Greg was in the hospital for 3 weeks after his expected due date. He had been there the longest at that point, and he was also the oldest gestationally. There were babies that were leaving at 35 weeks gestation... but not us. It was so bad they were going to put us in the pediatric unit, but I refused, as it was a far worse ward then we were in.
Greg desatted and had bradies constantly. They thought it was Acid Reflux as well, but angling his bed so he was on an angle didn't work, and neither did the ranitidine they gave him.
I do remember the frusteration of having him go 20 hours or so without one, and then I'd go in for his 2AM feed, only to find out he'd just had one. And of course, then his test was reset. I'm not sure if they are doing if for you, but he had to pass a carseat test in which he had to stay in a carseat, on monitors but without breathing aids. He had to sit there for 2 hours and not desat or brady once, and then he would pass that test and pass one more hurdle before we could get home. The next one was he had to go for 72 hours without a desat or brady before he could go home. He just barely completed that by 43 weeks. We would go 36, 48 hours etc, and then he'd have a minor one and they would reset him.
I don't really have many suggestions as to why this is still happening, as I am not a Dr. But I did find that when he was sick with a cold or something, it was worse. When they were messing with his meds, it was worse.
Two things we found out after he was released which we were told probably would have played a big part in it all... he had a heart murmer, and his Patent Ductus Arteriosis hadn't closed. The PDA valve should have closed right after birth, and if it doesn't, they give Indocin. If that doesn't work, then they need to have heart surgery. Well, Greg was given the Indocin, and apparently it didn't work. But it went unnoticed, and by the time it was noticed, it was too late for the Indocin to be readministered. It was a cardiologist from the Children's Hospital that found this out after he was finally released from the hospital.
Both conditions healed themselves shortly after we came home. We were told if he had have had surgery for them, it may have sped up how quicklu he had have come home, depending on when it was found. But, yes, both conditions were partially responsible for the desats and bradies.
We also had an Angelcare Monitor for him, and yes, it gave us alot of comfort. He was also in a bassinette in our room when we came home. The Angelcare didn't work great in that, but well enough.
and he was baggd on 1 occasion, i am just beside myself having to see him turn purple so late into the NICU anyone else go through this @ 38 weeks
