The Tour

Overall, the tour was informational and helpful...everything you would expect. As I mentioned, we signed up for a different tour that includes the NICU, and they said that they keep the numbers down on that tour as parents on that tour are usually there for a specific reason and may have specific questions. One thing I learned is that at Northside, all babies born at 34 weeks and 6 days or earlier MUST go to the NICU, if even only for a few hours. The NICU team is required to check them out. The rule is just now changing. It used to be 33 weeks and 6 days, but they said their statistics show that 75% of their babies born between 34 and 35 weeks end up in the NICU anyway, so they just amended their rule to take a closer look at all babies less than 35 weeks. Of course, they can end up in NICU even above 35 weeks. You just never can tell.

Anyway, it was supposed to be only three couples, but one couple was a no show. We were there with another couple who is due July 16th. I'm due July 14th. So, we're very close. When they ask why we're on the tour, we say that we're having twins which might include a NICU stay which is why we wanted this tour. Pretty simple. Then we find out that the other couple was expecting twins and is now just down to a singleton. She said at her last u/s appt (only 2-3 weeks ago) that one baby no longer had a heartbeat. WHAT!!! So, at approximately 22 weeks, she lost a baby. Needless to say, that was very unsettling. She sees the same perinatal practice that I do too. That really has nothing to do with anything, but it just gave me cause for concern. I always know that you can lose a baby at any time during a pregnancy. There are never any guarantees, but to hear her say that....ah....not good. I had so many questions for her, none of which I dared to ask of course. She and her husband both seemed happy and OK, but I'm sure this has been a hard three weeks for them.

I just kept thinking about all the things that Mike and I have already bought two of and figure that if she's as far along as I am that she's probably had a similar experience. At this point, I can't imagine having to take 1/2 of everything back. I have nothing to relate to personally, but I know others do and it makes my heart ache.