Back at work...babies still in NICU

SquishyMine · August 2012

Hello, all.

Babies were born at 24 weeks, and after a long, bumpy road, we are on the home stretch. We still have a month or so to go for one, a bit longer for the other, while they grow and learn how to eat. I'm having a hard time with working (saving the rest of my leave for when they come home), visiting the hospital, and now starting to learn to breastfeed. How do you juggle it all and stay sane? I feel like a mad woman!

MrsPookaLuv · August 2012

I didn't have to work, so I'm not sure. But I just wanted to say that I couldn't even imagine how hard it is- stay strong and hopefully you have a good support system that you can lean on for extra help!

urbanflowerpot · August 2012

It must be so hard going back to work! I know several of the moms here have had to do it so hopefully they can give you some advice. They're the ones who know how to pump standing on their heads

Anyway, I see you're new to both TB and the board, so welcome. I'm glad you've decided to join us...ask whatever, whenever. There is a link in my siggy to our blog as well as a FAQ you might want to share with friends and family.

Good luck and congratulations on your twins!

thishappyhouse · August 2012

I feel for you. It is the great irony of maternity leave and having a micropreemie that you often go back to work just as the real hands on care is finally happening. My daughter was born at 25 weeks and spent almost 18 weeks in the NICU. I went back to work after 9 weeks and worked for the 2nd half of her NICU stay. Im not going to lie, it was hard and I was always on the move but like everything else it was completely manageable when I took it one day at a time and put one foot in front of the other. My work was flexible and understood that there were days that I had to leave to go to the hospital (often on short notice) in the middle of the day for a feeding, meeting with the OT, meeting with a doctor etc. It worked out.

The biggest piece of advice I can offer is really rely on your nursing team, especially your primaries. Let them know your new schedule and let them know how they can help you. Call often and dont be afraid to ask to speak to an attending. Take a night off when you need to. I never did it but I probably should have.

SquishyMine · August 2012

Thank you all for the kind words of encouragement and the welcome! Yes, I'm new to posting - been around the knot for years, but switched user names at one point. I lurk a lot!

You are right about the irony, happy - right when I feel like they need me more, I'm able to spend less time with them. They are still in awesome hands, but we're doing more with less time...welcome to parenthood, I guess! I do wish my work would be a bit more flexible. I am taking a long lunch, but it's a bit stressful to have to make up the time, and a two hour lunch makes it a long day. We will get through it, I'm just getting antsy because they look so great, but they're not ready to go home yet. It was easier (not easy, but easier) to leave when they looked sick and I could see they had to be there. There is a light at the end of the tunnel though!

We actually just got back from the NICU and had an AWESOME night! The nurse checked Samantha's tummy after she went to the breast, and she got a little bit of milk!!! I fed my baby for the first time! I started crying I was so happy! Emily also latched and suckled great - not very long, she tuckered easy, as is to be expected...but all around I was floating on air when we left the hospital!

Thank you all again, and it's very nice to meet all of you!

SquishyMine · August 2012

strudel82:

This was me about a month ago. My first day back at work I was so distracted I barely got anything done. I would go to the NICU at 6 am for their morning feeding, head to work for the day, then make it back to the NICU for their 6 pm feeding. It was brutal, but I really needed that time with them.

As far as BF, I pumped 3 times a day at work in addition to pumping at home/at the hospital. My supply did just fine even with everything else going on.

It's a schedule that will definitely make your head spin, but you can do it! Just make sure that when the weekends roll around that you get some sleep and have some quiet time.

Good luck! The next month will just fly by

Thank you! our feedings are at 5 and 5, so that's why I was trying to take a break in the day - but was thinking of the morning feeding instead. That's exactly how to put it - I need the time with them! Great point about the quiet time...I was thinking mani/pedi

haziedaze · August 2012

I went back to save my leave... then he came home much earlier than we expected and I had to scarmble to get shifts covered all over again. I definitely felt torn, and I was only part time, but part of me also enjoyed having that bit of normalcy and an excuse to take a break from the NICU. My husband cut back on his days some so he could be at the NICU a little more during this period. He worked on bottle feeding then, since when I was there I would mostly try to BF. I think it's like everything else, take one day at a time, be gentle with yourself and you'll get through it. Good luck! Hope your babies get home soon!

SquishyMine · August 2012

Thank you all for the reminder to take one day at a time. I forget that if you get into that "how am I ever going to keep this up for...weeks...months" it gets overwhelming. I'm just getting through this schedule today, and then tomorrow I'll get through the schedule tomorrow. Having a success with breast feeding last night helped - this is all for them.

