Stupid Thing to be Frustrated Over...

[sunnylove]

My son was in the NICU for 103 days. He was a 26 weeker, born weighing 2 lbs 7 ozs. I feel like 103 is a long time for a 2 1/2 pounder who had virtually NO issues whatsoever. From the beginning, he was basically a feeder/grower. He got off all oxygen at 33 weeks, while his friends, who were born between 24-26 weeks were all on oxygen until, or after their due date.

I know it's stupid, but I get a little frustrated when I hear of smaller, sicklier babies who went home after 70-80 days. I understand that times are a lot different now, and babies born prematurely 20 years ago went home a lot quicker than babies do today (because we know more, protocol is different now, etc) but arg. Like my step-MIL had a 30 weeker who went home 6 weeks later (this was 18 years ago), and as we all know, 36 weeks is not full-term yet. At least in the NICU we were at, babies NEVER go home before they are full-term. But even in more recent times, I heard a story just yesterday of a baby born 1 lb 12 ozs who went home after like 80 days and it frustrates me!

I think I am frustrated with my NICU - if my son COULD have gone home earlier, that would have saved weeks of worry and stress on my part. And had he been born in a different hospital, I'm certain he would have gone home earlier. Near the end when we were just trying to establish feedings, they would not let him go home until he drank a CERTAIN amount from his bottle (he was a sleepy baby). And people get the wrong impression if I say he was in over 100 days, that maybe he had a ton of problems and was very sickly, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

I know it's a dumb complaint, but it still frustrates me.

 

[Fleur29]

It's not dumb. It's the scariest thing having a baby in nicu - it's not how anyone imagines it will be when they have their baby. I think it takes a long time to get your head round it, if you ever do!

My dd was a 34 weeker who was in for 9 days, she never needed oxygen and like yours was a feeder/grower - I had a friend whose son was born at the same gestation, he needed oxygen and help for jaundice and he was out in 4 days - she didn't have to go home without him like I did! As you say, different hospitals, different policy. Looking back now (my dd is 2) - I don't feel as much resentment that she was in for longer, I'm grateful that they looked after her properly and didn't send us home before they thought we were ready. I do understand that your situation is quite different and you were in for so much longer but how great for your son that he got such good care from them and they made sure he was in a1 condition before they let him go home etc.

Anyway, hugs, I remember very clearly what it was like being apart - even for just a week - you have my sympathy xx

 

[JJKCB]

both me and my son had to stay in as we both had complications and it drove me insane, I was begging, pleading and suffering panic attacks by the time they let us go home (dint help that the hospital was a dive and the midwives where horrible)

the fact is that we had no problems or reason to stay from day 2 on really (when I came off IV and cathertrisation and DS was only in for observation due to stressful birth but after being revived at birth he require NO medical intervention) so the next 5 days where for nothing (they didnt even run tests or anything over those days until right before we left where they did a simple heel prick test)

but they elcrotagged my son so he couldn't leave and said if I tried to take him they would 'remove him' from me WTF

I hate hospitals and where as I understand if you need to be there we truly didn't and they kept lying saying we could go home tomorrow then taking it back (which was what drove me mad) they kept telling me to pack my bags and prepare to leave then the next morning saying 'oh, it was a mistake, we need to keep you in longer' - it truely felt like we where prisoners, we werent even allowed to leave the ward because of the alarm tags so we couldn't even go get fresh air

1 week must seem pathetic compared to 103 days though... sorry you had to wait so long

 

[Cryssie]

I had my daughter November 22nd at 29 weeks. She will be 2 months/38 weeks tomorrow. I was in a medically induced coma after her birth (pneumonia and h1n1 took over my lungs) so I missed a month and a half of her life. She was 3.3 at birth and now she's 6.5 as of Sunday. She still needs to bottle feed before she can leave.