Preemie isolation

chicagobride_07

We've been keeping LO at home with no visitors and only outside trips to see the pedi.  She is a 34 weeker, and is just over a month old.  She'll hit her official due date in 2 weeks.  

My family and even DH are giving me a hard time about the isolation and generally turning it into a negative thing.  I even had one family member suggest that I had PPD which was making me antisocial, which is not at all the case.

Our pediatrician seemed to think LO could begin going outside and entertaining visitors after her official due date.  I'm very nervous as, based on google searches, I see folks isolating their preemies for several months and even entire RSV seasons.

I want to do whatever I can to protect my little girl, but I need facts to reason with my husband and family.  Any resources you can suggest I can direct folks to read on the need for preemie isolation?  Even I don't know what is necessary and what is overkill at this point.

TIA! 

 

sdtchica13

I personally think what you are doing is overkill, but I am pretty liberal as a parent. Corri was a 30 weeker and we started going out almost immediately after she came home (she was just shy of 39 weeks when she came home). It was May, RSV season was over, and our pedi said she needed sun and fresh air. I just got a mosquito netting thing for the stroller and a sign that said "please wash your hands before touching mine" to stick on the infant seat and went about my business with her as normal.

If it had been October through like March, I would have changed my course of action, but this time of the year the risks are way lower. Besides, their immune systems need to be built up a little, and Corri literally did not have a sick baby visit at the pedi until she was nearly 2. 

Lovehavinggirls

Dd was a 35 weeker but small 3lbs 11oz we had her 711 and when she came home from the nicu we allowed visitors just asked that everyone wash their hands and didn't let kids hold her for the first couple weeks. We had a heat wave that caused us to lose power in mid aug so we brought her out of the house since we needed to go someplace with ac. Prior to that we would just bring her to our front out back yard. We also got hit with hurricane Irene that year and had to stay with family for a week and they have 4 kids.

Brummy14

Since we're smack in the middle of summer, you're probably safe to start having visitors come over -- at least on a limited basis. Our girls came home in Jan -- when RSV season was at its peak, so we allowed like, only two people to visit (my parents) for those first few months. 

Now we just ask that all visitors have been symptom free of anything for at least 4-5 days, and we still have them scrub in/leave their shoes at the front door/wear clean clothes (not coming from a public place) if holding the girls. At this stage, this is probably overkill for us, too, but we're just going to do this through this next flu season. No one seems to be peeved about it, which is nice. The only person who we struggled with understanding was my MIL -- but then she (forced) her way into a visit when the girls were a month old, and I think the NICU freaked her out enough to take a step back and finally listen to us and let us call the shots. She also lives a plane ride away, so we only have had to deal with her once thus far.

While it's not RSV season, I think this letter is pretty eloquent in getting the point across: https://www.preemiecare.org/rsvletter.pdf

And, when dealing with difficult folks, my attitude was always to go with, "My neonatologist says X" -- and I always went with the whole "A mere cold would likely cause them to land back in the PICU, on oxygen, and be life threatening." Which, especially during RSV season, is true. Right now, probably not, but sometimes you have to be overdramatic to get the point across to those who just. won't. listen.

And, for people who were all "but I'm healthy now, blah blah blah," -- I explained that the the biggest risk was people are contagious for a day or two before showing symptoms, or could be a symptom-free carrier of the bug entirely.  

You do what you're comfortable with. It took me a few months to be comfortable with more than a handful of visitors. As your LO gets older (and, my guess is, through this first flu season), you'll gradually start to become less and less paranoid.

I totally get it -- it's a process. And, don't let anyone else dictate what your comfort level is. You get to decide that. 

 

 

punky917

I think people who isolate their preemies that much had their preemies much earlier and had more medical issues. DS was a 26 weeker and came home at the end of Oct. We didn't go out for fun until April, but he came home on oxygen and was sick a lot in the NICU so that's why we were so paranoid. I think that if your pedi was saying your LO can go outside after her due date, you should be ok. I would just make sure that people who touch her are not sick and wash their hands.

rslhmg

I think as long as visitors follow strict handwashing rules and are in good health your lo will do fine with some visitors. We went on full blown lockdown during rsv season, but end of april we lightened up a bit. I think as preemie parents we are in a bit of a catch 22, you dont want to over exspose them to germs and end up in the hospital, but if you dont give them sone exsposure you could end up with even more issues. My nephew was a 33 weeker and my sister kept him isolated the first year and is now dealing with him having an immune system that is pretty far behind at 3. With dd once we had the all clear from her pedi, we slowly began letting her be exposed to others and shes been pretty healthy. That being said, do what you are comfortable with.

DiFazette

I also delivered at 34 weeks in April.  My little guy was 4.2 pounds due to pre-e and IUGR.  He came home from the NICU in his 36th week.  We've had regular visitors and outings once we started to figure each other out (his eating, sleeping, comfort preferences.) - probably around 38/39 weeks.

Luckily for both of us...RSV season is quite some time away.  Just my opinion...if you isolate for too long, you WILL find yourself in cold, flu, RSV season and it'll be 8 months until you feel "safe" with visitors/leaving the house.  I'd be doing these things when your baby hits term, but I'm not the over cautious type.

jcsntms06

My oldest DD (33 weeker) came home in the middle of RSV season, October. We keep her home from October until March. With my youngest DD (34 weeker), she was born in March, we started letting her go out almost immediately in April. I think with it being summer that you can relax your restrictions. Obviously still be cautious with hand washing, sick folks, but I think your good to let her go out.

Courtneyw04

We kept our 25 weekers at home for a year because our NICU told us we had to because of their health. If your Dr feels like you can go out then go and have fun. 

kmg977@yahoo.com

I have agree with the previous posts that this is a little bit over kill. However I totally understand the fear of germs and wanting to keep your little one safe. I have twins that are 28 weekers. They came home middle of February. We allowed family to visit with strict hand washing rules and they could not have been sick or felt sick for at least 7 -10 days. The babies first outing was end of April when the pediatrician said she felt that our area had been RSV free for a while. I too had the signs on their car seats and still have them that say please wash your hands before touching mine, and I ALWAYS have lots of hand sanitizer on me. 

If I were you I would for sure start letting family come over, and I honestly would probably start taking them out soon. This is the best time of year to do it so start taking advantage of the sun! I know it's scary, but it gets easier to not worry as much as time goes on.  

pamelamelanie924

DD was born Nov 28 and was in the NICU for 12 days. We came home in the middle of flu season and the norovirus was going around like crazy. We didn't take DD anywhere but the doctor for months. I guess it was at least 3 months and we also limited visitors.

I don't think the summer is as bad as the winter months, but I would be cautious and just use common sense. I know it's hard and scary, but listen to the advice of your pedi.

chicagobride_07

Thank you for all the insights ladies.  I am going to discuss with the pedi on this weeks visit.  Maybe we can go out for a stroll later in the week!