Browsing all posts in The NICU.

Due Date Come and Gone?

So, my 27-weeker preemie was in the NICU past her due date, which the nurses had told me was a bit unusual.  From the day we arrived at the NICU I received encouragement that my baby would be home before her due date, because most preemies were.  I never lost hope of that, which is [...]

Please Wash Your Hands

When I first arrived at the NICU I was brought to a large sink with a foot pedal for turning the water on.  I was given an individually wrapped scrubber and nail cleaner so that I could wash my hands thoroughly, and told that I needed to wash my hands thoroughly all the way up [...]

NICU Nurses Good and Bad

I sometimes wonder if NICU nurses realize how huge of an impact they have on the parents’ NICU experience.  There does not have to be a lot of interaction between parents and nurses if it’s not encouraged by the parents, but even still the attitude, gentleness, and concern a nurse has for each baby is [...]

Ideas for a NICU Care Basket

Many family members and friends of those who have new preemie babies want to provide help and support but aren’t quite sure what is needed or what would be the most appreciated.  Especially during the first difficult weeks or months while the baby is in the NICU, a gift basket is a great idea!
I have [...]

Nessie the Milk Cow

So I was just musing for a minute today about pumping breast milk while in the NICU.  The NICU provides a number of freezers throughout the unit where mothers can store their pumped milk.  When I first arrived at the NICU I was introduced to the freezers and noticed that some shelves were packed full [...]

Breastfeeding – the Ups and Downs

This post is a continuation of Breastfeeding:  The Prerequisites.
After your preemie baby has learned how to latch on and has begun receiving nourishment from you, you may begin a period of short nursing sessions, teaching your baby the suck-swallow-breathe routine, wacky pumping schedules, and waiting for your baby to grow bigger and stronger. This [...]

Breastfeeding – the Prerequisites

First of all, if you’re planning to breastfeed your tiny preemie baby, you need to read Pumping: Your Greatest Commitment and OTs: My Very Best Friends. Pumping will be your life for some time, and the Occupational Therapists will be such a help to you. Never forget to call on them because they’re [...]

In the NICU during the Holidays

Three years ago I was in the NICU with my tiny baby when the weather turned cold, the leaves fell, Halloween came and went, Thanksgiving came and went, Christmas cheer and holiday shopper enthusiasm blew by in the cold wind outside the dark NICU windows, Christmas day came and went, and the new year rang [...]