Baby in NICU and I'm having bad day with it

[Ninagrrl]

My daughter is 3 days old and is currently in the NICU. I know there are people on here that have had it harder than me but I can't help but feel sad. She has low blood glucose levels. At first this was due to GD but now she isn't latching well for either breast or bottle. She's lethargic and isn't keeping her numbers up. She's currently on IV fluids but are talking about putting her on a feeding tube soon. I will be discharged soon and will have to leave her in the NICU and I don't want to.

Don't really know what I expect from posting this, just needed to get it off my chest.

Edit: realize that this should have been put in the other forum group for NICU support, sorry.

 

[_jellybean_]

I'm so sorry. Mine were in the nicu, and it was really difficult to deal with. Do they have any idea how long lo will be in?

 

[w8ing4bean]

No experience of this, just wanted to say im thinking of u and ur precious girl. Hope she is home with u very soon

 

[Peppermint25]

Sending big hugs xxx My LO was similar at 4 days old- not latching, lathargic lost a lot of body weight so we were rushed to nicu. I was a complete mess and distraught. It was a horrible experience. She was out in a feeding tube for 48 hours and quickly regained strength and weight. After two days we were moved to a transition ward avd the nurses were amazing and giving me the support to help her latch and feed. Within 5 days we were home and never a feeding problem again. She's now a big chubby 5 month old! Hang in there, it's so tough but you will both get through it xx

 

[Ninagrrl]

Thanks. They don't know how long yet. They tried to wean her from IV but her numbers dropped so they haven't been able to even start and so I was told if they can't wean her soon she will have to go on feeding tube. She is eating just don't know why she can't get her blood sugars up. She did have a slight raised temp when she was born and white blood cell count was also slightly elevated so they have her on antibiotics and will be testing her today to see if they can take her off antibiotics or not.

The good news is my milk is coming in today so I hope this will help her come off the formula and hopefully the IV too. They said if I get discharged that I can be transferred to a different room and stay here to continue to establish BFing but I don't know if I will be able to because I'd have to start paying for the room service meals and not sure we can afford it.

After carrying her around with me for 9 months I just miss her.

 

[sequeena]

 

[nanicon]

I hope you get to bring your daughter home sooner then expected. That not knowning when is the worst. My daughter spent about 2 1/2 weeks in the nicu. She was 5 weeks early but the main thing was her blood sugar was extremely low and she also had to be on iv. Very lethargic and wouldn't eat at all. She was tube fed as well.
It took roughly 6 days before her sugar stabilized and they could remove the iv. It may be coincidence but her sugar seemed to improve once I was pumping enough for her to get mostly breast milk. That line of thinking helped me anyway. Took another week and a half to get her to eat without needing the tube.
You have every right to feel sad. Its not an easy thing no matter how short or long the stay or for what.
I focused my attention on the task at hand which for me was pumping. It was slow going but I built up a great supply tho I know its not for everybody.
Sorry for the rambling. Sending postive thoughts your way.

 

[Ninagrrl]

I am pumping but she is finally eating more. It's still mostly formula but she is both drinking more formula as well as BFing more so they are hoping that it'll be the beginning of weaning her. I was coming to feed her and all but wasn't coming every feeding because I was too tired. Still tired but I'm going every time and they are pretty sure she is eating better because I'm able to be around more. We'll see.

 

[IsabellaJayne]

First of all, congratulations. Didnt know you had given birth!!
Secondly, big hugs , i hope shes out soon and at home with her family xx

 

[meli1981]

 

[sbl]

My lo was born at 35 weeks and spent 2 weeks in SCBU.
Its hard not being with them all the time.
I hope she's out soon and with her mommy.
xx

 

[AP]

Moved for you hun xxx

 

[Lucy529]

Massive my son has been in the NICU for over a week now and I'm emotionally drained, I can't stay at the hosp with him but have a room about a block and a half away I'm pumping and they're giving him donated breast milk until mine comes in which hopefully will be soon.

His only obstacle for going home is him eating out of a bottle for 48hrs he'll take a bottle but falls asleep half way through it I'm over an hour away from home and my hubby can't be with me bc of work so I really feel for you Hun hope she starts to improve and you can take her home soon.

 

[Ninagrrl]

Well, they were so optimistic earlier by her food intake that they thought they would begin weaning soon but while I slept she went low again and doctor ordered her feeding without me getting to try to BF. It's not her intake, she's just not transitioning from regulating for my diabetes to stabilizing her insulin and we don't know why. I'm frustrated and scared it's going to end up being something serious. I feel like this is my fault.

 

[Lucy529]

Hun it's not your fault, her body might just need a bit of time to regulate itself, I'll keep you and your little girl in my prayers

 

[Ninagrrl]

She wouldn't take her IV so now she is on a feeding tube.

 

[lozzy21]

Have you been doing skin to skin? Kangaroo care has proven benefits to stabilising blood sugars.

 

[Ninagrrl]

Yes. We have been doing skin to skin. They are now talking central line, just waiting on doctor to come in and talk to us about it. It just keeps building and building and I am beginning to wonder where the bottom is.

 

[Ninagrrl]

Skin to skin and BFing is off the table now. They put in a central line last night for multiple reasons. They are having a hard time getting blood and giving injections so it is just easier on her. Not easy on me though. I now can't even hold her for the next week at least while she gets a course of antibiotics.

 

[nanicon]

I'm sorry to hear its taking longer. Is the central line thru the belly button? That's what my daughter had. They also started talking about why it was taking so long for her sugar to stabilize and testing. Its very scary. Took a week for hers to finally go up and stay up.
I hope its just taking longer and there is no underlying issues. Wishing you and your daughter a quick recovery.