This is just something I've been wondering about. If your babies were in the NICU for more than a few days, how much time did you spend there? I guess I'm wondering how that works if you are discharged, but your babies are still there. Were you there all the time? Did you have a really hard time leaving them there? What did you do when you went to see them?
The last time I had major surgery was when I was a baby myself. I've never really spent much time in a hospital for anything other than regular appointments and labwork over the years, and once last year when DH was admitted overnight when he was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes.
Just curious how your NICU experience went.
Re: Question re: the NICU
Mine were born on a Tuesday, I was discharged that Saturday, and the first came home a week later. I couldn't drive, and DH was working, and it was hard to find a ride to the hospital, so I didn't spend as much time there as I'd hoped. Plus, I was still in so much pain from my c/s, I couldn't sit for long. I had to get wheelchair rides up to the NICU.
I think for that week, I spent an average of 2-3 hours a day at the NICU.
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Landry and Hudson were born at 34.6 wks and in the NICU for two weeks. I also have a 2.5 yr old. I would go for the noon feeding prior to Emerson getting home from school and again for the 9 pm feeding after she went to bed. The nurses were wonderful and I felt very good about leaving them so, that worked for us.
On a side note, several times the nurses called me and I wasn't able to go for one of the feedings because there was a new admit to the unit. When there was a new baby, they closed the NICU for that feeding so, they could do what they needed to do with the new LO's.
I was upset the first time but, soon realized that my babies arrived and there were parents who weren't able to see their baby...I was glad that they were given that undivided attention.
You do what you can when you have LO's in the NICU. They sleep so much so, you go when you can feed and interact with them. That's what I did since I had another baby at home who needed to be taken care of and I was trying the heal from the surgery as well.
You do what you can do. Everything turns out okay in the end...
ETA-I did drive within that two week time frame when I wasn't supposed to. I live within a fifteen minute walk from the hospital and it was my second section so, I felt okay about it.
My guys were born at 31 weeks, they were in the NICU for 31 & 42 days. They spent time in 2 different NICU's. They were born further from home because I delivered at a hospital with a level 3 NICU. They stayed there for the first week, I had a c-section so I was able to spend 5 days in there with them, once I was discharged I wasn't allowed to drive so I had to wait for DH or a family member to drive me in, That was very hard for me to deal with. As soon as they were able, we moved them to a level 2 NICU closer to home, then I spent 2-3 hours in the AM in there by myself, Then DH would come home from work and we'd go back together for 2-3 hours in the PM.
I had a great NICU experience, I loved all our nurses, they are so special. We've gone back every year for their annual NICU reunion.
I really can't remember how many days O was in the NICU. I know he came home at 1w, but I can't remember exactly which day he went in because it's all a blur. Anyway, we didn't go home until he did. We slept in the family wait room. I was with him most of the day and night, except when sleeping or eating.
It was really not healthy b/c I didn't heal well sitting on a little stool (not a comfy NICU setup.)
This time I chose the doctor based partially on the NICU setup and am hoping if we do need NICU time it will go a little smoother (they have individual NICU "rooms" for each baby or set of twins, so you can have a little privacy. There's a glider and a couch.
But if there they're for longer than a night, I'll not kill myself staying there again, if I can help it.
My girls were born at 30 weeks and I had a two year old at home.
They had private rooms in the Nicu and were there for 7 and 8 weeks.
I spent about four-six hours/day there. My husband took the first two weeks off so he could drive us to the hospital. After I could drive, I would drive in and be there for two of their feedings (every three hours) and then go home to see my son. Occassionally one of us would go back in the evening for their evening feed before the shift change.
Before they were discharged, my husband spent the night there so one of us would get used to their 24 hour care (I didn't because I was having PTSD issues with being in the hospital...I spent two months there on bedrest).