apena monitor question

cookiemonster03

So our IUGR baby was released at 37w4d (born at 35w1d) on an apena monitor due to one episode in the hospital. She hasn't had any true episodes since (her monitor sounded twice, besides lead issues when we were HOLDING her and she was clearly breathing).

 

Today was her follow up, and the doc - not the one from the hospital, but the only one in the practice who takes our insurance - wants to keep her on it for 6 more weeks at night. I would be ok with this except he hasn't reviewed her alarm records and made the decision entirely based on her size and age. She is 40w6d and 5lbs14oz today. Newborns at that size go home. Our other twin went home, wire free, at 35w4d and 4lbs12oz. 

I am angry and thinking of calling back and asking him to call and make an informed clinical decision after reviewing her actual readout. I have no issue w/ the monitor for safety etc but with no actual reason behind it? (I wasn't at the appointment, DW was).  FWIW, our pedi is anti-monitor and thinks if babies are healthy enough to go home, they shouldn't need a monitor (obviously they're outlier cases, but speaking in reference to our baby here). 

 

Is this normal? Am I offbase here?

katie4253

I think it is a pretty standard CYA recommendation until babies reach 44 weeks.

CYA = Cover Your Ass

JeepersWife

I look at it this way: if there is any chance my LO could Brady or have apnea issues, I am thankful he is on his monitor. It gives me peace of mind while sleeping or driving, etc that an alarm will for me.

urbanflowerpot

If there's even one tiny blip of an A/B they will keep you on that thing - see ticker for how long we've been dealing with the monitor. The end for us is only just in sight. Maybe. I wouldn't fight them.

katie4253

JeepersWife:

I look at it this way: if there is any chance my LO could Brady or have apnea issues, I am thankful he is on his monitor. It gives me peace of mind while sleeping or driving, etc that an alarm will for me.

I agree with this. Gabe had very tiny A's and B's.  He never had to be stimulated out of them (even in the NICU).  But, they still kept us on them.  You never know when a A or B could turn major.  

stillwaiting12

I know it is a bit of a pain, but it's not such a bad thing. There is no harm in leaving it on, maybe it will give you a tiny bit of reassurance.

cookiemonster03

I am not opposed to keeping it at night for a while (as the doc said), I am just so mad he made a clinic decision with no data (he also is not the doc we saw at the hospital, so not super familiar w/ her case).  The 44w to CYA thing is interesting though...

urbanflowerpot

CurlingRocks:

Our very healthy 31 weeker (40 weeks adjusted tomorrow! :-)) is on an apnea monitor and oxygen, despite only having a few episodes in the three weeks he's been home.  We appreciate the monitor because it is one thing standing between us and another dead baby, but it is frustrating to have DS hooked up to it. I think it is pretty standard for a lot of preemies.

That being said, you do not HAVE to do anything your (or your child's) doctor recommends.  You won't go to prison for taking LO off the monitor. But realize that your doctor is probably just trying to be extra careful to prevent you from losing a child (worst pain imaginable!) as well as prevent a lawsuit.

Actually, you could be turned in to Child Protective Services for neglect. Our paperwork had that in big, bad bold type so I feaked out when I forgot to turn it on one night. I knew that wasn't a big deal, but the paperwork made me paranoid. Just wanted to throw that out there - don't unhook without permission.

ms12345

The monitor was probably the single most frustrating thing, even beyond DD's surgery and weekly follow-ups for imperforate anus repair. At least with the surgery/follow-ups, there is a clear reason WHY I have to schlep her into Philly every week for a five-minute appointment. But my DD just turned eight months old today and we literally just had our monitor picked up three days ago. (I stopped having it on her during the day back in May... then got really bad with using it at all around July).

The monitor is a HUUUUGE CYA tool. I fought like hell for the past four months to get a readout so we could take her off of it. But I'd call, they'd say we'll get back to you later today, then a week later I still hadn't heard anything. Called again, got the same runaround. We had our monitor swapped out to be downloaded in mid-April...found out in mid-May that she hadn't had an episode (minor pause in breathing - 13 seconds) since March 8. So I requested another download. Couldn't do it because the service light or monitor full light wasn't on... of course it wasn't on, she wasn't having any episodes!!!!!!! Went through this runaround a zillion times over the summer until they FINALLY said last week that she was clear. Even though she hadn't had ANYTHING since March 8 (just shy of two months old, and only three weeks adjusted).

FIGHT LIKE HELL for readouts.