You know you are a preemie parent

1.You use strange initials (C-PAP, CCs, NICU, NG) when discussing your child.

2.You actually remember how many CCs make up an ounce.

3.You count his/her weight in grams. ( Ty was 750 grams.. and for a long time we did Kilo's and when we finally made it to a Kilo we almost had a party!)

4. The skin on your hands is peeling from washing so often! ( This one was so true in the NICU. Not so much now but I am still pretty dry and I still LOVE hand sanitizer)

5.You hesitate when someone asks his/her age, but you know exactly how much he/she weighs! ( we had to get our "story" straight of what we would tell people so we didn't have to explain why he was so little. One time we had to explain that his oxygen was not a feeding tube. Good thing we didn't go out much then)
6. The answer to "How old is your baby?" is a story 30 minutes long!

7. When someone asks his birthday, you reply, "Which one?" ( I am not as bad now "wishing" it was really christmas. He is a good September baby.!!!)

8. You start to understand some of the things they say on ER! ( Even Dallas was getting pretty good at understanding what they were saying!!)

9. You turn into Kung-Fu Mom when someone tries to touch your baby. ( when Ty got older a women at walmart thought he was only nine months old when he was almost 2 and she tried to get him out of the cart cause she thought he was "unstable" I was LIVID!!!)

10. You attempt to measure just how much spit-up he/she just had before you clean it up!

11. You know how much he weighs before putting him on the scale at the doctor's office. ( VERY VERY True. Not now. I have NO idea. I have a rough idea but I figure he isn't dead so keep doing what I am doing :))

12. You cry at Maternity Ward and get mad at Baby Story. ( I actually can't watch them and I watch special delivery cause half of the kids end up in the NICU. Makes me feel much better about it.)

13. You see a 7lb newborn and say "Wow! She's so BIG!" ( a lady in our ward had a grandbaby that was born weighing 3 lbs and she was telling me about her. She was saying how she told her daughter that she was big. A women listening about died. A three pounder is HUGE!!!)

14. Your baby is months old before he can even go to the mall. ( We met Max at the mall when Ty was pretty old.. so that is true.!!)

15. You have ever explained why your baby is on an apnea monitor.

16. When someone says how tiny your baby is, you argue that he is huge -- and to demonstrate, you whip out pictures of him in NICU. ( I don't carry pictures but I kinda roll my eyes. HOWEVER, we usually get he is still TINY!!)

17. You do a health check on people when they come to your house to visit. ( still true and we remind others that if they are sick to stay away)

18. You make people wash their hands before going near your child.( Not as much now but when he was little we were VERY strict about it)

19. You want to scream when someone says that she just wants to have this baby now - at week 28, 32, or 34. ( This one still makes me angry. Women who complain have NO idea how lucky they are. I can totally imagine how uncomfortable they are. I just hope they know how LUCKY they are as well. Honeslty, take it for granted!!)

20. You are so amazed when someone actually tells you your baby is big for his age. ( I will be when it happens)

21. You tried to find a place to buy newborn size diapers in bulk.( That one is true but they don't make them. I do think Ty was in size 1 cause he peed A LOT!!)

22. You called half your relatives when the baby grew out of their first pair of pajamas! ( Grandma and grandpa Labrum gave Ty some Preemie jammies and he grew out of them fast. They bought him some new ones when he came home for Christmas because he didn't have any from them. I kept them in his preemie box)

23. You never take your child for granted.( as most parents I am sure but for me EVERY day and every smile and every milestone and every STEPPING stone is amazing to me. He is amazing. When I think of what he is doing and what he was projected to do I feel so LUCKY!! My love grows deeper every step of the way!!)

24. You worry about RSV season and it is still weeks away . . . ( or years. You never worry that you won't get "it" and worry about how to get synagis ... AGAIN!!)

25. You know what "RSV" stands for. ( do you?)

26. You donate his/her tiny clothes to the NICU and marvel that they seem so small - when they were too darn large! ( I didn't donate but I saved and I forget we were that little)

27. Your son/daughter gets a simple cold and her doc sees her within the hour! ( and you got to go in the back door and you NEVER waited.)

28. People say, "He CAN'T be __ old...he's too little!" ( and you roll your eyes thinking yeah why would I LIE!!)

29. It has taken them 5 months to grow INTO newborn clothes!( I never thought we would even wear 12 month stuff .. it took way longer than 12 months to get there)

30. You pick up 2 pounds of ground beef and think that your baby was born at the same weight ( or that he wasn't even that big!! poor bubba... )

31. You buy "Purell" in bulk

32. You can stare at your baby for hours when he sleeps. ( and if he sleeps. More now I stare at him when he gets ready for a nap. He is so beautiful!!)

33. You know about oxygen tanks and regulators more than the company supplying it to the airplanes. ( true true and you find out that the sat machine does break but speed dial works well with the oxygen company. They come fast!!!)


OK preemie moms and readers!! What do you have for the list