Our Preemie Journey.   Written by Nicole .

Twin girls Olivia and Tayla born 6^th May, 2008 at 30+3 weeks gestation at King Edward Memorial Hospital, Subiaco Western Australia.  Weighed 1115g and 1560g respectively.  Current age 19 months.

Olivia and Tayla spent their first week of life in NICU where they were on CPAP for a short while and also had phototherapy.  They spent another 5 weeks in Special Care and we took them home at 36 weeks gestation.  Their hospital stay was quite a smooth one compared to others but a very difficult experience nonetheless.

I found the hardest part of having our girls early and the ensuing 6 weeks in hospital was trying to juggle spending time with our tiny babies and with our almost 4 year old son Hayden.  I worried that he would feel left out or resentful that since the babies came along I had forgotten him L

One thing that has stuck in my mind when our girls were in NICU and were so tiny and helpless was when our son was visiting at the time.  My husband was holding Tayla and Hayden was standing next to them just looking at her and he started to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to her, needless to say my husband and I shed a tear….

The hospital was fantastic in caring for our baby girls, however I found that support for the parents was something you had to seek out for yourself.  Once discharged we attended a preemie playgroup run by the Physio Dept for the first year of their life to keep track of their progress and to seek assistance for any issues should they arise.

 Buying clothes was difficult as there are not a lot of stores that sell a preemie range (particularly smaller than five zero’s) and we had to find double!

A for tip for a new preemie parent, take each moment as it comes.  You are your baby’s advocate so take everything in and do your own research so that you are able to make informed decisions for your baby…

 Olivia and Tayla now 19 months old. 

Thank you Nicole for sharing you beautiful story.

If you have a premmie story to share, please submit it to info at LaToriana.com.au

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also give a thought this holiday season to the many many mums who have precious little premmies who are not able to be home for the Summer holidays.  Many premature babies will be in need of specialised NICU and hospital care and cannot be home with their family and friends.  Spare a thought too for the parents who will be torn between spending too little time with family at home, and also who need to be with their precious baby at hospital.  Its such a difficult time.

PREMMIE HERO AWARDS …..   Find out more about how you can help give recognition to those individuals who help make a difference to premature babies and their families.  Nominations Open Feb 1st 2010

www.lilaussieprems.com.au/hero

If you are a business or individual  and can spare some sponsorship $$,   you may like to assist the Premmie  Hero awards… so please contact the above link.  Its a wonderful cause.

The www.lilaussieprems.com.au website is part of the National Premmie Foundation.  The National Premmie Foundation and the founding groups are what La Toriana support, so would love you to support them too.

We would also love to hear from families of premmie babies to share their story like Nicole has.  Please feel free to email me pics and your journey, we will pop it on the blog and also our Premmie baby section starting in 2010.  Helping awareness and providing information for all families of premature babies.

warmly

Elizabeth xx

With La Toriana being involved with the National Premmie Foundation since their beginning, and as this week we are also involved with 2 great businesses who are also supporting National Premmie Foundation (LittleONE baby and also the Kids Fashion Review HUNT), I thought I would tell you all about this great foundation.

Who are they?
 

  6 of Australia’s prem support groups have come together to form a national organization that will unify, and act as a guiding body for existing prem support groups, help to create new ones, help to improve the treatments and outcomes available for premature infants, and represent the interests of these infants and their families in terms of health policies, funding and standards of care.

These founding groups include 2 of Australia’s longest running and most respected support groups,

• Preterm Infant’s Parents Association (PIPA) and
• Nepean Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Parent Support (NNICUPS).

The other founding groups include

• Loddon Mallee Kids (LMK),
• Lil Aussie Prems (LAP)
• Lifes Little Treasures (LLT) and
• Central Coast Premmie & Sick Newborn Support.

Although we have only joined forces in 2007, we have a combined total of 47 years experience in supporting families of premature and sick infants.

What are our aims?
To act as a parent body, guiding and assisting prem support groups by helping to:

- Raise the profile of all groups

- Raise money for family support and information, hospital equipment, education, and awareness.

- Attract members and volunteers

- Share ‘best practice’, information and resources

To be a central point of communication and publicity, providing information to families, hospitals, health professionals, relevant health authorities and the wider community.

Represent the interests of parents of prems in terms of hospital policy, Australia wide.

Raise the profile and awareness of the plight of NICU/SCU infants and their families, and issues surrounding their care and long term development. Health policy, funding and standards of care.

 At La Toriana… we have a great range of premmie baby clothing online.  Take a look here.

Warmly  Elizabeth xx

Wow… did you watch ch9 last night?  the TV show Money For Jam?

I am in awe of Julia and what she is doing for premmie baby families all over Australia.  The show was great last night and if you missed it, here is a copy… its so inspring.  Julia does a wonderful job with www.lilaussieprems.com.au and so many families really benefit from this site.

