Community Chat

[Topaz Gem]

I heard this wonderful story on the news last night. It's so nice getting good news for a change. The parents are a military couple stationed in GA.

Baby Cora Lee Smart was born 15 weeks early at 1 lb. 5 oz., due to the cord being wrapped around her neck. She's been in intensive care since her birth on Christmas Day and a few days ago, doctors told her parents they could hold her in what they thought would be her final hours. A funny thing happened once the baby was taken out of the incubator and put in the arms of her mother for the first time which surprised everyone, including the doctors.

Her oxygen level skyrocketed and her doctors were stunned. They have since come up with a plan to have friends and family members hold Cora round-the-clock for 72 hours. She is still improving and will face a few hurdles, but doctors are now confident that she will keep improving and will be able to go home eventually.

How she was able to distinguish her parents' touch is anyone's guess, but I think it's a miracle.

[chrystaltree]

I wouldn't recommend that hospital to anyone because it's been a known fact in NICUs for a couple of decades that infants, especially preemies do better with direct contact with mom. Every NICU I ever heard of encourages and arranges for moms or other family members or nurses or volunteers to hold the babies close to them, rock them (hence all those rocking chairs in NICUs) and to speak softly to them. The ones in incubators are taken out for short periods of time throughout the day for rocking and cuddling. Those babies have been inside mom for 9 months and they need the human contact as much and they need any medical interventions. So, I'm kinda shocked that the baby hadn't been in mom's arms quite a bit before. How she could distinquish mom is a no brainer, babies can distinguish their mom's from smell, sound and touch from birth. Mom has been the constant in their lives since conception. Baby Cora finally got the "medicine" she needed the most. Mom.

[pinkskates4]

So she would have been somewhere around 21 weeks - and she knew her mother.

So glad she was allowed to live.

[terrier3]

On 2/13/2014 chrystaltree said:

I wouldn't recommend that hospital to anyone because it's been a known fact in NICUs for a couple of decades that infants, especially preemies do better with direct contact with mom. Every NICU I ever heard of encourages and arranges for moms or other family members or nurses or volunteers to hold the babies close to them, rock them (hence all those rocking chairs in NICUs) and to speak softly to them. The ones in incubators are taken out for short periods of time throughout the day for rocking and cuddling. Those babies have been inside mom for 9 months and they need the human contact as much and they need any medical interventions. So, I'm kinda shocked that the baby hadn't been in mom's arms quite a bit before. How she could distinquish mom is a no brainer, babies can distinguish their mom's from smell, sound and touch from birth. Mom has been the constant in their lives since conception. Baby Cora finally got the "medicine" she needed the most. Mom.

ITA - No miracle.

The baby was "allowed" to live...- what a strange phrase to use!

...and she has a long road ahead of her...hopefully with the love of her parents, things will work out well.

[Cakers1]

Topaz Gem: Beautiful story - thanks for posting. Why anybody would try to tear it down is beyond my comprehension.

All the best to this family.

[Topaz Gem]

On 2/13/2014 Cakers1 said:

Topaz Gem: Beautiful story - thanks for posting. Why anybody would try to tear it down is beyond my comprehension.

All the best to this family.

Thanks, Cakers. I just wanted to post a feel-good story, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised at a few of the responses. I guess I'll never learn...

[JaneMarple]

Thanks for the story OP. Did you happen to see that the Canadian baby was born last week to his comatose mother? He was born at 28 weeks and is doing good so far, his father is happy and grieving at the same rime. His wife was disconnected from the ventilator soon after her child was born.

[terrier3]

On 2/13/2014 Topaz Gem said:

On 2/13/2014 Cakers1 said:

Topaz Gem: Beautiful story - thanks for posting. Why anybody would try to tear it down is beyond my comprehension.

All the best to this family.

Thanks, Cakers. I just wanted to post a feel-good story, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised at a few of the responses. I guess I'll never learn...

Given your previous posts, it's all about your context.

These stories are one in a million and cannot be used as templates for every family and every situation. Thank God we live in a country where families can make private decisions.

[Topaz Gem]

On 2/13/2014 JaneMarple said:

Thanks for the story OP. Did you happen to see that the Canadian baby was born last week to his comatose mother? He was born at 28 weeks and is doing good so far, his father is happy and grieving at the same rime. His wife was disconnected from the ventilator soon after her child was born.

Yes, I read about that yesterday. It is a blessing for the family, but I wish the similar situation in TX had turned out the same way. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. I'm happy that the Canadian father will have the opportunity to raise his son which I hope will give him some comfort in years to come.

[JaneMarple]

On 2/13/2014 Topaz Gem said:

On 2/13/2014 JaneMarple said:

Thanks for the story OP. Did you happen to see that the Canadian baby was born last week to his comatose mother? He was born at 28 weeks and is doing good so far, his father is happy and grieving at the same rime. His wife was disconnected from the ventilator soon after her child was born.

Yes, I read about that yesterday. It is a blessing for the family, but I wish the similar situation in TX had turned out the same way. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. I'm happy that the Canadian father will have the opportunity to raise his son which I hope will give him some comfort in years to come.

Me too