PREEMIE UPDATE: Ayla Capril Hall

In our October edition of our Preemie Family newsletter we learned about Ayla Capri Hall, who was born at 32 weeks, weighed in at 3 lbs. 2 oz. Ayla spent 67 days in the NICU before coming home.   Read more in an update by her mother, Emma Hostetter (who is also heads up The Mom in Me, MD). 

Happy Preemie Family!

Happy Preemie Family!

by Emma Hostetter, Ayla’s Mother

Our daughter was born unexpectedly early at 32 weeks gestation. I was diagnosed with severe and sudden onset preeclampsia which required an immediate emergency c-section. My daughter, Ayla, was born weighing only 3lbs 2 oz. As soon as she was delivered, she was resuscitated and then whisked off to the NICU where she was intubated and given surfactant. For the next 9 weeks, Ayla learned how to feed. It was more than a challenge, but she eventually got the hang of nursing and bottle feeding. We faced the typical preemie challenges of horrible acid reflux, bradycardias, and laryngomalacia. Eventually, we were released from the hospital, but not without a home apnea and bradycardia monitor. After several months, the monitor was no longer necessary. Thank goodness!

We were blessed to have a preemie without any serious complications. Ayla is still small, but she is growing quickly! In the past month alone we have through two shoe sizes. Although she never qualified for first steps, it did take her just a little longer than average to develop her gross motor skills. Having just celebrated her second birthday, she is now off and running. I even have trouble keeping up with her! Instead of saying how small she is, now strangers are commenting on how tall she is for her age. Her receptive language skills are amazing. And while she isn’t speaking in many full sentences yet, I’m sure it won’t be long before I am going to have a constant little chatter box as a side kick. Although having a preemie wasn’t ideal, I am so grateful to say that modern

medicine saved both of our lives. Today, no one would even know that she had a tough start to life.

Visit Emma’s site at The Mom in Me, MD

 

Photo Credits: Emma Hostetter

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