What It’s Like to Give Birth to Quadruplets + the First Weeks in the NICU

Sam Smith returns to Sense by Meg Faure to share the next chapter of her extraordinary journey: the birth of her four babies at just over 31 weeks and their first four weeks in the NICU.

Sam shares the emotional reality of her delivery, from her waters breaking in the middle of the night to a C-section involving a team of more than 20 medical professionals, followed by the weeks in the neonatal ICU.

Joining Meg and Sam is Professor Velma Lubbe, a neonatal nursing expert and Parent Sense advisor, who explains how prem babies experience the world through their senses, the importance of skin-to-skin contact and how parents can support their babies as they develop.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN

• What happened when Sam’s waters unexpectedly broke at just over 31 weeks pregnant
• What a planned C-section for premature quads looks like
• What to expect when their babies are admitted to the neonatal ICU
• Why the period between birth and being able to hold your baby can be so emotionally difficult
• How skin-to-skin contact supports bonding, breastfeeding and regulation
• What premature babies need from their sensory environment
• Why light, sound, touch, smell and temperature matter so much for prem babies
• How parents can recognise signs that their baby is becoming overwhelmed
• How smell can be used to create familiarity and comfort in the NICU
• How breastfeeding and expressing can work when babies are too premature to feed fully at the breast
• What parents can do to prepare prem babies for the transition from tube feeding to breast or bottle feeding
• What factors doctors consider before a premature baby is ready to go home
• Why parents' confidence and readiness are also important parts of the transition home

CHAPTERS

00:00 Welcome back, Sam

01:04 Meet Professor Velma Lubbe

03:43 The night Sam’s waters broke

05:08 Arriving at hospital and preparing for delivery

07:30 The quads arrive at just over 31 weeks

08:33 Inside the operating theatre: a team of more than 20

13:33 The first days in the NICU

15:30 The emotional experience of not being able to hold your babies

18:22 Skin-to-skin, cuddles and the first breastfeeding attempts

21:55 Sam’s breastfeeding and expressing journey

26:18 Understanding the sensory world of premature babies

27:58 Using smell to comfort and prepare babies for feeding

28:28 Touch, sucking and creating a womb-like environment

30:22 Learning to read your premature baby’s signals

31:46 When illness enters the NICU journey

35:29 The incredible NICU team behind premature babies

39:01 What premature babies need before leaving hospital

ABOUT THE GUEST

Sam Smith

Sam is a Cape Town-based mum mom of five including her quadruplets. She previously joined Sense by Meg to share her pregnancy journey.

Follow Sam Smith on Instagram |⁠@samsmithofcapetown⁠

Professor Velma Lubbe

Prof Velma is a professor of nursing at the North-West University and a specialist voice in the field of neonates and premature babies. She is also an advisor to the Parent Sense app in the neonatal and premature-baby space.

Follow Prof Welma on LinkedIn

ABOUT THE SENSE BY MEG PODCAST

Sense by Meg is the parenting podcast from occupational therapist, parenting expert and Parent Sense founder Meg Faure.

With more than 20 years of experience in occupational therapy and a special focus on infant regulation, sensory processing, attachment and early relationships, Meg brings together leading experts, researchers and parents to explore the science behind raising happy, healthy and resilient children.

The podcast is part of Parent Sense, a science-backed parenting solution designed to help parents understand their children and feel more confident in their parenting journey.

Parent Sense App: Your all-in-one baby care app for routines, nutrition and expert advice.

Download the Parent Sense app⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use code SENSE50 for 50% off.

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Parent Sense

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