NICU check-in

ziggy903 · February 2014

Sorry this is super late y'all! I'll try to do better next week!

1. How old is baby? If premature, tell us adjusted age/gestation as well

2. How long is your expected nicu stay?

3. How is baby doing?

4. How are you feeling, emotionally?

ziggy903 · February 2014

1. 4 weeks old, 36+2 adjusted

2. We are 4 weeks into an estimated 4-8 weeks, then he will come home for a bit before surgery. After his surgery we are looking at 3-5 weeks in the NICU.

3. He is doing wonderful. The doctors are telling me he could come home as early as the middle of this week! He pulled out his feeding tube a couple nights ago(feisty guy!) and the nurses decided to not put it back in unless he needed it- and he hasn't! So now they're monitoring his growth with him getting bottles of fortified breastmilk, and if they continue to be happy we can go home!

4. I'm freaking out about him coming home. When he's at the hospital, he's hooked up to monitors so I know his breathing is good and his heart rate is normal... At home he won't have that! And that scares me, to think I won't have that backup.

emm57 · February 2014

4. I'm freaking out about him coming home. When he's at the hospital, he's hooked up to monitors so I know his breathing is good and his heart rate is normal... At home he won't have that! And that scares me, to think I won't have that backup.

This was my biggest fear when I brought DS1 home after a 4 week NICU stay. I also think it's completely normal. It is so easy to become obsessed with numbers and rely on monitors to ease your fears. I know I sure did. I tried really hard to try and stop looking at them and paying attention to things I would not have when I went home. I started about 2-3 days before we left. I don't know if it helped much or my mommy instinct just kicked in hardcore when I got home, but after the 2nd day home I was like "I got this!" I also was reminded and reminded myself that no matter what I was his mom and I knew him better than anyone else, even the amazing people that took care of him in the NICU. Good luck and remember when you come home " you got this!"

AngieV84 · February 2014

1. How old is baby? If premature, tell us adjusted age/gestation as well
3 weeks 4 days,
39 weeks 2 days

2. How long is your expected nicu stay? Jackson has been home since the 21st. We still don't know when Dominic will be home, but he is finally taking all of his bottles and his ng tube is out! Hopefully by the end of this week or early next week.

3. How is baby doing?
Dominic is doing well. No episodes recently and taking his bottles now, which is great because they were worried about oral aversion. He still needs to take more volume and meet a few other goals before he can come home.
Jackson is doing well at home, just sleeping, eating, pooping but fussy when he's really gassy. Both good babies though!

4. How are you feeling, emotionally?
I'm ok, just sleep deprived. It's still hard dividing my time between the two and sometimes I feel like a really bad mom. I'm sure it'll be different once they're both home but I'm also terrified of when they're both home and how I'll do it :-/

AngieV84 · February 2014

@ziggy903 I felt EXACTLY the same about taking Jackson home. I was really terrified because I was so used to the monitors and I just wanted to take the monitors home with us! But since he's been home, it's a lot easier than I thought. Remember, they won't let you take him home if they don't think he's ready. I have more confidence taking Dominic home now that I know what it's like (although, still a little terrified).

MamaAllison · February 2014

ziggy903 said:
1. 4 weeks old, 36+2 adjusted

2. We are 4 weeks into an estimated 4-8 weeks, then he will come home for a bit before surgery. After his surgery we are looking at 3-5 weeks in the NICU.

3. He is doing wonderful. The doctors are telling me he could come home as early as the middle of this week! He pulled out his feeding tube a couple nights ago(feisty guy!) and the nurses decided to not put it back in unless he needed it- and he hasn't! So now they're monitoring his growth with him getting bottles of fortified breastmilk, and if they continue to be happy we can go home!

4. I'm freaking out about him coming home. When he's at the hospital, he's hooked up to monitors so I know his breathing is good and his heart rate is normal... At home he won't have that! And that scares me, to think I won't have that backup.

I'm not a NICU mom but I just want to say that the pic of him smiling is priceless! Shows what a good spirited little guy he is, just like his momma!!

ziggy903 · February 2014

@angiev84 @emm57 thank you! I feel more normal

I'm sure when we go home I'll be worried but I'll know that he's doing fine.

