Reading about other preemies really helped my wife and I so we just wanted to offer some advice to anyone about to begin or still in the middle of this.
Cooper was born on September, 9th 2015, at 23 weeks +6 days weighing about 1lb 7oz. On Sunday, we finally heard that magic word, "discharge."
My advice to NICU beginners is to trust the nurses and doctors, but always be your baby's advocate. If you don't like a nurse for some reason, call the charge nurse and put him or her on what we called "the no-fly list" before you get to your car. You are vulnerable and in need of love, so don't put up with any shit from a snotty nurse or someone who appears to be lazy. This will not happen a lot; for us only twice.
Most NICU nurses are god's gift to earth. But it may happen, so do something about it for you and your baby.
If you think a nurse is doing an amazing job, add her to your primary list before you get to the car. These primaries become your spirit guide through this crazy acid trip. They will know your baby inside and out and help the doctors make the best decisions. They hold your hand, and walk you through the process. Also know that they are a primary for someone else, so you won't always get them each shift they work. You are not the first person to realize that nurse was the bomb.
Lastly, learn about each condition your baby has, the treatments, the associated risks and the alternatives. I Googled things right by the bedside/isolette after speaking with the doctor so it stayed fresh. The doctor's in our NICU treat dozens and dozens of preemies so the phone calls and bedside conversations have been brief and densely packed with easy-to-forget details.
But if you ask good questions you will get good answers. For instance, we pushed for some medicines to treat Cooper's agonizing reflux. The doctors agreed to try something, but it may have been days or weeks later if we didn't ask for it. On Friday, we found the right combo of drugs and the reflux largely disappeared. He started drinking like a fish and then we got his discharge orders drawn up Sunday morning after 101 days.
In summary, stay strong NICU parents. Do your homework and it will help you get through this, and possibly get your baby home a tad bit sooner.
And now for the obligatory before and after photos!
Day 1
Day 101
Merry Christmas to all NICU parents and NICU babies!
Cooper was born on September, 9th 2015, at 23 weeks +6 days weighing about 1lb 7oz. On Sunday, we finally heard that magic word, "discharge."
My advice to NICU beginners is to trust the nurses and doctors, but always be your baby's advocate. If you don't like a nurse for some reason, call the charge nurse and put him or her on what we called "the no-fly list" before you get to your car. You are vulnerable and in need of love, so don't put up with any shit from a snotty nurse or someone who appears to be lazy. This will not happen a lot; for us only twice.
Most NICU nurses are god's gift to earth. But it may happen, so do something about it for you and your baby.
If you think a nurse is doing an amazing job, add her to your primary list before you get to the car. These primaries become your spirit guide through this crazy acid trip. They will know your baby inside and out and help the doctors make the best decisions. They hold your hand, and walk you through the process. Also know that they are a primary for someone else, so you won't always get them each shift they work. You are not the first person to realize that nurse was the bomb.
Lastly, learn about each condition your baby has, the treatments, the associated risks and the alternatives. I Googled things right by the bedside/isolette after speaking with the doctor so it stayed fresh. The doctor's in our NICU treat dozens and dozens of preemies so the phone calls and bedside conversations have been brief and densely packed with easy-to-forget details.
But if you ask good questions you will get good answers. For instance, we pushed for some medicines to treat Cooper's agonizing reflux. The doctors agreed to try something, but it may have been days or weeks later if we didn't ask for it. On Friday, we found the right combo of drugs and the reflux largely disappeared. He started drinking like a fish and then we got his discharge orders drawn up Sunday morning after 101 days.
In summary, stay strong NICU parents. Do your homework and it will help you get through this, and possibly get your baby home a tad bit sooner.
And now for the obligatory before and after photos!
Day 1
Day 101
Merry Christmas to all NICU parents and NICU babies!
