Making the brave trip back to the NICU
ToastieSimons
member
Distant friends of ours had a preemie and are about to be discharge tomorrow or thursday. They have no carseat. (They're the first generation in their church to have children and the prior generations lived like Amish so they really don't know much about carseat regulations)
DH told me to go out and see if I could find a good deal on a carseat for them. Of course, I just stop in Target with DS and they have a Graco Snugride for $40 ($38 with my 5% redcard discount. it was an online order that was returned unopened so they sold it half off).
I made DH go by himself last time to visit them and I guess this is the push I need. I haven't been back since DS was discharged. It's just scary knowing this baby I'm pregnant with has a definite 50/50 chance of ending up there. I figure maybe it's better I get the first visit back done with now instead of when I'm possibly visiting my newborn again.
Re: Making the brave trip back to the NICU
You did good on the price of that Snugride! ... I can only imagine how hard that trip will be and say you do whatever feels right for you. If you know it'll bring you to a place you can't handle right now, don't feel guilty to send DH with the car-seat. If you feel like you need to do it to somehow prepare yourself, but need DS with you or at home, do it the way that feels right for you. Thinking of you.
Good for you Toastie! Hope you friends lo does well. Hey, maybe since they are newbies to car seats, print off the preemie and newborn sections on The Car Seat Lady for your DH to take with him, so they can have a visual reference how to use the Graco with a preemie (it's tricky, it doesn't work as well as the Chicco for prems, but doable). The printable sheet links are in the links I added.
Oh - and awesome price on the seat!
While I'm not pregnant and potentially looking at another NICU stay, I went back to our NICU on December 24th of last year. In prior years, there was an organization that brought holiday goodies for the families & staff but due to funding limitations couldn't do it last year.
So, that broke my heart, as we had been in the NICU from the day after Thanksgiving to 12/23. I put out the word on Facebook and we brought about 20 dozen cookies, 4 dozen cupcakes, a pumpkin roll and candy for the families & staff that would be spending their holidays in the NICU.
For me, it was very healing to be in his room and have him outside the door. I thought I'd have a hard time, but it was actually pretty cathartic!
Good luck and hopefully this is the only visit you'll be making!