Community› The Bump Message Boards› Preemies
Preemies
New Discussion

coming home on oxygen

nayandjoshnayandjosh
in Preemies

Hi everyone!  Newbie here, so here's a brief intro! My son was born 13 weeks early and he'll be 11 weeks tomorrow.  I had an abruption at 27 weeks, and my son spent 6 weeks in the NICU and tomorrow will make 5 weeks in a special care nursery.  I think we're close to coming home because once my son makes it to 8 bottles a day they'll send him home.  We're currently at 6 bottles a day with two gavage feeds but the next step is 8 so I'm hopeful that we're close to going home.  

He will most likely come home on oxygen and I dont quite know what to expect. He's on low flow cannula at .1 liters but he's still failing room air trials.  I don't know how limiting or how difficult it will be to maintain oxygen tanks. I have some basic questions about bathing, mobility, transportation, etc.  

Any advice on what to expect would be greatly appreciated!   TIA!

 

Lilypie Premature Baby tickers
Report Reply to Post

Re: coming home on oxygen

  • nayandjoshnayandjosh
    I also am curious how to get rid of my pregnancy ticker! Lol!
    Lilypie Premature Baby tickers
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • Kiki11Kiki11
    My son came home on oxygen 4 months ago. It was a bit intimidating at first, but we adjusted really quickly. If your baby is only on .1 liters, I bet he won't need it for very long at home. At home it is hardly any extra work having him on 02 because we have tiny portable tanks in a bag with a strap we just carry around on our shoulders. When we go out, mostly to medical appts these days, it can be cumbersome (but not impossible by any means) because we need to pack the diaper bag, oxygen and an extra tank, the monitor, bottles and milk... We're hoping he gets off oxygen soon because it would be nice not to have to lug all that around anymore. As a plus, when people see that your baby is on oxygen, they are less inclined to touch him! It's extra protection! Good luck :)
    TTC with unexplained IF since 8/2007 6 losses, one beautiful perfect boy in our arms Lilypie Premature Baby tickers
    Report Reply
  • Kiki11Kiki11
    Also to answer some of your other questions- Bathing is easy. We just do it like you would for any normal baby except we leave the cannula on. Sometimes we even shower with him, which he loves. Maintaining the u2 tanks is easy. The medical supply company will show you what to do, but really is is very easy. Not sure what kind of o2 you will have. We've used liquid oxygen and compressed oxygen. Both are easy. If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to answer.
    TTC with unexplained IF since 8/2007 6 losses, one beautiful perfect boy in our arms Lilypie Premature Baby tickers
    Report Reply
  • AVA0908AVA0908

    I agree that being home on O2 wasn't that big of a deal for us. Our home health company gave us a big one to keep by his crib and a mobile one to have downstairs. We also had mini ones in bags for going out which we didn't do much since he came home in October (he was 14 weeks early). We didn't have to do anything with the tanks except turn them on/off.

    You are so close to being home-YAY! Just to let you know, my son's pulmonologist and pediatrician told us that he would be on O2 for at least 6 months to a year and he ended up being off 2 months after coming home. Good luck!

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • Leigh71Leigh71

    My DD Lauren (on the right in siggy pic) was on oxygen at home for 3 months.  She took a long time to wean off of it, but she def. needed it.  Ditto the PP.  we also had small tanks, which were nice and portable to take her to doctor appts. etc.

    As she got better, she needed it less and less.  In the beginning, she needed it on all the time... 24/7...so she would keep in on in her bath.  As she was able to be without oxygen for small periods of time, I could leave it off during bath time, and off in between feeds etc. 

    We had heavy (stay at home machines) for her oxygen too.  They were called "converters" or something like that.  the machine took room air, that you and I breathe, and it would convert it into oxygen.  The machine were noisy, by my girls loved it, because it was like having a heavy fan on....so it was major white noise and they actually napped better sleeping next to it.  The home heath/oxygen company said that my insurance would cover the converter, but not the big oxygen tanks.  The insurance company also covered the tiny, portable tanks, like the ones you would use for walking around the house, and for car rides to the doctor.

    Do not worry @ what your insurance covers, ....the home health place takes care of all that.  I just was sharing, because that is why I was given a converter machine.  And for securing the nasal cannula to her cheeks we used Duoderm.  I don't know if you have CVS near you (it's like a Walgreens)... the pharmacy special ordered me extra sheets of duoderm.  it seemed Lauren was always sweaty and the duoderm would peel off.  (this was in the hot summer).  GL to you!

    TTC for 12 years. m/c 2009. BFP on New Year's 2010. Lilypie Second Birthday tickers
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"