Preemies

What do/did you do at the NICU all day?

ayramayram member
I need some more ideas....I read, crochet, and do Soduku.  Between that and pumping/sterillizing, and kangarooing, my day is pretty full but can be boring.  What did you do all day?
Mom to 4 boys under age 6 Evan, Darren, Liam & Isaac

Re: What do/did you do at the NICU all day?

  • Here was my schedule, but bear in mind that LO was only in there two weeks (only! the longest time in my life, but like I said, if she were in there much longer I don't think I could have kept this schedule up.) I also was told I couldn't drive so I was at the mercy of people around me and DH went to work at that time. (Another topic for another post...)

    My mom would come over to my house at 8am. We'd get to the NICU for the 9am feeding. After the first 4 days I pretty much did most of her care (diapering, feeding, bathing, etc) that I could do while I was there. She was under the bili lights for most of the time so I couldn't just do unlimited cuddle time.

    We would stay until the noon feeding, and then we'd go downstairs to eat lunch. (Why do I remember that it was usually chicken fingers and escarole soup?) We would come back upstairs to the unit (once in awhile we'd go to BRU or something) and I would do everything again at 3pm. My mom would leave after that, I would go nap in the pumping room until DH came around 5. Then we'd both hang out until 6pm feeding

    After that we'd get kicked out for shift change so we'd go out and get arbys or McDs (how I lost 40lbs that month I'll never know).

    Come back for 9pm stuffs, stay until about 11, bawl my eyes out and go home and sleep.

    Add in about 8-9 pumpings and that was my day.
    Lather, rinse, repeat.

    I spent most of my time with my mom or DH. I read the preemie books, I looked at magazines, and I napped.

  • DD was in the NICU for 88 days.  What I did during the day vried over the time she was in because as she grew and developed I could do more for her and with her and her needs changed.  But ... if I include everything I did over time my days included ...

    watching DD, talking to nurses, staring at monitors, adjusting equipment settings the nurses let me adjust, changing diapers, taking DD's temperature, positioning her and her Zacky, reading books to DD and telling her made up stories (over time we accumulated a small library next to her isolette - Child Life from our hospital provided some books and we brought some from home), placing my hand on her to calm her, kangrooing, doing her laundry (they had machines there we could use), dressing her, taking pictures from time to time, pumping and sterilizing pump parts, talking to other Moms in the Ronald McDonald lounge, resting in a free rooming in room when one was available, etc. I was almost always there for Doctor' rounds in the morning to get their reports first hand.  I read some, but really didn't feel like doing much else.

  • Loading the player...
  • I kept a journal of everything she did and how I was feeling. I haven't looked at it since, but I hope to give it to her someday...
    imageimageimage
    Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers
  • Well Lily was only in for 15 days.

    Monday - Friday:  DH & I would get there for her 9am feeding.  We'd take her vitals, change diapers and feed her.  I'd also pump while I was there.  DH would go to work and I'd go to my parenting room and watch TV & work (I was lucky & that work allowed me to work and get hours & extend my maternity leave) until her next feeding and repeat the above for each feeding (every 4 hours).  Depending on what we had going on at home, DH would either come for the 3pm feeding or the 6pm feeding and then we'd go home after the feeding.

    Weekends just varied depending on when we could get down there - however we were usually there for at least 2 feedings.  In between feedings we'd end up going shopping because the hospital was located right next to a shopping area.   

    image

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker


  • We were also only there for 15 days. We brought in a small CD player and I'd play soft music for him (mostly classical stuff but some current things) and if he was awake I'd talk to him about anything and everything. While he was sleeping, I usually just kept one hand on him so he knew I was there/could smell me and read, do crosswords, talk to my visiting friend/family member, talk to DH, make lists of things I still needed to do at home before he was discharged...

    Definitely consider going off site for lunch to take a break if you're there all day. I was a 7am-8pm person in the NICU and didn't even want to leave for lunch, but DH and MIL made me a few times and it was worth it.

  • Because of rounds we were no allowed in between 9 am and 11:30 am so my mom and grandmother would get there at 11:30.  I would get there for her 12 feeding (once she started taking bottles) feed her, go downstairs for lunch with my mom and grandmother.  They would leave after lunch and I would go back and hang out with her until her 3 pm feeding.  I would pump, talk to the nurses/other parents.  Her neo would usually come in and talk to me for 30 mins or so (I loved him, he kept me totally informed about every little thing).  I would hold her once she was out of the isolette and change her diaper, take her temp etc.  Then I would do her 3 pm feeding and go home to let the dogs out and do some laundry etc.  Once DH got home from work around 6 we would grab dinner and be back at the hospital after shift change at 8pm.  Our fav nurse usually had her at night so we would talk with her, pump, feed her at 9 then leave around 11pm.  Then we would call once we got home to check on her (if fav nurse didn't have her, if she did she would text me often through out the night) go to bed, call back at 4 am when I pumped and do it all again the next day.  It was exhausting!
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • At first I did alot of the same things you did.  I mostly read.  I read preemie books, magazines, novels.. anything.  In between pumping.  As they got older I was able to do more of their care and once we started breastfeeding I ran out of time to read.  I also worked on their baby books while I was there.

    image
    image



  • Natalie was only there for 14 days.  Having my laptop there was a life saver - I blogged, went on TB, played games etc.  I also read magazines and preemie books.  I visited with family and friends who would come by.  I did as many of Natalie's cares as I could.  I held her aslong as they would let me everyday.  When the parent room was available I would go in there and watch tv, shower or nap.  I rarely left, but it would have been nice to get out a little more.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"