8 years ago when I had my first premmie baby there was nothing like this… only American sites, so its great to see Australia, and Julia doing great things!

If you are a business and looking to put your $$$ into a worthy cause, please contact Julia at lilaussieprems … I know she would really support you as well.  If you are a friend, family or parent touched by the birth of a premmie baby… jump on the website and you will be so pleased to make contact with others in a very similar situation.  The support on this site is so friendly, and inspiring.

I was sitting there watching the show last night and almost spluttered out and choked on my cuppa.  There… the La Toriana banner was larger than life and my hubby couldnt believe it either!!  La Toriana’s very first television appearance!!  Thank you so much for that little plug!!! 

I am so honoured to be associated with you.  Read the blog post here about premmie support

Anyone that knows me will know I support premmie babies in lots of ways, but truly I have a few special people and what they are doing for families of premature babies is amazing.  Julia is one of these very special, inspirational and well deserving people.

At La Toriana we are all about supporting families of babies born early.  We have a wide range of premmie baby clothing, toys and accessories and continue to expand the range.  A % from all sales goes directly to a couple premmie groups and we will continue to support them.

see the La Toriana premmie baby clothing range online here. 

please indicate in the comment box if you would like my donation from your sale to go to lilaussieprems, National Premmie Foundation or Loddon mallee Kids.

 

 

 La Toriana’s Profile

At La Toriana we have a passion for kids fashion.

Our labels include, Alimrose, annieB, Lambykins, Princess Allure, FairyFloss Creations, Eternal Creation, Vanchi, TikiBoo Kids, Little Pearls for Little Girls, Tea Princess, Three Little trees, Tummbear, Dolly Up, 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, Mulberry Muse, Vintage Kid, Wild Things of Noosa, YmamaY, Xanna,  and so many more!

We have one of the largest and most stylish, affordable collection of premmie baby clothing, premature baby gifts and keepsakes available to buy online. If you have a baby born early, or are a friend/family looking to give a premmie baby gift… contact me and I can help

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.

warmly

elizabeth xx

 

National Premmie Day 2009

 read the full article here at the Herald Sun News

was wonderful catching up with these bubs and mums

Premmie Support Comes in Three’s

With thousands of premature babies born throughout Victoria yearly and in conjunction with National Premmie Day being celebrated on Friday 31st July 2009 three of Victoria’s amazing and dedicated support networks have joined together to help celebrate our little aussie battlers. All run by parents of premature babies themselves, Lifes Little Treasures, L’il Aussie Prems and La Toriana offer support to families through their unique experiences.

Lifes Little Treasures (LLT) is a charity funded by private donations and run entirely by volunteer parents who have experienced the rollercoaster ride of premature birth. They provide a number of services including support groups throughout the Melbourne suburbs and Greater Victoria, a quarterly newsletter, 24 hour support phone line, social occasions, informative parent resource guides morning teas at hospitals with Neonatal intensive care/Special care Nurseries, as well as providing the much needed practical and emotional support to prem families. LLT is a founding member of the National Premmie Foundation and looks forward to this year’s National Premmie Day running two events in Victoria. For further details please visit www.lifeslittletreasures.org.au.

L’il Aussie Prems is a not-for-profit website founded by Julia Toivonen offering support to families from the comfort of their own homes through their online support forum. The site features information through articles, birth stories, galleries, live chats and birth announcements. With over 860 families registered on the forum Australia wide families can find information and the support they need from others who have been through this life changing journey. L’il Aussie Prems is a major supporter when it comes to premature babies and National Premmie Day and will be holding a live online chat for families who cannot attend celebrations throughout the day starting from 7pm. For details please visit www.lilaussieprems.com.au.

LaToriana is an online baby boutique that caters for premmie babies up to children 8 years of age. With a passion for organic and premmie baby clothes La Toriana specialises Australian and New Zealand baby and kids fashion with new and established designers. Founder of LaToriana, Elizabeth, understands the struggles to find premature clothing suitable for these tiny miracles. Elizabeth, a volunteer and sponsor of local and national premmie baby groups, donates a % of sales from her Premmie baby category. www.latoriana.com.au

“As parents offering support we have truly walked the path and understand the raw emotions parents and families feel after the premature birth of their children. It is a hard, over whelming and heartfelt journey, one that we hope to make easier through our dedicated & supportive network” said Julia Toivonen founder of L’il Aussie Prems and mum to two premature babies.

Events details for National Premmie Day celebrations around Australia are available through the Premmie Foundations website www.prembaby.org.au

For further information, interviews and photographs please contact:

Shusannah Morris - Lifes Little Treasures
contact_us@lifeslittletreasures.org.au
0437 254 360

Julia Toivonen - L’il Aussie Prems
admin@lilaussieprems.com.au
0412 248 583

Elizabeth Murphy – La Toriana
info@latoriana.com.au
0408 489 268