https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 05 Apr 2026 12:43:03 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2901310 Fri, 01 Nov 2019 11:44:14 +0000 magnolia 2901310@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: congrats!!! I love her name. So happy you are home. I remember the feeling of wanting to check the monitors too! It will get easier day by day :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2901264 Thu, 31 Oct 2019 19:51:41 +0000 jhd 2901264@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: so glad to hear you are home! Yay! It does take some getting used to being without the monitors! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2901256 Thu, 31 Oct 2019 17:55:09 +0000 karenbme 2901256@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks ladies! We did get to go home yesterday 😃 The practice nursing, bottle, pump grind is still a grind but so much easier in our home than the hospital. DH and I both have found ourselves wishing we could check the monitors just to be sure she’s ok, though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2901071 Wed, 30 Oct 2019 08:57:43 +0000 nwm 2901071@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: :heart: ! hope you get to go home today! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2901058 Tue, 29 Oct 2019 20:41:37 +0000 LadyDi 2901058@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Congratulations! I love her name! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2901057 Tue, 29 Oct 2019 20:26:56 +0000 Sams Mom 2901057@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: congratulations momma! I'm so glad everything is going well! Here's to going home soon! 😁 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2901056 Tue, 29 Oct 2019 20:23:35 +0000 karenbme 2901056@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks, ladies! I’m hesitant to post this, because I worry I might jinx it, but it looks like we may be going home tomorrow. 😆 At rounds this morning the pediatrician said if everything stayed the same we would be discharged tomorrow. And we’re more than halfway to that at this point. The only realistic reason I can see that changing at this point is if she isn’t up weight relative to yesterday, but she’s been eating like a champ all day. So fingers crossed. After her next feed we’re also doing a “car seat challenge” which is a discharge requirement for the hospital, where we bring in our car seat and put her in on the monitors for 90 min. to make sure she can tolerate it. But I’m not worried about that since we’ve held her in a reclining position many times and never had a problem.</p> <p>@pachamama: Thanks, we picked the name because it means strong/brave like a bear, which we think is just so perfect. We’re calling her Berdie for short (pronounced like birdie) which I also think is the cutest nickname. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2901053 Tue, 29 Oct 2019 20:07:33 +0000 skiierchck99 2901053@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: Really happy to hear ❤️ I’m sure she will continue to get stronger! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2901044 Tue, 29 Oct 2019 19:03:14 +0000 pachamama 2901044@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: Yayyyy!! So glad to hear this!! Im tellin ya, those preemie girls often do just fine!! Bernadette, what a sweet name! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2901002 Tue, 29 Oct 2019 11:30:35 +0000 LCTBQE 2901002@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, congratulations!!! So glad she's doing well :heart: Hope your recovery is going great. Wonderful news :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2900965 Tue, 29 Oct 2019 07:56:29 +0000 lindseykaye 2900965@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: Congratulations!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2900963 Tue, 29 Oct 2019 07:43:38 +0000 Mama Bird 2900963@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Congratulations!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2900945 Mon, 28 Oct 2019 22:46:45 +0000 jhd 2900945@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: congratulations on your baby girl! It sounds like she’s doing great! Fx you get to go home soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2900938 Mon, 28 Oct 2019 21:12:26 +0000 crazydoglady 2900938@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: Congratulations, mama! I'm so happy she is healthy and that the doctors are pleased with her progress. I will be praying you are released as soon as possible! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2900936 Mon, 28 Oct 2019 20:57:08 +0000 karenbme 2900936@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hello all, thank you for all the tips/info. Bernadette Cassandra arrived at 12:06am Friday at 35 weeks 0 days, but needed respiratory support at birth so she was taken to NICU immediately. She was only on CPAP for the first morning, but has stayed for monitoring because of an apnea alarm on Saturday morning. She’s big and vigorous, though, and the attending who’s been on since Saturday likes to refer to her as a preterm baby who acts like she’s early term. And said this morning on rounds that “her alarms just aren’t that alarming.” Today we moved to the transitional suite, which is still NICU, but designed for families that will be going home soon, so parents are encouraged to care independently with nurses nearby to help. We could still bounce back to regular NICU but we haven’t had any alarms today, so fingers crossed.