4 weeks early

hhake2007

I just had my first child, a little girl on the 4th.  She was born 4 weeks early ... and her lungs aren't fully developed.  She is in a special care unit and is receiving oxygen.  If anyone has gone through this before ... could you please give me an idea of what to expect!  I'm a nervous, emotional wreck!  Thank you!

daphne814

I'm going through this right now, but my little guy was a 25 weeker so his lungs were really not developed yet.  He's on an breathing tube/ventilator, he did get into a CPAP (the tube that goes through the nostrils) at one point, but he's back on the ventilator with the breathing tube now.  I was the same as you in the beginning, I was such a wreck.  Once I got a little bit acclimated to all of the equipment, it's gotten a little bit easier day by day.  Definitely ask your nurses any questions you may have.  Once I figured out what all the numbers on the screen meant (I had to ask numerous times, but I finally have it pretty much figured out now), it got a little bit easier to interpret all the beeps and know what the desats meant.  GL, I hope your NICU stay is very short and you bring your little girl home with you soon!

mcvgal

My LO came 10 weeks early so his lungs weren't fully developed either. He was on a cpap only 2 days and then moved on to a nasal canula. I know it's hard to leave the NICU, but take advantage of time you are there. Ask as many questions as possible and just be with you're LO. do Kangaroo care if they allow it, any skin to skin contact is so beneficial for our preemies.

You're little girl will amaze you everyday so remember to take in every moment:)