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September 23, 2014

By Lindsey Gooding

I never thought I’d be able to forget the exhaustion that accompanied my son, William’s, four-week stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women in April 2012. William has reached so many exciting milestones since he left the NICU two years ago.

The progress William has made between his first and second birthday still amazes me. At his first birthday, he wasn’t walking, he had no teeth and he had no interest in solid food. By his second birthday, he was a walking, talking, food-loving little toddler who finally had seven teeth.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t worry about him not being on the growth charts for so long and his speech being delayed compared to others his age. When William turned two years old, I had him evaluated by a speech therapist because he wasn’t saying 50 words. They told me what I had known deep down in my heart. He didn’t qualify. He was learning a little more every day. William was doing things on his own timeline and that’s okay.

William is his own person. He was a preemie who has made remarkable progress. All we can do is love him, teach him and encourage him. He has met all his milestones. A few were several months behind but he’s done it and that’s what matters. He can kick a ball, he repeats things he hears, he knows all his body parts, he plays make-believe and he’s more independent with each day that passes. We couldn’t be more pleased with his progress.

Although a NICU stay can be exhausting, there were several things that made it an awesome, positive experience. The car seat education program was priceless. I got to have a little baby for longer than most. The nurses were so informative and helped me perfect my “mom skills.” Gordon and I enjoyed going out to dinner a couple of times which most new parents don’t get to do (and we had the best babysitters in town!). Since William received donor breast milk while in the NICU, I knew I had to give back by donating myself!

Gordon and I would love to add another little Gooding into our family. If we are ever blessed enough to welcome another baby into the world, we will be more prepared for a NICU stay. It won’t be easy but being a parent never is. Every NICU family has a different story. Some are harder than others. I try to always put things into perspective. Find the silver lining. My motto is: You have to embrace all the days, good and bad. In their own unique way they are very precious moments. It may not be what you envisioned but sometimes that’s okay.

September 9, 2014

By: Sherrell Ogletree

Our son, Jaxon Robert Ogletree, was born on July 25, 2013 at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women. Dr. Katharine Bolt was my obstetrician and she did a phenomenal job!

The Pavilion for Women was an amazing experience. My labor and delivery room was beautiful and my favorite amenity was the spa-like showers. The staff was very friendly and I even got a celebration cake when Jaxon was born. The nurses were super and the rooms were extremely clean. My room was so huge and the atmosphere really made it feel like home. I am so happy that I was able to have that wonderful experience with my last child.

Once Jaxon was born, I was so excited to hold him and I couldn’t imagine what life would be like without him. He is the sweetest baby and is always full of joy. Having three boys is definitely an adjustment. Sometimes my husband and I look at each other and realize we are outnumbered.

Football season in my house is crazy. The boys rule the television and every so often you will hear yelling as their team scores a touchdown. Jaxon still holds on to his mommy for now but soon I know he will convert.

By Sherrell Ogletree

Being a mother of three boys has brought so much joy and chaos at the same time. After having Jaxon, I decided to start work as a nurse practitioner and I currently work in the Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology department at Texas Children’s. Adjusting to the new position has been great and spending more time on the weekend with the kids has been even better. I still haven’t learned the concept of balance and I still feel like the term is not real. Instead I choose to place my faith, family, and friends as my priorities and everything else seems to fall into place.

Some of the tips that I have for moms are:

1. Take joy in the good and the bad. It’s a learning experience in which you and your family grow.
2. Make sure that you make time for your children EVERY day. Life can be hectic but be sure to sit down and spend time with your kids every day. Make sure it is quality time in which they have your undivided attention. That goes for your husband as well.
3. Never skip date nights. I believe strong marriages build strong families.
4. Be flexible. Things will go wrong sometimes but you just have to be adaptable and resilient.

Jaxon is getting so big. Recently, he just got his first hair cut. Since he learned how to walk last month, his adventures have included running from mommy and trying to climb the stairs when no one is looking.

He is still learning how to talk but can clearly let you know when it is time for him to eat. He is such a bundle of joy and smiles every chance he gets. He has six teeth and is learning how to bite more than food.

Life is great for me and my husband and I couldn’t be more grateful for my three boys. I am looking forward to the future.

April 1, 2014

When my husband and I first heard the news that our unborn daughter had CDH (congenital diaphragmatic hernia), time stood still in what seemed like a dense fog. As many would do, I ran to internet sites like Google and Wikipedia to find out more about this sometimes fatal abnormality. I was inundated with medical terminology and survival statistics. I was able to create a huge binder with all of the research I had done and carry that stack of documents with me to every appointment we had. Needless to say, I thought I was prepared for the various outcomes we could experience after our little girl was born.

On November 28th, 2010, Brooklyn Elizabeth Hales was born one day shy of her Father’s birthday and one month short of her due date. She was immediately intubated and taken to the NICU III in West Tower. For the next few weeks she struggled with stability and even ended up on ECMO. There were many dark moments in those first weeks of her life, but like I said before, we knew what we were up against. We knew that the ugly road of CDH was not an easy one, and we had prepared our hearts for heartbreak.

What we hadn’t planned for, and what never even came to mind, was how we would cope with “NICU life.” In the four months of Brooklyn’s hospital stay, I spent majority of my time at her bedside, walking the halls of West Tower, or trying to catch some rest in the Ronald McDonald House on the fourth floor. I lived, breathed, and smelled like the NICU. I had a fully organized folder on what Brooklyn could be faced with, but I had an empty hand when it came to information on how to navigate my role as a parent in the NICU. As a parent, you are your child’s most valuable advocate. You have intuition and you will spend the most time with your child. But how do you know which beep means business? Or how do you know when to speak and when to be quiet?

Or… what if my child’s pod mate passes away?
These are all questions and scenarios I had to navigate thru as a first time NICU parent. The one thing I learned over anything else when living in the NICU is that there’s a lot you CAN prepare for, and a lot you CAN’T prepare for.

As an employee of Texas Children’s, I know that we are constantly seeking out opportunities to better our families and their experiences. And as a NICU parent, I am even more excited about the creation of a new resource class available to our parents. A few months ago I had the privilege to brainstorm with the creators of the class, Preparing for Your Newborn’s Hospitalization. The purpose of our meeting was to gain the perspective of a NICU parent and bring up what could have been helpful prior to that “NICU life.” This class, with the help of its leaders and speakers, will better prepare those parents who are awaiting their newborn’s stay. I feel that had this been at my disposal prior to Brooklyn’s birth, I would have been one of the first to sign up. I believe it will be a tremendous value to our parents and great addition to the many great classes provided by the Pavilion for Women.

To sign up for “Parenting your hospitalized baby” or any of the other classes available to Pavilion patients, visit: http://women.texaschildrens.org/Patient-Education/