</p> <p>The biggest thing that’s helping me is being at her bedside, so I’ve been here 18-20 hours a day. Seeing that she’s big and strong and healthy is so reassuring, especially with my history of loss. I haven’t used the Freemie cups yet because my milk just barely came in and when I was getting 5mL at a time it just didn’t make sense. The first night was really tough since she was on a strict every 3 hours feeding protocol and we’ve been putting her on the breast then feeding a bottle then pumping, which took two hours at a time. But thankfully now that she’s ad lib it’s less strict. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2900477 Thu, 24 Oct 2019 11:34:51 +0000 bees_knees 2900477@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: Thinking of you! :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2900453 Thu, 24 Oct 2019 09:40:53 +0000 Pumuckl 2900453@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: how are you holding up?</p> <p>My twins were late preterm at 36+2 and while we first thought we would be able to take them home, it turned out just as @MsMini: wrote that they had problems with temp control and jaundice. Luckily we never went home so there was no trouble with being admitted to the NICU. They were only in the hospital for two weeks and then went home. While the days felt stressful at the time, especially since we had 2 at home already, in retrospect it went by really quickly and the NICU nurses and docs were awesome and the time there really helped them grow and get strong. </p> <p>What helped me was a seat cushion as the chairs in our NICU were awful. I also liked having my own pump parts as the standard flanges the hospital provided were super uncomfortable for me. Other than that I liked that the nurses put the kids in fitting clothes and not the too big full-term baby clothes. So you can bring some of your own outfits for baby if you wish (although I believe every NICU has their own rules there). Also a phone and a charger were great to pass the time when there was nothing to do. I was also on bedrest in the hospital with preterm labor and I crocheted their baby blankets and little hats, that we used in their newborn photoshoot, then. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2900436 Thu, 24 Oct 2019 08:00:02 +0000 BUNBUN 2900436@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsMini: Thank you! That makes much more sense to me. I didn't realize they couldn't re-admit to NICU once baby has been home </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2900431 Thu, 24 Oct 2019 03:23:07 +0000 MsMini 2900431@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: So, in our hospital we actually admit automatically for under 36 weeks (so 35 6/7 and below) until they are feeding, gaining and thermoregulating well with stable bilirubin levels. Basically there is a bunch of research that shows that late preterm babies with early discharge are at much higher risk of repeat hospital admissions and failure to thrive. It’s safer and less upheaval overall to keep the baby in NICU until they are meeting those milestones, rather than going home and ending up back. Especially since usually a baby can’t come back into NICU once they have been home due to infection control risk, so they end up on a Pediatric unit with more risk of catching a virus. Does that help? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2900422 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 20:35:35 +0000 lilyofthewest 2900422@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our fertility trajectories were pretty similar if I recall correctly, I finally got my sticky pregnancy after 4 losses including an ectopic pregnancy and a time out after methotrexate. </p> <p>And then I had a marginal previa, a bleed, and ultimately a partial abruption and a 32+1 c-section. </p> <p>I kinda felt resigned that of course things were going wrong and would continue to go wrong because that is what happens to my pregnancies. :-/</p> <p>I think the NICU time was easier for me in some ways because there's absolutely no question of it being necessary at 32 weeks -- no one just goes home with a 32-weeker on their normal discharge date. </p> <p>I spent less time in the NICU than most folks on here seem to have, but, I'm not sure it was really less than typical since I almost never saw more than one or two other families present at any given time in a full 16 bed NICU "pod". I made sure I saw my baby every day -- most days for about 3 hours, but a few days for only a few minutes. I focused on my physical recovery and sleep so I would be able to be more present and capable when he didn't have an expert staff 