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Multiples
eyelovemascara
member
NICU--one coming home, one staying
eyelovemascara
member
in Multiples
One of my girls is coming home tomorrow, but my other baby has to stay for another week or so because of an infection. I'm freaking out just thinking about having a baby at home (FINALLY!) but also, how am I going to manage seeing my other baby while she is still in the NICU that is 45 minutes away? Do I leave one at home while I go see the other? I really wanted to start EBF, but I don't see how I can do that if I am having to drive so far away and leave her at home... 
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Re: NICU--one coming home, one staying
My prayers are with you and your family.
i can't imagine your stress and struggle. Ask the NICU staff what they think. I am sure that you are not the first mommy to have this dilemma or these questions. Try to rally your support group. You don't need to be alone at a time like this.
Good luck!
I'm sorry
I'm happy for you that one baby is coming home but sad for you that the other has to stay. If it were me I would probably bring the other baby with me to the NICU and just keep her covered so no one can look/touch, etc. I don't know, that's tough.
Oh congrats on your babies!!
We brought one baby home at a time too...I'll warn you...it is HEARTBREAKING to leave your baby "behind" at the hospital! But you will get through it and you can do it! Looking back (for us) I can see it differently now...we were able to "get used to" having little ones at home and I had special one-on-one time with each baby. Plus, I knew my Pearl was in the place she needed to be and getting the care she needed.
We had family come in to help and while I spent time at the hospital which was usually a couple of feedings a day... family or my hubby stayed home to watch our Ruby. The "reunion" was so amazing...when we were able to bring Pearl home (a couple of days later)...well, it was the best day ever.
You can do it and just remember it is only temporary, soon enough you will have both your babies at home!
Take care and God bless!
I didn't BF but, GL hon. It's such a hard time. Muddle through it and soon you'll be able to look back and breath a sigh of relief. Huge congrats for getting to bring one of your sweet babies home. A week will go by more quickly than you think it will. Keep your head up.
BTW-Emsley-what a unique and adorable name. This is one of those names that once I've heard it, it sticks like glue-CUTE!!!!
Also...obviously I wasn't able to EBF while Pearl was in the NICU so the pumping continued for a while longer...but what helped me get through it was knowing this was only temporary. The NICU staff at our hospital was amazing, truly a lifesaver. I would pump in one of the NICU rooms after I visited with Pearl too...that helped (sometimes I would even pump right there - they had partitions you could use so I could spend more time with her). We weren't able to bring Ruby into the NICU after she was discharged...I'm pretty sure that is the policy at all of the hospitals but check with your's just to be sure.
(((Hugs)))
Almost the exact same thing happened to me, but I only had 1 in the NICU to start with. I wasn't producing much milk and my baby wasn't strong enough to nurse, but I did pump and the NICU gave me bottles to pump into and they fed him what I could give him through his feeding tube. Each baby had their own mini fridge that you could put your pumped milk in to store, just make sure that you let them know that you put some in there and remind them often, they have to use it within 24 hours and once they let 2 ounces of mine go past and I was pissed since I was making so little it took me all day just to get that much.
We took our other son with us to go visit with his brother, they let us bring him in with us. However DS1 developed Jaundice so he stayed at home with either his grandma or dad on the bili blanket and I went with whoever wasn't staying with him.
Good luck, it is a hard first couple of days but you will get through it.
My boys came home a week apart and I was able to EBF eventually. I am lucky and the hospital is only 10 minutes away from me. We also took our baby with us from home to the hospital. We would try to be there for 2 feedings a day and the rest of the time I pumped and brought the milk to the hospital. I never did this but if possible bring a double nursing pillow and try to tandem feed. It will save you so much time once both babies are home.
I did need to supplement with formula for a while but eventually had the boys on all breast milk.
Good luck. It was a hard time, but looking back 9 months that NICU time really seems to be a blur.
My little Harper had to stay 2 weeks longer than her sister. I have to admit it was the hardest and most stressful part of the whole NICU experience. In the mornings, I left Audrey with my mom for 3 hours. It didn't give me much time with Harper, but it let me be with her, be there for a feeding, and talk to doctors on rounds. In the evening, my DH and I would take Audrey with us to go visit Harper and stay for 3-4 hours.
I have to say that I don't think I could have taken A to visit H by myself. For example, if I was feeding H and A would have gotten fussy in her carseat, I had no one to help. The nurses couldn't help with A any more.
Good luck.. just remember this is a moment in time and soon enough they will both be home together.
Preemie ID DDs; then DS; then natural M/C; now due 10/17
High risk for pre-term: weekly Makena injections
First off congrats on bringing one home! Hopefully it won't be long before they are both home together.
I know first hand how taxing it is to have one twin home while the other is still in the NICU....we are almost a month into this routine and I am still clueless and spending less time then before at the NICU...
The twin who is home pretty much dictates the schedule.
I would ask if you are able to bring baby back to visit, if the answer is yes and you are comfortable with it then you can give it a shot. I have been able to take DS back with me to visit DD, but he is not always in the best of moods. I have found that timing it right around a feeding and nap time works best. I get there, feed him and then let him nap in the stroller while I spend time with DD.
Good luck!
it's tough. One of my boys stayed an extra week and it was so hard. I was still recovering from the CS and bedrest for so long. But when I was finally able to drive, I would be with one at home all day and when DH got home, I would go to the NICU. We would switch off. It was hard to EBF for me so I pumped all day and at the hospital.