That is an awesome point about the bottle - maybe hubby can head over there for the day feeding once they start with the bottle, and I can do the night one...he's much closer to the hospital.

You guys are great!

jcsntms06 · August 2012

First off Congratulations!

I actually didn't go back to work after having my girls early (they had shorter NICU stays). I say make a plan to stay for a certain amount of time during the day or whatever hours you are not going to work. Not sure how far you are from the NICU but maybe you can visit the babies briefly during your lunch break. Also, remember to take some me time, even if it's only 30 minutes to nap, pump, etc.

Praying that your LO's are home soon. Definitely keep us posted.

thishappyhouse · August 2012

SquishyMine:
Thank you all for the kind words of encouragement and the welcome! Yes, I'm new to posting - been around the knot for years, but switched user names at one point. I lurk a lot!

You are right about the irony, happy - right when I feel like they need me more, I'm able to spend less time with them. They are still in awesome hands, but we're doing more with less time...welcome to parenthood, I guess! I do wish my work would be a bit more flexible. I am taking a long lunch, but it's a bit stressful to have to make up the time, and a two hour lunch makes it a long day. We will get through it, I'm just getting antsy because they look so great, but they're not ready to go home yet. It was easier (not easy, but easier) to leave when they looked sick and I could see they had to be there. There is a light at the end of the tunnel though!

We actually just got back from the NICU and had an AWESOME night! The nurse checked Samantha's tummy after she went to the breast, and she got a little bit of milk!!! I fed my baby for the first time! I started crying I was so happy! Emily also latched and suckled great - not very long, she tuckered easy, as is to be expected...but all around I was floating on air when we left the hospital!

Thank you all again, and it's very nice to meet all of you!

I am so happy for you! These little preemies give you just what you need when you need it the most.

The first time Virginia nursed was after a horrific week of bottle attempts. It was a really scary time because she was getting "old" by NICU standards and the docs were talking g-tube, brain mri's, upper gi studies, etc. She nursed right away like she had done it forever... what a great feeling.

Also- dont be afraid to ask the nursing staff if they can move their feeding schedule at all. we were originally on a 2,5,8,11 schedule and after a week of working I realized that a 3,6,9,12 was much more manageable for our schedules.

SquishyMine · August 2012

jcsntms06:
First off Congratulations! I actually didn't go back to work after having my girls early they had shorter NICU stays. I say make a plan to stay for a certain amount of time during the day or whatever hours you are not going to work. Not sure how far you are from the NICU but maybe you can visit the babies briefly during your lunch break. Also, remember to take some me time, even if it's only 30 minutes to nap, pump, etc.nbsp;Praying that your LO's are home soon. Definitely keep us posted.nbsp;

That's the schedule now. Work by 7, pump at 8, two hour lunch for the 11:00, pump at 2. Pump after get off work at 5, eat and book it up to NICU. I'm then doing the 8:00 up there and staying til almost 11. It's a long day, and hard to focus at work, but getting "easier". It's day 3 of it and adjusting a bit. Routines help...at least until the next change! :. As they say in the NICU: "The babies are in charge!"

AlwaysSunny925 · August 2012

I didn't stay sane at all. I went back to work when the kids were 10 days old, so for over 4 months we were both working full time and seeing the kids in the morning and evening. When I think back at that time, I was just going through the motions. I was like a zombie. We would leave the house at 7am and get home after 10 most nights. We ate junk all the time. We barely slept. It was miserable but we had to do what we had to do for our kids. It was more important to me to have 8 weeks with them once they got home.

I'm sorry. I hope it is easier for you. Hugs. I know it is tough.

SquishyMine · August 2012

thishappyhouse:

I am so happy for you! These little preemies give you just what you need when you need it the most.

The first time Virginia nursed was after a horrific week of bottle attempts. It was a really scary time because she was getting "old" by NICU standards and the docs were talking g-tube, brain mri's, upper gi studies, etc. She nursed right away like she had done it forever... what a great feeling.

Also- dont be afraid to ask the nursing staff if they can move their feeding schedule at all. we were originally on a 2,5,8,11 schedule and after a week of working I realized that a 3,6,9,12 was much more manageable for our schedules.

OOO! Glad you made it throug that!

I think the 3, 6, 9, 12 will need to be tried. Today, with traffic and the lactation consultant - it took me about 2 1/2 hours at lunch, and it was very stressful driving there and back. Makes for pumping 3 times a day at work...but this trying to get there at lunch just not working, methinks.

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Back at work...babies still in NICU

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