24/7. </p> <p>Freemies are nice for being able to hold your baby, BUT, it can be tricky to get your nipple lined up exactly correctly and then that's OUCH if you don't realize you were misaligned until 10 minutes into a pumping session. </p> <p>Because I was pumping around the clock in the winter, I found this sweatshirt to be the best thing EVER. <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FSKQ62M/" rel="nofollow">https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FSKQ62M/</a> While I generally am fine with fridging pump parts for the day or using Medela wipes, I didn't feel comfortable with that while I had a NICU preemie -- so having multiple sets of pump parts was very useful. Particularly useful was having enough parts that I could immediately go to bed after my bedtime pump and still have clean parts for my overnight and too early in the morning pumps without having to wash first. I also pre-set up the pump parts and put everything immediately next to my bed. The less I had to move, the more compliant I was with pumping. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2900403 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 18:19:23 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 2900403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My D was born at 32 weeks after my water broke at 30w, had tons of complications and was in and out of the NICU for 4 of his first 5 months. I wrote a lot of blog posts several years ago which you might find either useful or terrifying 😊 At the end of the day I have a wonderful 6yo who continues to amaze us. Hang in there mama, one foot in front if the other, hoping all goes very smoothly for you and your LO! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane/page/2#post-2900399 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 16:24:45 +0000 MrsSRS 2900399@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My take on the "fine" baby is that every NICU has a cutoff you have to reach before they will release baby no matter how healthy they are. For some it's weight, for others it's gestational age.</p> <p>And my 30 weeker is also experiencing no residual preemie symptoms six years later. He has eczema and a less than stellar immune system which might be from that, but there's some genetic precedence in my family so maybe not. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane#post-2900384 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 13:40:24 +0000 karenbme 2900384@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BUNBUN: Yeah, but there's also a difference between what "fine" to an acquaintance in a hallway is vs. thriving, so benefit of the doubt there. They were saying he was able to breastfeed right off, though, which is really great for a baby that young. In terms of costs this pregnancy has been complicated enough that I hit our (family) deductible in week 16 and our annual out of pocket max in week 19. I'm also very confident it's for the whole family because DH's back PT has been totally free since the summer, too. And I asked the benefits administrator at work if a family plan would change that vs. a me+1 plan, and she said no because the limits are the same. So I'm thankful that that at least is one thing that isn't going to be a factor in our decisions about care/how to proceed, which is rare in the US.</p> <p>@psw27: Thank you for sharing. I'm 34+5 today and if I were to go into labor they wouldn't stop it, but my body's shown no signs other than a few tiny contractions that I couldn't even feel the day we got here. Inpatient has been really stressful and if I were to ask for an induction they would give it to me, and DH suggested that today, but I can feel what you're saying about leaving her in my heart already. Even the idea of having her taken away after birth already makes me ache let alone leaving her here overnight. I do hear you on the fresh air. I've been trying to get outside at least half an hour per day since I've been in inpatient because it helps so much, especially when the sun is shining. </p> <p>@fuzzypeaches: Thanks for sharing. I do worry about size, because even though she isn't technically IUGR at 25th percentile, both DH and I are tall and at 20 weeks she was over 50% on all the measurements so seeing her be so tiny is scary. It's great to hear that your kiddos don't have any real cognitive or physical challenges aside from asthma. I know that's the most likely scenario at this point, but I also know that the longer she can stay in the better her chances will be. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane#post-2900287 Tue, 22 Oct 2019 16:04:12 +0000 fuzzypeaches 2900287@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi! I’m sorry I missed this. Sorry to hear about the stress of this pregnancy I have been thinking about you.