existed in a trance of sorts. I didn’t want to visit the hospital but it had become harder to stay away. My life became about doing what was best for my daughter. Pumping every three hours around the clock and spending hours sitting by her isolette; talking to her through the perspex, comforting her as best I could without actually being able to pick her up. It’s the most unnatural thing to know your child is upset and not be able to fix it. To this day that still hurts my heart.

She was five weeks old before I was able to hold her. She was tiny; I couldn’t even feel her weight amongst the blankets. I remember the way her little ear, devoid of cartilage, pressed against my chest as she lay there just below my chin. Until that point I thought I’d bonded with her like any mother does, but I was wrong.

As the nurses moved away leaving us alone, with my eyes closed and Erin settled upon my chest I felt a rush of affection. To smell her and kiss her tiny head was beyond anything that I’d experienced till that point. It was incredible.

All in all we spent 148 days in hospital, but it didn’t end there. Since coming home we’ve been faced with more challenges and many difficult days. But we’ve been lucky. Erin is an exceptional child; she’s happy and healthy and suffers from no long-term effects of her very early birth

 April 2009 

Thank you to Bec and Erin for sharing this story. 

Its a hard road to travel and for any parents, friends or family who have been down this road…  it really IS a hard one.  They say a rollercoaster ride… and it really is!

If you have a premature baby story you would like to share, please email me with approx 500 words, baby pic and one now of your premmie baby.  I found that sharing really is therapeutic for others who have gone through this journey.

I plan to put my own story down this week and send in some pics….  hope you do too.  email yours to admin at latoriana.com.au

July 31st is the NATIONAL PREMMIE DAY 

  please support your local group or www.prembaby.org.au

warmly

Elizabeth xx

“Give them wings”

Featured Business

Tiana, our premmie baby above (now 6) created with the extraordinary talents by Argnesh Rose

July is dedicated to Premmie babies.  Anyone who has had a premature baby, or knows someone who has had one knows how hard and how different it is and what a rollercoaster ride.  lets start this first day of July with some amazing talent and i am so captivated by this gorgeous artist… you can purchase your own little piece of magic through la Toriana. 

Do you believe in Magic?

Perhaps parenthood allowed you to glimpse it’s presence in your children, – time slows to a standstill, the sun is filtering through you child’s hair giving her a golden glow…

Perhaps just for a moment you forget your worries and immerse yourself in her enchanted world..

With my Artwork I but reveal this magic that is always present.

Our children teach us so much about our self, not only  about joy, but pain as well, when they are ill, how much we wish we could make it all go away…

A friend once said, when I was pregnant, having a child is like having another heart outside of your body…I find this to be true..

Having children is definitely the most challenging, humbling and life changing experience for us parents..

I hope once in a while

you are able to stop…

and favour the moment,

feel the love

and allow yourself to notice the magic,

the beauty around you…

Once a long time ago, you too were a child and that sense of wonder is there just below the surface, waiting for you patiently.

I hope that my Artwork will take you back to this Enchanted place where all is possible…

It makes the perfect gift for any occasion from Birthday to Christening, it is unique and created with a lot of care and love for you…

Before and after the Fantasy magic created by Argnesh Rose

Any child is a miracle, a gift, and what a great way to treasure them.   

With love: Argnesh Rose

SPECIAL OFFER:

If you pay a $50 deposit before the end of July, you will receive $25 off any of the packages on the website!   Check out  La Toriana baby boutique

if you have questions, you can contact us

——————————————

Thank you Argnesh for the gorgeous portrait you have magically created of Tiana.  I am going to give this as a present to her for her birthday.   I also wanted to say thank you for the other portrait… its so beautiful and I have all 3 girls together.  I cried when I saw  them.  You have touched my heart and its an honour to showcase your talents at La Toriana. 

 I will soon reveal the one of all 3 girls soon… on the twins birthday.  They would have been 8 this year!  This is a truly special one.  THANK YOU.

I just know many other mums will also cherish these portraits …  as I do.

Warmly

Elizabeth xx