Coming Home

[Skadi]

We aren't 100% sure yet but Keira may be coming home this weekend and I am a little bit terrified at the idea of not having nurses around to watch her 24 hrs.

I realise they wouldn't be discharging her if she still had apnea or brachy episodes and that she has outgrown them now ... but I keep worrying about finding her dead or not breathing in her cradle. I feel like when we get her home I'm going to be so paranoid I'll be watching her 24 hrs a day

I know feeling like that is a little crazy considering she is in a cot right now with no monitors and 10 other babies and she is just fine!

How long does it take to get used to having a preemie at home and not feeling so paranoid?

 

[toothfairyx]

I won't lie for me it was months until I got the angelcare monitor. My paranoia was directly related to my mental state of mind as Jonny mostly refuses to sleep anywhere that the monitor could be used such as his bouncy chair or car seat and I'm fine with it. The hospitals tell you not to get an apnoea monitor but if you think you will be happier with one - get one.
Well done on getting your little girl home! Xx

 

[MrsLL]

Congratulations!!

Mason has been home for 10 weeks and I still worry - but then I think most parents do even if their baby was full term!

Just remember the nurses aren't watching her 24/7 now and shes fine - if anything you'll be more watchful having her home!

Can you room in before you take her home? That worked wonders for me!

Enjoy it!xxx

 

[Sam182]

I've had Alexander home for 4.5 weeks and I watch him constantly! We are lucky enough to have been given an apnoea monitor by the hospital which is a little peace of mind. It's very important to room in so that you get used to all the little noises and more than likely lots of grunting at night!

 

[danielle1987]

Our little boy has been home for 5 and a half months and Im still paranoid, He also had an apnea monitor, I have taken tht off for about a month now, But I have video baby monitors and watch him all the time when he is sleeping. 'Im hoping eventually i can relax, 'Im always worried about him stopping breathing, He has never been a baby that does that tho, even when he was very tiny. We spent 102 days in bicu having nurses watching them and monitors ltting us know our baby was ok, I think i just takes a little adjusting. x

 

[daisybby03]

I have preemie twins and my daughter came home at 37 weeks gestation and I was so nervous..my son came home at 39 weeks gestation on an apnea monitor. He's been home 2 months and is still on the monitor. He went a whole month, no episodes then out of the blue he stopped breathing last night. I touched his cheek and he started again. I'm not giving it up any time soon!

 

[Skadi]

We are rooming in tonight and then home tomorrow as long as all goes well. I was thinking of getting the monitor with the movement pad just for peace of mind but my sister said they have a tendency to go off for no reason. I think I'd rather panic for no reason though than not get it and worry all the time!

 

[25weeker]

I have the angelcare sound and movement monitor and mine has never went off in a false alarm even when we moved her into a cot and she was tiny and lay at one end of it. It has sensitivity setting so if you get that right it should be ok. I unintentionally test mine regularly as I always take her out and forget to turn it off!

One thing to note is it also goes off for abnormal movement too so if you have a crib you can rock etc that can set it off.

I still use mine and my daughter was 2 in jan! Planning to stop using it in the next few months though.

Good luck rooming in

 

[toothfairyx]

Mine has also never had any false alarms - only when someone has taken him out of the cot and forgot to switch it off. The angelcare one is extremely reliable.

 

[SabrinaKat]

I came home with my LO about two weeks ago (after 13 days in NICU); my husband bought a snuza halo, which attachs to baby's nappy and supposedly shakes for 20 seconds if baby 'stops' moving, but even now, I still (even with a monitor) just look for the breathing -- fortunately, he's noisy as well (and snores like mommy!), so whilst I am still a bit nervous, am able to sleep for a few hours at a time....

The first few days were a bit tricky -- due to my pre-eclampsia and carpal tunnel in my hands (fortunately, and thankfully, my hands are almost back to normal and the other swelling is gone!), my OH had to do feeding, nappy changes, etc., in the hospital and the (I am ashamed now, but can laugh!) night before he came home, I was too scared to change a nappy (okay, he had an explosive poo, but still....), so I made sure that the next day (and it turned out he was coming home that day), I did all the nappy changes -- and now, am even faster than my husband! So, it's okay to be a little nervous the first few days, but double check about nappy changes and feeding (even if you have to write it down!), and in fact, because Finn was slow to feed (now a greedy pig), we still record all his feedings and nappy changes in a book (an exercise book, not to be immortalised with actual publication, but perhaps used to blackmail him in 15years when he brings his first girlfriend home!), so if anybody asks (e.g. nurse, doctor, etc.), we can prove baby is getting all his feed!

I might relax in another few years, maybe --

best wishes

best wishes (and congrats!)

 

[mylittlebud1]

I was a nervous wreck when Evie came home. For 1st 6 weeks i slept with my bedroom light on so i could see her as soon as i opened my eyes, terrified to leave her in a room on her own.Felt anxious for weeks...months even.

I had the angel monitor but couldn't bring myself to use it, my house is quite opened planned anyway but i'd had enough of noises and beeping etc.

It will get easier and much more enjoyable xx