Possibility of l/o coming home with oxygen

[caidnsmummy]

Hi my name is Charlie and I am a newbie! My son Caidn was born 7 weeks ago at 29+4 weighing 2lbs 4oz. The only real help he has needed is CPAP and continuous oxygen between 10+20cc's. He has gained great weight and is now 4lbs 4oz, taking alternative tube/bottle feeds.

The only thing I am slightly anxious about is the possiblity of him coming home on the oxygen which has been suggested by a couple of nurses. Does anyone know much about this or has anyone got preemies on oxygen when being discharged??

Thanks.....Charlie (caidnsmummy) x

 

[bob2331]

Hey,

Congrats on your little boy.

Harry came home on 0.1 of oxygen and was on it for about 3 months at home. It sounds so much scary that it really is.

We thought we would never be able to go out or things like that, but it was fine. At home, we had the genreator, slightly nosiey but u soon got used to that and the wire, it just became normal although i did trip over it from time to time (one good thing, them being attached, means u cant lose them, just follow the wires lol)

Going out, it was a case of popping him on the mobile canister, popping that under the pushchair or in the backpack and off we went! We got a few starres but i wouldnt worry about them!

Please feel free to PM me if u have any questions.

What amount of O2 is Caidn on? xx

 

[sherryberry79]

Millie came home on 0.2 oxygen and to say I was nervous is an understatement!
I felt so worried about the responsibility of having an oxygen dependant baby at home without any medical staff, and I could not accept that she was well enough to leave hospital. It seemed like such a contraditction, I kept thinking that if she needed oxygen then she was not healthy enough yet to leave hospital. However I was also desperate to get home as she had been in hospital for over four months, so I was excited too, a strange combination really!

Think of it as a compliment in a way, as if the medical team thought you were not up to the responsibility, they would take no chances, so they must think you are capable of doing it. Also, as bob says, it really is not as scary or difficult as you build it up to be in your head, and it soon becomes second nature.

Because I was so nervous about it, the hospital arranged for me to meet with another mum and her 02 dependant baby boy, chatting to her really gave me the re-assurance that I needed, I think that really helped, dunno if the hospitals could arrange anything like that for you?

Millie came home on 10th December and by early June she was 02 free, I won't say it was not a relief to be able to go out without the canister etc, but it really was nowhere near as bad as I expected. In some ways it was actually quite nice, as people would see how tiny she was, and the 02 and would wish her well, or share their experience of the prem niece etc.....honestly it took ages to get my big Tesco shop done!!

Idoesn't sound like they have made the decision to sent your son home in 02 yet, and you may well find that all of a sudden he turns the corner. I think quite a lot of people on here had the possibility of discharge on 02 mentioned, but was not necassary in the end, I bet he proves the doctors wrong! If you have any questions pm me!

 

[caidnsmummy]

thank you both so much. caidn is on what they call a leak but does go up to about 25cc all depending on how active he is at the time. they did say he might change and come straight off it but at the mo if they turn the oxygen off he knows and keeps having de-sats sometimes them having to use the oxygen mask. other than he oxygen he is taking his bottles fine and will soon be going up to bottles all the time. this is why they have mentioned he might come home on the oxygen untill his lungs have developed properly. really scary being a 1st time mum and having a prem baby. xx

 

[AP]

I agree with the compliment thing charlie, our neonatal said if they didnt think you were capable of goibg home on it they wouldnt give you the option. Harsh but true.

Welcome over to the preemie section caidn is lovely

 

[caidnsmummy]

thank u sb22 he is a little terror tho lol. at the neonatal unit im on a knew some of the staff before caidn was even due to be born and its them that told me it could be a possibility he could be coming home on oxygen. i think they just waiting to hit close to his actually due date before they send him home. xx

 

[AP]

It's strange, sometimes they hit a switch at a certain week and everything changes. We were told we were going home tube feeding and oxygen. But days after they said it, Alex got off the o2 and started taking better to bottles.

Just get them to say it round caidn. He might hear them

 

[caidnsmummy]

lol we have tried that 1. but he just de-sats sometimes i think he is just laughing at us. we have even tried telling him is friend is off it. lol

 

[caidnsmummy]

just a update on my little man he is now off his oxygen WHOOP WHOOP. there is a possibility he could go back on it but so far so good he has been off it now for 27 hours and has only had fleeting de-sats. also he is taking all bottles as he decided himself that he no longer wanting the tube, he pulled it out and wouldnt let them put it back he has lost a little bit off weight but thats cuz he has gone onto term milk instead of nutriprem 1 as it was to rich for him. so hopefully in 5 days he will come off his monitors and come home thank you all for your advice much appreciated xx

 

[bob2331]

Great news xx

 

[Srrme]

Elias came home on oxygen, but only to use during his feeds. It's not as bad as you think! I was afraid when I found out he would be coming home on oxygen. He was only on it during his feeds for 1 1/2 weeks.