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Preemies
dulcinea03
member
Not sure if I belong here, but reality is setting in.
dulcinea03
member
in Preemies
If I need to move over to 0-3, please let me know. I gave birth to beautiful, perfect, but early twin girls on Friday. They were at 35w3d when they were born, and did receive steroid shots the previous week. Julianna arrived at 4lb2oz, and Katherine followed a minute later at 5lb1oz. Both girls have been in the NICU since, and the reality that I'll be leaving them here tomorrow is starting to set in.
I am pumping, and am desperately trying to get my milk in for them, as for the most part they are feeders and growers, but Katherine had a Brady episode this morning, so she will be here at least through Friday. Julianna seems to be the more stable of the 2, despite the lower birth rate. So we are likely looking at at least a week and possibly more before they come home.
Do you have any advice, tricks, or tips to share regarding going back and forth between the house and the NICU, pumping for NICU babies, and overall coping? I think I'm still in a pretty deep denial that the girls will not be going home with me, but I know I will need to stay strong and take it one day at a time.
Thank you for any help you can offer!
TTC#1 since Mar 2008. Serious MFI due to cancer.
3 cancelled IUI's, just about every test in the book.
IVF#1 - BFP! Twin girls arrived 2/5/10 at 35w2d.
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Re: Not sure if I belong here, but reality is setting in.
It has been said here many times but anyone with NICU time or preemie issues belongs here. This board is full of amazing and supportive women who do not judge or deliberate over who belongs but offers advice and a sholder to lean on during the NICU/preemie roller coaster. I have a 36ish weeker (we thought he was 37 but pedi said no). We spent 17 days in the NICU (14 on the vent) bc his lungs were not dev and he had pneumonia. It is very hard to leave the hospital w/o your baby and there really isn't anything to do to make it easier. It just plain sucks and isn't fair! As far as tips-
-spend as much time at the NICU as feels right to you and don't let anyone make you feel bad about it
-accept any and all offers of help. We had tons of people bring us dinner at the hospital so we could spend the whole evening with DS, we got gift cards to fast food places and we were moving so family helped so we could be at the NICU more
-pumping for me was never a problem but it helped a ton to have a pic of my LO to look at as well as a blanket that we traded back and forth so I could smell him
-ask if you can be involved in doing cares (changing them, taking temps, bathing, and so on
-take a lot of pics bc someday your LO will want to see them (a nurse and former NICU baby told me this)
-find someone to talk to or vent to who will just listen and not tell you how to feel whether it be here or someone IRL
Congrats on being a mommy of 2 sweet little girls and I hope they are home with you soon!
Congrats and welcome!
I'm not going to lie, leaving the hospital without your LOs will be very hard. But, you'll get through it. Don't be ashamed to cry. I cried every single day (especially when I left). Even though I told myself "I'm not going to cry today". As hard as it is, remember to take care of yourself and get rest. Your girls will need a well rested mommy when they come home!
You've come to the right place. Feel free to ask questions, vent, AW, etc. This board is full of amazing women that understand what you're going though.
congrats to you on the birth of your sweet girls!
the nicu isn't fun, but you can do it! pumping sucks but it is awesome nutrition for your girls. rest as much as you can and drink lots of water.
I wish i hadn't waited two years to see a therapist. go if you need to, and maybe go even if you think you don't.
First, congrats on your babies!! Yes, you belong here. Whether you have a 23 weeker or a 37 weeker, leaving a baby in the NICU is hard. My main advice is to get a routine. I found it easier to get through my day with a routine. Don't feel like you need to spend every second in the NICU. It can be emotionally draining and you need to take care of yourself as well.
Pumping is hard. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it.
Good luck and feel free to ask any other questions.
Congratulations on the birth of your girls!!!!
Time in the NICU is definitely very, very hard. Try to take it one day at a time and definitely cry when you need to. The NICU nurses are used to seeing moms break down - don't feel bad or embarrassed about it.
Good luck!!! I hope your time in the NICU is short!
i know exactly what you're going through... we all do here.. and that makes this the perfect place for you!
here's a link to my blog, with all the nicu tips i have to offer:new to the nicuit's being revamped right now.. so it's not quite right... but hopefully it will offer a few helps.
welcome and congrats on your baby girls! you do belong here and we'll help you get through a very rough time. i hated leaving my DD in the NICU and even tried to 'remain sick' so I could stay... crazy, i know! you will get through it though and they'll be home before you know it.
keep drinking water, get some rest, eat well and don't feel tied to the NICU. this is where I made my mistake and didn't leave often enough. trust in the nurses to care for your LOs but ask questions when you need to.
hang in there - it gets easier!
Welcome, I feel like anyone who has to leave their LO in the hospital (no matter what their age/weight/issues are) is in the club.
I agree with what pp say, and I'm not sure how true this is, but I had someone tell me once that the "smaller" twin is used to competing for resources/space/etc more, so they are a bit tougher when they come out than the larger twin, which may or may not explain why your smaller twin is more stable.
Hugs. I had a pump in the NICU as well as the pump I rented for home, I always got WAY more when I pumped in the unit than at home.
Ditto everyone else! A few tips for pumping:
If you can do kangaroo care, do it as soon as you can and pump right after. Also pump next to your LO's bedside, or with a picture of them at home.
Drink lots of water, and talk to the lactation consultants if you need help! GL! HUGS!!
Congrats on your girls and OF COURSE you are welcome on this board. Leaving DS at the hospital was gut-wrenching for me - I was a crying mess. DH just kept telling me that I was being a great mom bc I was making sure that he was getting the best care he possibly could which was right there in the hospital, not at home with us.
With regards to pumping, our NICU let us pump right there in the room with baby, which helps your supply and makes sure you don't have to leave them. Can you check to see if they'll let you do that?
Be sure to eat and drink lots of water to help your supply. If you're not taking calories in, it's hard to produce. GL and we're here if you have any questions! Hope your girls get home soon!
Congrats!
As for NICU advice, ask the staff what the routine will be (feeding schedule, dr. checks, etc...). Also, see if there is a 'family room' in the NICU. For us there was an area that had 2 pumps (so I didn't have to bring mine back and forth), and ice & water machine, and it also had a bathroom so we didnt' have to leave the NICU and check back in each time. The NICU nurses were a great resource as well, so ask them lots of questions, even if it seems simple. Relax as much as you can while you are there too, for me it helped to recover faster (at least that is what I think).