Our Miracle Babies

33 weeks - Matthew

Matthew in incubator

Matthew

Matthew being measured

After 18 months of various fertility treatment including laparoscopies, fibroid removal, 10 cycles of clomid and injectables and a miscarriage, we finally got round to doing the big IVF treatment. My husband, Tony 45, and myself, Jenene 35, had been trying to have a baby for 3 years. I was diagnosed with a multitude of maladies including PCOS and Antinuclear Antibodies.

After having 20 eggs removed, 5 made it to embryonic stage. 2 were inseminated and whilst my husband and I were enjoying a 4 day getaway on the Gold Coast as a wind down I became very sick. Touch down in Sydney and I was put into hospital diagnosed with Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome. This is were I found out we were pregnant !! Unfortunately during my hospital stay I miscarried one of the embryos but my HCG levels kept going up which was an absolute gift ! I remained in hospital for 3 weeks, quite sick but elated and scared that I was actually pregnant.

My pregnancy was basically OK. No morning sickness, very tired though, but had a bleed at 12 weeks then one at 13 weeks - both incidents were cleared of miscarriage, and some women just sometimes bleed!!

Being a high risk patient my Obstetrician kept a close watch on me and when my blood pressure started to slowly rise I was referred to an Obstetric doctor who dealt in hypertension. I was okay till about 29 weeks when everything began to swell and I found it hard to walk - my obstetric doctor started me on some BP medication and was told to attend pregnancy day stay that Friday.

I never made it back home. My BP was too high for them to let me go so they admitted me to the private hospital where I began a course of another BP drug. Nothing would bring it down and then they found protein in my urine - pre-eclampsia had set in. I was given the steroid injections to mature the baby's lungs and 3 days after I was admitted was told that I was going to be transferred to a hospital with a Level 1 nursery as they thought I was going to go into premature labour at any time.

I was ambulanced over to the Royal Hospital for Women at Randwick where I stayed on the ante-natal ward for nearly 3 weeks - Christmas came and went, I was not allowed gate leave - and I was on 4 different kinds of BP tablets and having ultrasounds every second day. They prepared me for a premature baby. They gave me endless amounts of literature to read, nurses were very helpful and were patient when I asked them questions. My husband and I were given a tour of the Level 2 / 3 nursery to help us prepare for what machines the baby was going to be linked up to. 'Why can't I see Level 1?' I asked. 'Isn't that where my baby's going?' They explained the different levels of sickness and prematurity and it made my heart ache.

Bubs was small but was hanging in there till one day, 4 days after xmas, I strolled back to the ward after having an ultrasound and it was like Pitt St. What's going on? I asked one of the nurses, 'YOU' she replied - 'into bed, the doctor will be here any minute'. Heart pounding I waited for the doctor who appeared in my doorway with sudden grin on his face. 'Where's your husband?' he asked. That was the last question I was prepared for. 'Your going to have your baby this afternoon, the ultrasound came back with low end diastolic flow'. I looked at him blankly. 'Your baby isn't getting enough oxygen and we need to do a caesarean for you, would your husband be able to make it here in 2 hours?' Adrenalin rushed through me as I prepared myself for the birth of my baby, 33 weeks - better than they expected.

Matthew Lyall was born at 1.45 pm on 29th December 2004 by emergency caesarean section weighing in at 1.46 kgs, 38 cm long and 27 cm head circumference. He was tiny but he amazed everyone right away. With only some facial oxygen on delivery Matthew breathed on his own and scored an 8 then a 10 on his Apgars ! I couldn't believe it ! My beautiful little IVF boy who survived all odds to be with us, he is our gift from above.

With the usual bradys and apnoeas, he was put on caffeine then phototherapy for 3 days for jaundice but his bilirubin levels came down quite rapidly. As it was he didn't need the Level 1 nursery and spent just 3 weeks in Level 2 then another 3 weeks in Level 3. I felt like a cow, pumping to get my precious milk supply going for him, every 3 hours, but it was worth it. We tried breast feeding very slowly, big boobs and a small baby isn't very comfortable ! We got there and even though I only fully breast fed for 4 weeks, I was elated I could do it at all. Matthew wasn't putting on enough weight and so the best thing for him was to be put on formula supplements. Well the supplements turned into full time feeding, but he was getting what he needed.

After being nursed in the Level 2 Nursery at Royal Women's for 3 weeks, he then graduated to Nursery 3 and was allowed to be transferred closer to home so I could go home too. I had been staying at a Ronald McDonald House - god bless them! Matthew got ambulanced over to South West Private at Liverpool and remained there for another 2 weeks but I was allowed to room in with him during the day and it was the first time I had been alone with him ! What a joy it was when he was finally allowed to come home !! He was only a mere 1.68 kgs. It scares me now that I had something that little to be responsible of!

He is now a healthy nearly 11 month old (9 months corrected) and weighs nearly 9 kgs. He is the best thing that has ever happened to us and we found out that even in the darkest hour there is a light at the end of the tunnel.