h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

To me, calling a daughter "Georgiana" suggests "I wanted a boy and was going to call him George, but all I got was this girl".

I think John is a perfectly acceptable name for a boy, whatever the Americans think. It is still one of the most popular names in Britain as well as in Ireland.

So has anybody heard an update from Tigerlily? Doesn't she have about 5 and a half weeks left? Is she doing alright? Is the baby alright?

Tigerlily are you our there??

Mostly

I know that the baby was premature but that both Mother and baby were doing well last time I heard. A little boy called Harry, I think!

Major Bummer. As the Dad of a 9 week premature baby (now a healthy, happy and normal 4 year old) my heart goes out to her and her husband. Do you know how early it was?

Mostly

Congratulations Tiger Lily - I'm sure you'll come back here fairly soon and check all the advice out again.

Is that really the 2nd H2G2 baby, Abi? Or do both parents have to be Researchers to count?

OH!!! I forgot my congratulations to Tigerlily and Mr. Tigerlily. ( shame on me ) So, Congratulations on your new baby. Hope too hear from you soon.

Mostly

Congratulations Tiger Lily - I'm sure you'll come back here fairly soon and check all the advice out again.

Is that really the 2nd H2G2 baby, Abi? Or do both parents have to be Researchers to count?

This may appear several times. Haven't had much joy with the connection the last couple of days.

Wow! Brill! Oh I hope everything is going well. Congratulations Tigerlily! I'd been wondering during the Pause how she was doing, and haved tried checking up since then.

Seems no time at all since this thread started *goes all weepy*

Congratulations Tiger Lily, my 11 week premature little girl now has three rug rats of her own. May your nights be restful & your days be joyfull.

Congratulations Tigerlily! I didn´t know it had happened already. And thank you for not having webcams up You know how it is with me and births.

Oh, and congs to the father as well. Will he be coming in here and hand out virtual cigars perhaps?

Congratulations, Tigerlily!

Remember my advice? Ignore all the advice and do what you think is right!

Gnomon

That was my advice! See post 22 in this Thread.

Tigerlily!
Awwwwwwwwwwwww........

Way to go Tigerlilly, hope everything is ok!

It's me Tigerlily - it is really, honest, I just can't remember my old password (I'll get the lovely Peta to e-mail)
Yes I'm no longer pregnant with child - it's been a nightmare. I gave birth to my son Harry on the evening of 17th January - 15 weeks early - he wasn't due until 2nd May! I was at work and started feeling uncomfortable at around 11am. At 1pm my contractions started but I didn't realise they were contractions - I was only 25 weeks pregnant, I couldn't possibly be in labour! I was feeling great up until this point, no sickness, no weird cravings and no stretch marks - great! ANYWAY! By 2pm I realised something was really wrong so I got ready to leave work, I went to the toilet and passed lots of blood (I know, I'm sorry but I feel the need to go into detail so you get the idea of how awful it was) I made my way back to my office and broke down, started screaming, traumatized the crap out of everyone in the office. I was rushed to nearby University College Hospital where I was examined and they confirmed I was in labour and too far gone to stop, my baby was coming. Hours later, after much pushing and grunting my tiny baby boy joined the world weighing 830 grams - about 1 pound 13 ounces. He was whisked straight away to be ventilated; it was terrible, like a very very bad dream. The doctors believe that my placenta tore away from my womb; Harry was extremely lucky to be born alive at all. He had only half the amount of blood in his tiny body than he should have had and needed a massive blood transfusion, without it he would have died. The first few days were a blur, I still couldn't believe that my perfect pregnancy had come to such a sudden ghastly end but with each day Harry grew stronger and remained with us the stronger both myself and hubby were. Exactly a week later the doctors discovered that Harry had a terrible life threatening disease in his tummy called NEC. He was starved of oxygen to his gut in his first few hours and abnormal bacteria colonised within it. NEC rots away the intestines and the only way to stop it spreading was to cut the affected intestine out. We were transferred to Great Ormond Street children’s hospital for the operation. Harry was less than 800 grams at this point and his chances were very slim. If someone had handed me a gun I think I would have ended my life there and then, the pain was overwhelming. I sat by my tiny baby's incubator and cried until I could cry no more, I thought I'd never see him again - but he was stronger than he looked! The doctors removed three inches of intestine and Harry made a full recovery, all that remains of that dreadful night is a scar across his tummy. He's had a few other infections but also successfully fought those off with the help of antibiotics and the first class care of the medical staff at University College (how can I ever thank them enough?) On March 1st we were on the move again, transferred to Guys Hospital, closer to home. They managed to wean him off the ventilation and he's now out of Intensive Care and into the Special Care unit where we hope he'll continue to recover and grow. He's nine weeks old today and weighs just under 4lb. I'm looking forward to getting him home, which will probably be around his due date six weeks from now.
Fellow H2G2 researcher and close friend Niz (well I say close friend but I don't really like him) told me you were asking after me so I thought I'd pop in and say hello. I'll have to find the time to have a look around the new site - it looks fab!
Take care all, speak soon!
Tigerlily -x-

Congratulations. Hope everything is alright.

I think I posted some advice earlier in the thread but I can't remember what it was. My wife discovered she was expecting a little before you and we had our second sprog on March 1. He also had to spend a little time in special care (as did his sister) but he seems to be alright at the moment. Fingers crossed!
The doctors and nurses in special care units seem to be the nearest we mortals will ever come to the presence of genius, and I'm sure Harry (named after a famous wisard perhaps?) is in the best hands. Leaving them for the first time is utterly heartbreaking.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Congratulations, Tigerlily!
Your story made me think about this winter.
A friend of mine gave birth in January, 10 weeks earlier than expected. In the hospital she was told that they had 17 premature children in that week, usually it was 1-2. And all the cases looked quite similar, also with infections, surgerys and other horror. Is it something wrong with the winter?

I would just like to say that there was no need for that was there??? I think it's because I am holding her H2G2 t-shirt and a bottle of Vodka hostage! And for every snide comment from her I will take a swig from the bottle

Ah, you probably deserve worse what with the t-shirt and the vodka.

big big hugs to Tigerlily, and her husband and Harry

Better make that tiny *tiny* hugs for Harry