yeah, so

[C99]

I had my baby!

My water broke and I had to be induced on Friday afternoon, 5 weeks exactly from my due date. Nathaniel George entered the world at approximately 2 a.m. on 01-25-03. He's beautiful, of course, although still in the hospital until he masters suck-swallow-breathe.

Caroline

[etwahl]

Wow, congratulations! 5 weeks early...wow! That actually scares me, since I'm 5.5 weeks away from my EDD and so totally not prepared yet.

I'm sure that little sweetheart will master it all very quickly and be home with you in no time.

Tammy,
Mom-to-be Mar 8, 2003!

[egoldber]

Wow! Congratulations! Hope Nathaniel is out of the hospital very soon!!

Just goes to show, you NEVER know!

[Annette_C]

Congratulations to you and Welcome to little Nathaniel!
I hope everything will be ok soon and that he can come home to his loving family.

Annette
SAHM to Sabrina 6/24/02

[jojo2324]

Congratulations and welcome to Baby Nathaniel!! Hope your little bundle of joy can be home with you soon!

[twins r fun]

Surprise! Congratulations! How long do they expect him to be in the hospital?

Nicole

[blnony]

Congratulations! I hope he is home with you soon.
Audrey was 4 weeks early also, and she too broke her bubble and I had to be induced!! I can't wait to see pictures of the little cutie:)

[C99]

Tammy,

Yeah. Here's the funniest part: I actually called my doctor and went in to see him because I had talked to someone in my office who had just come back from maternity leave; her daughter was born at 31 weeks when her water broke suddenly. Why was I induced at 35 weeks? Because my water broke!

I had a low-risk pregnancy... nothing indicated that I would go early. So I guess it can happen to anyone! :) I guess the good news is that he's not so small that he won't come home within a week or so and the labor process was fairly "easy" because he was so small.

My husband posted some photos of Nathaniel if you want to see how small they are at that age. :)

Caroline

[blnony]

He is beautiful!

[Rachels]

Wow, Caroline! He's beautiful! My baby only weighed 6 lbs 1 oz at 38 weeks. You've got a good-sized baby. I'm sure he'll be home soon! How are you holding up with him being in the hospital?

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[twins r fun]

Oh, he's gorgeous! And a pretty good size, too (for 5 weeks early!). Doesn't look like he's hooked up to TOO much stuff in the photos. Glad to hear he'll be home soon!

Nicole

[atlbaby]

Congratulations!! Welcome Nathaniel George!! :)
-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01

[megsmom]

What a cutie!!!!! Glad to know he is healthy and you hopefully will be enjoying life at home soon. I was born about 4 weeks early, weighing a little less than that and was over 10 pounds by 1 month old! The amazing qualities of breastmilk...

Congrats,

Jen
mom to Meghan, 7/13/01

[COElizabeth]

Congratulations! He is wonderful. And as everyone says, not that small! I was born on my due date and weighed only an ounce more and measured only 1 tenth of an inch longer! I hope he is home soon!

Elizabeth
Mom to James
9-20-02

[gour0]

Good job, Momma! Congratulations!

[mama2be]

Wow...sounds like you did super!!!! He is gorgoeus and I love his name!!!! Yikes 5 weeks early of course that sends me into panic over here...were you ready (are we ever????)...

And a boy!!!! You all didn't know did you???? How exciting!!!!

Hugs to the family you're in our thoughts....I hope he gets to come home to that beautiful nursery soon!!!!

Congrats!!!!

[jubilee]

Congratulations! He's a cutie-pie, and you look so happy in gallery of pictures! Hope you get to bring him home soon,

[jojo2324]

He's beautiful! Absolutely perfect! I have to say, I almost peed my pants I was laughing so hard, seeing you in L&D with a computer. Shawn was less amused...He gets annoyed with me now as it is! Can you imagine me going through labor with #2 and giving you all a narration at the same time. He's convinced that will be the case. :D

[DDowning]

Yeah Caroline! I know Caroline from a different message board and glad you added an update here. I'm so glad you added more pictures. He's looking great! The picture of the "ready to hit the slopes" cracked me up. Can't wait to hear next that you'll be bringing him home!!!

Deidra
EDD 6-9-03

[MartiesMom2B]

Hooray. Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful son. He's big for five weeks early and my thoughts are with you and your family, wishing that Nathaniel will go home soon.

Sonia
EDD 4/14/03

[spu]

Congratulations! He looks like such a cutie-pie! I'm sure he'll be home soon!

susan

twin girls 7.20.02
charlotte & else

[newbelly2002]

Congrats, Caroline!! You look so calm and collected in the photos--I'm impressed.

And for five weeks early, he's not so little, no? Sending lots of suck-swallow-breathe vibes to your new little one so that he can he home and in your arms soon.

Paula

PS At least you know WHERE your water went. On my chart they had to leave a question mark, because while the doctor broke it himself no nurse was able to tell where it went. They called it "The case of the dissapearing amniotic fluid." It's still a mystery.

[sweetbasil]

Congratulations, Caroline. He's a precious little guy, and I hope he's home with you soon! Best wishes :)

[sntm]

Nathaniel is adorable! Will send postive suck-swallow-breathe thoughts out to him. Loved all the pics. Congratulations!

shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03

[gour0]

OMG! I think DH would have a MELTDOWN if I brought the laptop to the hospital! I can't even imagine. Wonder how I can convince him.... (wheels turning)

[mamahill]

BEAUTIFUL! Congratulations! Get all the rest you can -- he'll be home and sucking/swallowing ferociously in no time!

[mcmorfit]

Welcome to the World, Nathaniel George! Hope you can make it home soon. Caroline best of luck.

Ellen
EDD:2/23/03

[C99]

It was my husband's laptop! He would not have brought it normally, but since it was so unexpected and he was at work, he had to bring it to the hospital. It actually helped ease the boredom of the boring parts of labor and distracted me from some of the early painful contractions.

FYI, little Nate came home today, after 8 days in the hospital. I just read JMarie's story and it mirrors my own so much that I almost want to laugh! Nate was also on the bili-lights and had to go back up the weight scale before they would release him. It was frustrating and tiring, but we survived and now he's home and sleeping in my husband's arms!

Caroline

[beckyr88]

Congratulations! The pictures are fantastic--you have quite a little star. Glad to hear he's home safe and sound.

It is also nice to see pics of NMH--as I'll be delivering there too! Seems like there are quite a few Chicagoans on these boards...

Congratulations again!

Becky
EDD 2/23/03

[JMarie]

What a cutie! We DO have such similar stories, and in the same (relative) city - we delivered at Advocate Good Shepherd in Barrington. Aidan is still in the hospital, but all he has left is his 72-hour monitoring for apnea and his 90-minute carseat test. We hope he comes home Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. At least by this point, when they take his hospital picture, he won't have that cone-headed look anymore - he's actually almost lost it already! Well, off to the hospital for the 8 AM feeding... I'm sure you can relate!

JMarie
Mom to Aidan Christopher 01/28/03

[ctsiouts]

Oh congratulations! I'm sorry that he is still in the hospital but I bet you are so excited to finally meet him...

Christy