Angie, I'm so glad Dominic is doing so well! Hopefully he can join his brother soon!

cjmFeb2014 · February 2014

It gladdens my heart to read about your boys doing well, mamas. I think about you guys a lot. Ziggy, T&P for David going home with you this week!

Nikkijo1022 · February 2014

I'm a newbie to the NICU group. Carson was admitted a few hours after birth early Sunday morning.

1. How old is baby? If premature, tell us adjusted age/gestation as well
He will be 3 days old tonight and 38 weeks!

2. How long is your expected nicu stay?
No idea. Hopefully not long! He was sent here for some respiratory distress after birth and they are in the process of ruling things out now. Today I got here and he was under the billi lights so were dealing with that too.

3. How is baby doing?
He's a champ! Now if we could only get him to wake up and eat.

4. How are you feeling, emotionally?
I'm a mess. Last night was the first time I had to leave him in hospital and it was the more gut wrenching physically painful experience of my entire life. (You can all relate right?) I just want him home. And I'm also really sad about breastfeeding. He just learned to latch last night and then it bottles overnight. Hoping I have success here at our next feeding at 1045. Any BF NICU moms with advice or success stories?? Thank for being here guys.

ziggy903 · February 2014

(((Hugs))) @nikkijo1022

I'm really sorry you have to join us here. Hopefully his respiratory issues turn out to be nothing major! LO was under the bili lights for a few days, I'm told its fairly normal during the first week of life.
Leaving LO at the hospital has been the hardest thing I've ever gone through. In my experience, it doesn't get easier- you get better at dealing with it.
I hope bfing goes well today! LO is still struggling at the breast, but he's got different difficulties because he was premature. The only advice I have is just keep going! He'll catch on soon enough. (I need to tell myself that sometimes too!)

erinel · February 2014

1. How old is baby? If premature, tell us adjusted age/gestation as well
3 weeks 3 days
39 weeks adjusted

2. How long is your expected nicu stay?
No idea, but at least a few weeks

3. How is baby doing?
Not great, but we are still hopeful. He is now in the third day on ECMO, which is a heart lung bypass machine. Today we found out that he now had renal failure, so they are starting him on dialysis. Even though he is still extremely critical, some of his other things have been improving, like his liver function is almost normal and the virus is slowly but surely dying.
He truly is the toughest little guy!

4. How are you feeling, emotionally?
It depends on the moment. We haven't been able to stay in his room around the clock anymore because of the ECMO machine, and it is really hard for me to drag myself away. On the other hand, we are able to stay down the hall at the Ronald McDonald house, so I've actually been able to sleep some. I'm still a wreck, but am trying to stay positive.

ziggy903 · February 2014

@erinel (((hugs)))
You and your little man will continue to be in my prayers

Dexter&11 · February 2014

Hi

1. Emily is now 6 days old - which is 37 weeks and 4 days

2. The belly line was removed today and she's off the antibiotics so will hopefully be moved onto the ward with me at lunch time today (after the doctors rounds)

3. Emily's is so snoozy - think I've seen my little girl conscious about once a day since she arrived! Doesn't help much when trying to feed her

4. Yesterday was a hard day as they thought she'd be with me then, and told me I'd have to go home without her if she wasn't off the belly line today. Little minx must've heard as when I went to see her to try the 23:00 feed she had NO belly line

was lovely to actually be able to pick my baby up and cuddle her to me and smother her in kisses rather than just stroke her through the incubator vents

melissandow · February 2014

Hi ladies. I just wanted to wish you all the best in your NICU journey. My little man came home Jan 27th after 26 days. We stayed for rounds that morning after I spent a full 24 hours straight feeding him trough the night (he had issues with breathing, regulating his blood sugar, jaundice and the last thing was him to feed on his own. That's what kept him there the longest. He still isn't a perfect eater and struggle sometimes but is doing so much better). It was a complete surprise when they told us he could leave. We were thrilled and shocked because they told us it could be another 2 weeks! I love the old surprises. I hated the ups and downs. Go one day and things look great and then the next day he took a step back. That was tough. Believe me when I say that once he is home, you will forget about his stay. The struggles will fade and you will just enjoy your little one. @erinel. I too stayed at the Ronald McDonald house during my son's stay. It was a life saver! We were in Ottawa.

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