How do you get through the day?

Question

My baby boy is 3 days old. Born at 32 weeks exactly. 3 lbs 5 oz.  staying in the NICU for the foreseeable future. The thought of being discharged in 2 days is killing me. Just sitting in this hospital room is killing me. I know I can see him whenever I want after we are home but being away from him at all seems impossible. Please give me your advice😓😭

Answer

All you can do is just show up and see him. It is hard. Mine was born at 24 weeks, 1lb 5oz. It has been a long journey. We are finally at 2lb 11oz. He is growing so much. Just be there and watch your baby grow. Hold your baby as much as you can and just hope and pray for him to become even stronger every day.

Answer

This is probably not the most productive answer, but I spent the time I didn't see him either pumping, eating, or sleeping. I couldn't go see him as much as I wanted because I didn't drive.

Answer

For me I spent as much time there as possible every day he was there. I literally only went home to sleep and I tried to eat near there. Obviously you don’t have to be there that much but it was the only thing that made me feel better. Hope time flies for you and your little is home soon!

Answer

It's really really hard. Postpartum away from your baby is no joke, you will cry a lot but it will be okay. You can spend a lot of time in the NICU and you should—but also you should take breaks to eat (was not good at following this advice) or the hormones will just become really hard to manage.

Answer

My little boy is now 18 weeks old. He was born at 32 weeks and 1 day weighing 2lb 12oz. He was only on the NICU ward for 26days. I’m in the UK and my hospital had parent flats for babies close to discharge and breastfeeding mums. For the last week once he started being able to latch on I was given one of those and he slept in his cot in there with me and the nurses would just pop in and make sure we were okay and check his temperature. Before that I would cry every night at home as NICU just drains you even though you’re not doing a lot. Now it seems like a million years ago. I feel like I’ve had him home the whole time. If I’m honest we had a really easy time compared to some. He needed no assistance with breathing or oxygen he was just little and couldn’t come home until he was 50% oral fed and not tube. He came home with a feeding tube but ripped it out 12 hours later and it never went back in. Pic below is the night he was born, the day he came home and now 💙💙💙

Answer

The first week will be thre hardest then you will get a new "normal" routine and it'll be ok. I had my daughter at 27 weeks abd she stayed for 123 days. Hopefully your stay will be much shorter!

Answer

It is rough.  I cried a lot, but you have to go home nightly, tend to your body.  Choose a window of time to be in NICU.  I was there in time for daily rounds stayed 4 hours, went home to clean house and prepare the nursery (which I didn’t plan on needing so soon) and go back at night.  Also, if you are pumping that will fill any other down time.  Take your discharge medications, keep in touch with your “village” and soon this will be a page in babies memory book.

Answer

It’s very difficult. But you’ll get there - make sure you take care of yourself (as best you can) and eat good meals and shower and rest while you’re not there. Nicu time feels like it drags on forever. We spent 45 days in hospital with our 32 weeker last August. Thinking of you! You’ve got this mama!

Answer

My baby was born at 34 weeks, and we spent 3 weeks in the NICU. After I was discharged, I was so anxious about leaving the hospital and felt SO guilty! But looking back, I’m glad I went home *most* nights to sleep- my body needed rest because I knew my baby needed me healthy. It is so hard not to be completely discouraged, but just keep the faith. You got this mama 🙏🏼🙏🏼

Answer

I sit in the nicu literally all day.  I go home to feed my big kids dinner and come back here in the morning.  Now that they start school tomorrow, I’ll spend their school day here and go home when they get home.  It’s hard to leave but I know he’s in the best hands possible.

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