Community› The Bump Message Boards› Preemies
Preemies
New Discussion

Creating a NICU routine?

ktshafraktshafra member
in Preemies
I'm set to be discharged tomorrow and am starting to think about creating a routine for myself for after. I imagine it'll take some trial and error. My biggest fear right now is balancing the time I need to be with my little Emery and the time my 1 year old needs with me at home. It's been a long few days away from her and I know it's been hard on her having me gone, so I worry about spending even more time apart from her. Yet I also feel like most important thing right now is being there for my preemie. Oh, this Mother's guilt! Advice/suggestions for NICU routine are appreciated. DH thought we'd go in every morning for a few hours, go to lunch, and go back to the NICU. I just can't spend that much time away from my toddler. Would spending mornings with the preemie and evenings with the toddler be enough for each?
Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker BabyFruit Ticker
Report Reply to Post

Re: Creating a NICU routine?

  • Sept30MadisonSept30Madison member
    I was at the NICU from about 9:30am to 6:00pm every day.  I ate breakfast and dinner with my 4 year old and then spent time with her after dinner.  That schedule worked really well for me.
    DD#1, Alexa, Born 8/08; TTC # 2 since 3/2010; 8 IUI BFN; 1 cervical pregnancy in April 2011; IVF #1 Dec 2011 worked. EDD = 9/7/12. Bedrest starting 6/4/12. Julia Mae born 7/1/12, home 8/12/12. Lilypie Premature Baby tickers
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • jcsntms06jcsntms06 member
    Is your oldest in daycare? If so I would keep sending them. I would actually take DD#1 to daycare and then drive to NICU to be w/DD#2.I would usually stay from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. (I took a lunch break too). I would head home pick up DD#1 and then do something special with her, like have dinner out or talk a walk to the park. Then at night after she had gone to bed, DH and I would head back to the NICU for a few hours.  And on the weekend we had special plans for DD#1. We would bring her to the NICU (they allowed illness free siblings to visit), before heading to her grandparents for the day.
    image

    image

    image 





    Report Reply
  • pathfindermonpathfindermon member
    My lo is my first so i don't have any advice but I wanted to say to be gentle on yourself.  Having a NICU baby is hard enough without the extra stress.  And I'll tell you what one of our NICU nurses told us- as much as you may want to- you don't have to be at the NICU all the time.  Your lo is in good hands and needs a lot of rest. 
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker image
    Report Reply
  • WannaBAmamaWannaBAmama member
    The balance between my LO in the nicu and LO at home was the hardest for me! Once I was able to drive I'd spend the morning at home with my 3 year old, I'd call and check on my baby after rounds, I'd go to the hospital around 11am and leave around 34 then my husband would go visit after work around 5 and stay until 7. I liked that he had two separate visitors in the nicu every day. Then I'd call again at around midnight to hear how the rest of his evening was and how his weight was, since they check that at night. Try not to be too hard on yourself. It sucks having your LO's in two different places. No matter who I was with I was feeling guilty I wasn't with the other LO.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"