Is there an end in sight??

[pink.crazy]

My little man is now 4 weeks & 3 days old (32+6 gestational age).. I'm driving myself crazy with the whole timescale thing. I know there's no way of knowing when he'll be home but I'm SO frustrated.. I know I should look towards his due date, but 7 weeks seems SO far away I find myself searching Google to see how long other prem babies stayed in hospital. The nurses have said that babies are known to go home from 35 weeks and Leo is in with a chance.. but they then go on to say "But..." and back to "due date" ugh
He's doing really well bless him, he's a strong lil guy. In an open cot, having 2 bottle feeds every 24 hours (with tubefeeds inbetween!) he's still having desats and the odd brady.. mostly when he's feeding, and the time's he's needed a lil help to bring his levels back up they've noticed milk in his mouth so they're saying it "could be reflux".
He's coming off the caffeine in a week and apparently we should see where he's at then. He's also being assessed for surgery on a hernia he has we're not sure if he'll have the surgery before or after he's discharged.
I so badly want him home.. I know he's in the best place and he's getting big and strong etc but it just breaks my heart

 

[divadexie]

I was told the ''due date'' goal too.
It did help because well it didnt make any sense to think she could be home sooner thenbe disapointed!

You have come so far already, but still have far to go... prem babies can take a while to ''get'' feeding my LO didnt stop desating until she was about 36 week gestation and she was 15 weeks early.

The hospital wont want to send him home until they are sure he can feed all by himself (if thats how yours works) with mine there wasnt the option of her going home with a tube and some days it felt like we were going backwards!

You will get there and it will be the best feeling in the world xxx

 

[pink.crazy]

Thanks so much for your reply.... I know I must sound really selfish - I've seen parents who have spent 3 months on the unit with no end in sight and I can't imagine how they must feel, and I feel terrible for getting so frustrated after only a month.
You know just that urge to touch/smell them ...

 

[divadexie]

Its not selfish atall, I felt like that too.
The end does seem an awful long way away but look forward to all the time you can spend with LO then! And it is just like having a new born baby when they come home Lol

 

[Agiboma]

pink i recently posted on the same issue, i cant give you any advice as i am also struggling i miss my Micah so much till it hurts i cant stand to be away from him and im only 3 weeks into he NICU expereince

 

[deobi]

I don't know that anything can keep you from focusing when you can be with baby all the time. Dean was born at 30wks and came home at 36wks. I wanted him home so badly but one thing that helped was that started breastfeeding around 33wks. I took a while for us both to get the hang of it but the last 2 wks in the NICU i came forst thing in the moring and stayed unitl 10 or 11 at night so almost all of his meals were from me.

Its not that i was such a big breast feeding advovate but i gave me little goals and much holding time with the baby so it was almost like I was taking care of him myself and it didn't leave me at home pining for my baby which was sometime unbarable.

he is still exclusively breastfed now at 7mos (5 corrected)

 

[boardnbikema]

oh pink I remember that feeling so much you are bringing tears to my eyes. LO born 30+6 and we finally went home at 38 weeks...there are dark days when you think you cant take anymore....BUT wee things helped me. I just worked at being mum...if even at arms length.
set up a routine with the MWs so they knew which feeds I did usually 2 in morning and 2 a night...left a timetable on the cot...wo betide any newbie midwife who fed/changed him early to suit her shift...took photos every day so I had a fresh one on my phone each night to look at, expressed milk from the getgo and started the breatfeeding at 33-34, thats required all my attention, determination and patience so that passes the days. I wrote poems, texted people updates...anything to let me feel more like a mummy, pestered MW for advice on anything, did all his tube feeds, asked to be allowed to hold him when they take bloods, basically be an annoying parent!!! and the greatest help the other parents on the unit...stories and cups of tea....good luck honey you will both be home sooner than you think, then its probably the prem reflux challenge!!! x