<br /> I have had two prem babies both pprom both vaginal precipitous delivery (first at 35wk and second at 34). The second had IUGR as well and was in NICU for 2-3 weeks (I can’t remember when we stepped down to peds) but we were released at equivalent of 38ish. </p> <p>Both my kids caught up quickly and are at or above their peers in terms of athletic and academic ability. The only issue my little one has (34 wker) is severe asthma which might be partly related to her prematurity but also possibly just genetic as my husband has it also. </p> <p>Any questions let me know but you are at a gestational age that has such a great prognosis. Hugs mama! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane#post-2900286 Tue, 22 Oct 2019 15:37:10 +0000 psw27 2900286@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: Chiming in. I had PPROM at 34 and 4, and he was born the next day (they didn't try to keep me from delivering). My DS1 was in the NICU for 13 days. I won't lie - it was the hardest thing I've ever done to leave him there at night after I was discharged. The hospital set us up on a schedule with him so he was able to be out of the incubator and held, fed, snuggled every 3 hours. In between I would go to a private room to pump, rest, watch TV etc. My husband and I were there from 5 AM (DH shift), I would go from 8 AM to 11 PM and DH would join me at 5 PM, 8 PM and 11 PM after work. Then we would go home to sleep for a few hours. They also gave me a pump and freezer space so I didn't have to haul it around and could establish supply. Ways to stay sane... I made sure to get some fresh air, go get non-hospital food, and try to sleep as much as I could. </p> <p>The emotional side of losing your ideal birth plan is very hard to cope with. If you need anything, I recommend Hand to Hold - they match you with a NICU veteran mom who can be there for you and help you along the way. Don't be afraid to see a counselor afterward too, PTSD can be very real from traumatic birth experiences. </p> <p>Let me know if I can help you in any way. :heart:</p> <p>Edited to add - I did have another baby. I was monitored more and took makenna but he was born right on time at 39 and 5, no NICU. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane#post-2900282 Tue, 22 Oct 2019 15:06:24 +0000 BUNBUN 2900282@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: I'd love to hear what insight @msMini can offer. That seems crazy about the "fine" baby in the NICU for 2 more weeks.<br /> FYI, because it stung me: You may have hit your deductible, but baby gets her own deductible. (You may have hit your family max, but idk if you have to pay 20% from there or not, depends on your plan)<br /> It's such an emotional roller coaster already, I hate that we have to be rationally thinking about costs at that time as well. I wonder if the social worker could speak to the estimated costs (of their policies), since that would certainly create more stress for your family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane#post-2900280 Tue, 22 Oct 2019 14:56:27 +0000 karenbme 2900280@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BUNBUN: Yeah, I wish I knew what the evidence behind it was. Another couple from our birthing class had their son at 33 weeks on Wednesday, and they said he's doing fine, but will be in the NICU "even if he's crawling by then" until 35 weeks. It's not a cost issue for us directly because we've hit all our maxes for the year on our insurance, but (without knowing what's behind it) it seems really arbitrary. @MsMini: Thoughts? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane#post-2900276 Tue, 22 Oct 2019 14:15:55 +0000 BUNBUN 2900276@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: it's funny that you mention the automatic admission to NICU before 35 weeks. My friend was on hospital bed rest and the day before she would have hit 35 weeks, her doc was like "well, I'm on call today, so do you just want to do the c-section today?" and she did, and it cost her THOUSANDS of dollars because of that 1 day and the 35 week rule. It shouldn't be the deciding factor, but after all was said and done, she was kind of kicking herself for not realizing that cost. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane#post-2900229 Tue, 22 Oct 2019 05:39:46 +0000 karenbme 2900229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LemonJack: Thanks. My hospital automatically admits any babies born before 35 weeks to the NICU, and we had a talk with a social worker yesterday that made it sound like even at 35 weeks she would expect 4 or 5 days of NICU time, so we’ll see. In the long run I know 4 or 5 days is nothing, but in the short run 5 days can be an eternity.</p> <p>@nwm: Thanks, time is passing alright—trying to get as many work projects wrapped up as I can. I’m thankful that I’m able to work remotely from the hospital because I was not in a place where work would have been fine if I had delivered Friday. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nicu-moms-give-me-your-best-tips-and-tricks-for-staying-sane#post-2900223 Tue, 22 Oct 2019 00:34:43 +0000 nwm 2900223@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: so glad to hear that &amp; glad you are happy with your doctors' approach. i can only imagine how those kicks feel--i definitely feel like the little guy is trying to jail break sometimes! hope the time is passing for you OK in the hospital, as well. </p>