Maine med nicu

amandajoe44

My child was admitted to the nicu in Portland and had to have surgery and spend months there at this point. I didn’t realize what sub par care he was getting until he went to Boston to have his surgery. That is a REAL nicu down there. The nurses and doctors went above and beyond and they actually asked me how I was doing too which is something Maine med does not care about. They assign the same nurses to take care of your child so they actually get to know your baby and what works for her! They always were so nice and understanding to my situation and made me feel like they wanted us to succeed and that they were there to help. Maine med makes you feel like you are the enemy. At Maine med they don’t ask you if you want to participate in rounds to know what the care and medications and plan is for your child. They leave you in the dark and you can ask a nurse but they are NEVER the same so everyone always shrugs their shoulders and says they aren’t sure so you never know what the plan is until the last minute. They are all traveling nurses and I’m not kidding when I say in the months I’ve been there I’ve maybe seen only two nurses that are repeat employees there. Every day there was a new person taking care of my child. They had no idea his preferences or the individual ways to take care of him to help him to get out of that place. My child was just another baby on the check list. They have zero compassion for working mothers that are beyond exhausted and trying to do their best. I had one nurse belittle me because I could not be there all night because I had another child and a job. They make you feel like if you aren’t a stay at home mom with nothing on your plate that you are awful. I would bring wipes and combs with me to clean my child up because he would have formula stuck in his hair and on his scalp. Clean under his chin because it would be full of sweaty lint. I would bring clothes in for him to wear and then go to take my dirty laundry home to clean it and have some other child’s clothes in there. How does that happen?! I don’t know how many times I walked in there to him in his crib screaming and crying and it would be an hour before a nurse would finally come in the room and ask if I was mom. They let his grandmother in to see her without me or dad present which is supposed to be not allowed. In Boston they are in the room with the baby. Not in Portland. The tube came out of my child’s nose and they had trouble getting it back in and the nurse shoved it down his throat and then took his binky and shoved that in his mouth and held it there saying “swallow the tube swallow the tube” until I freaked and said he’s choking and then my child puked and screamed and cried when she took her hand away. I’m trying to be there every second I can because I’m afraid of what the next “new nurse” will do. But god forbid don’t you dare stay to late there because if you are tired and shut your eyes holding that baby they call social services right up because that makes you an unfit mother. Like I said there is no compassion for mom at Maine med. Not one time has anyone asked me how I’m doing. If I sleep. If I’m depressed. I’m manic awake at night wondering who’s taking care of my child and if there choking her or ignoring her screaming or what they are doing to her while working full time and taking care of my other children but none of that matters to them. You are just another check mark on the paper to Maine med. If you are in need of nicu services my advice to you is drive to Boston!!!