The woman says that the pregnancy was not difficult, she felt good, but at the end of the second trimester she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes:
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“Such a diagnosis really made the pregnancy harder – it was unusual to follow a special diet and inject insulin once a day. Due to gestational diabetes, together with doctors we had to adjust the birth plan, and I also had to check my and the fetus’s health more often.”
Raminta says that after the diabetes diagnosis, soon she started having uterine contractions, which were quite intense, but at first she was not worried because she felt similarly during her first pregnancy.
“During the first pregnancy I also felt uterine contractions and my daughter was born a week after the due date, so I was quite calm. However, the second time everything happened a bit differently. One night the contractions started and did not stop, so in the morning, together with my family, we went to Kaunas clinics,” Raminta shares her memories.
Labor started earlier than expected
Upon arrival at the hospital, it turned out that the cervix was already dilated, so without delay the doctors took the woman to the delivery room. It was the 36th week of pregnancy: “The labor was quite easy. We were very happy that our son was born healthy and we were not separated – we could be together in the same room right away.”
The doctors warned that jaundice often occurs in preemies – this also happened to Ainius. Due to jaundice, the boy and his mother spent about two weeks in the hospital, and he underwent phototherapy several times.
“Ainius slept a lot, was somewhat sluggish compared to usual, it’s hard to say if it was because of jaundice or because he was born a month early,” says Raminta.
Challenges did not end after returning home
After the jaundice subsided, Ainius and his mother could already go home, where his father and older sister were waiting. For the first few months, Ainius, both in the hospital and at home, slept a lot and was somewhat sluggish. When the preemie turned three months old, tests showed he was deficient in vitamin D.
“The vitamin D deficiency was quite significant, so it took a lot of effort and patience to restore it. Around the fifth month, we found out that Ainius was also iron deficient. He was prescribed iron supplements, which he had to take for a long time until everything was resolved.”
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The preemie’s mother says that the beginning of feeding was also difficult because the boy had trouble breastfeeding, so they had to visit lactation specialists.
“The first six months were difficult. Due to vitamin D and iron deficiencies, breastfeeding problems, and Ainius’s sluggishness, I decided not to wait and consulted a neurologist so we could start exercises and physiotherapy sessions, which he attended until he was one year and two months old. With the help and encouragement of specialists, all developmental nuances were resolved on time,” Raminta shares.
Today Ainius is a strong and curious boy
In November, Ainius will turn four years old; he continues to grow and get stronger. Although in the first years of life he seemed weaker and constantly needed help, Raminta is happy that her son grew up physically strong, smart, very brave, and extremely curious.
“Ainius really likes various farm chores, and currently his favorite toy is a lawnmower. The boy speaks well, attends a creativity development club, and in the fall we will go to swimming lessons,” the mother talks about her now older preemie.
The preemie’s story changed the mother’s perspective
When asked what the biggest lesson she took from Ainius’s story was, Raminta says that it is especially important not to have preconceived notions.
“This is my second child – with my daughter, everything seemed very simple, but with my son – the opposite – many question marks. Every child is different, with different abilities, physiology, and characters, so you cannot have preconceived notions,” she said.
At the end of the conversation, speaking about parenthood, Raminta reminds that there is no need to be afraid. It is important to seek help if your intuition says you need it: “I would like to wish all mothers to seek help as early as possible – don’t delay. We have a very strong inner voice, you need to trust it.”
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