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Home Home and Family Babies Survival in the NICU
Survival in the NICU PDF Print E-mail
Written by Haylee Landford   
Our lives changed quite dramatically on August 1st, 2008. It was my first time setting foot into a place in whose existence I had previously been ignorant of, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The joyous day that he was born came ten weeks earlier than he was due. Looking back now on how scared and anxious I was, perhaps it may be useful to share what I learned about life in the NICU.
by HayleeLandford


Our lives changed quite dramatically on August 1st, 2008. It was my first time setting foot into a place in whose existence I had previously been ignorant of, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The joyous day that he was born came ten weeks earlier than he was due. Looking back now on how scared and anxious I was, perhaps it may be useful to share what I learned about life in the NICU.

The first concern was the noise of bells and alarms constantly going off in the NICU. It is easy to assume the worst has happened, cardiac arrest, or a lung collapsing. I quickly learned that perhaps this was not the case.

These are merely ways for the vitals of the baby to communicate with the nurses that have many tasks to follow at once. It might only mean that an IV is out, or that certain vitals have gone slightly below the recommended levels. It is undeniable when the dings and alarms become crucial; they are not only more prevalent, but a team of nurses will not hesitate to respond at the bedside.

I was also worried about the nurses going from baby to baby with so many of them suffering from contagious infections. I soon learned that every person in the NICU, including visitors, must take precious care to stay sanitary by washing their hands very frequently. They also hospital grade hand sanitizer very accessible all over the NICU.

Since the nurses do have so many babies to watch, they can't always come talk to you as soon as you need them too. To help with this, it's good to let them know what times of day is best for you to come and then they can expect you. You may not always have the same nurses everyday, but they spend an hour passing information to each other at the changing of shifts, so that all the nurses will know when you are to come.

When they know you are coming, they can arrange other specialist to come talk to you as well. Lactation specialist, for example, are on hand to help mothers learn how best to get breast milk to their growing child. Since it has been proven that babies fed with breast milk leave the NICU sooner, it is most helpful.

Other specialist are sent in to help you know the special care you can render to your child. Babies who spend time in the NICU do require different kinds of attention. These specialist are very personable, and will take time to get to know you and your situation so they can help you best.

For example, they offer you Kangaroo Care where you can hold and bond with your baby, while also teaching them to hold their own temperature and control their own heart rate by taking the lead from you body. They teach baby massage techniques for bonding and calming of the baby. First aid is also very useful to learn while there.

I am hoping that your NICU experience will be much more than anxiety. You and your spouse can come away with a very useful learning experience if all these elements of the NICU are utilized to the fullest. These classes and services not only help time go faster by giving you something to look forward too, but it also helps you feel more prepared for the homecoming. It will allow you to feel all the important feelings of joy and excitement when your child finally comes into the safety of your home.

About The Author:

Haylee Landford is the mother of a premature baby that is now six months old, and very healthy. She frequently is featured as a guest writer for Land For Sale.

Kindly provided by 4Girls.dk You are welcome to use this article on your own website, if you include this link.
 
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