NICU questions

Re: NICU questions

• Aurora1181 member

  September 2014

  What is their visitor policy? (For friends, grandparents, etc). Are there any support groups for NICU parents? How many babies is each nurse responsible for? Can you sleep there? Is there a shower you can use if you do stay the night? What hours does the LC work?

  ---------------Siggy Warning--------------------
  
  
  
  Me: 32, DH: 34  / TTC since February 2011 / SA: all normal, HSG: all clear! / on Lovenox for anticardiolipid antibodies
  4 IUIs with Clomid, Letrozole, and Menopur. All BFN.
  9/12: lap / hysteroscopy: found and removed mild endometriosis, cervical polyp, and 2 para-tubular cysts
  5/13 IVF #1: Follistim, Menopur, Ganirelix, 10R/4M/4F, ET of 2, 5 cell and 4 cell, no frosties = BFN
  12/13 IVF #2 = November / December 2013. Microdose Lupron Protocol: 15R/6M/6F, Froze all 6 due to high E2 and P4
  FET 1: Jan 22, 2014 of one 4AB blast and one 3BB blast (3 blasts on ice!)
  BFP on HPT 4dp5dt, Beta #1 9dp5dt: 310, Beta #2 11dp5dt: 899
  First u/s on 2/17/14: TWINS!!!!! both w/HBs of 114 at 6w3d, HBs 150 and 152 at 7w5d
  5/27/2014: Team purple!!!!  EDD 10/10/2014 / 

  Delivered by c-section at 32w0d 8/15/2014 due to preeclampsia/HELLP syndrome
  Baby Boy 4lbs 1oz, 17 inches
  Baby Girl 3lbs 5oz, 16 inches
  
  
  

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• itsmevkb member

  September 2014

  I was also going to suggest asking about what, if any, sleeping facilities there are, is there a shower, a more private bathroom, etc.  I would also ask what their daily schedule is, when the doctors make their rounds so that you can plan around that.
  

  Kelly, Mom to Christopher Shannon 9.27.06, Catherine Quinn 2.24.09, Trey Barton lost on 12.28.09, Therese Barton lost on 6.10.10, Joseph Sullivan 7.23.11, and our latest, Victoria Maren 11.15.12

  Secondary infertility success with IVF, then two losses, one at 14 weeks and one at 10 weeks, then success with IUI and then just pure, crazy luck.  Expecting our fifth in May as the result of a FET.

  This Cluttered Life

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• Lalalady54 member

  September 2014

  **Lurking**

  I would also ask if they will keep the baby at that NICU (what level NICU is it?) or if they will transfer baby to a Children's Hospital with a Cardiac ICU and when that transfer would potentially happen. Some NICUs don't take care of heart patients if they will require surgery. (Again it all just depends on the NICU) 

  
  

  I would ask about times that you get to participate in care with baby, what their policies are on parental involvement, staying at bedside, feeding baby, helping with baths. Sibling visitor policies if their are sibling or children, as you move into winter their is likely going to be respiratory restrictions for children under 12. If they have "quiet" times, when are they? I would ask about their developmental resources for baby, as he/she grows, what will they do to facilitate development within the NICU. If I think of more I will add. 

  
  

  Good Luck! ((HUGS))

  BFP #1-- 8-25-12, DD Born 5-1-13 

  BFP #2-- 5-6-14, MMC 6-13-14, D&C 6-13-14

  BFP #3 -- 8-26-14, EDD 5-10-15 

  
  

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• takmjs member

  September 2014

  Everyone's had great responses so far. Our NICU had a room for pumping with 3 areas/chairs/tables set up (separated by curtains), each with the medela hospital-grade pump. There was also a sink in there, so you could wash your hands and clean your pump parts. You may want to ask if there's a room like this for moms to pump.

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• ldbryan member

  September 2014

  Thank you, everyone!

  

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