Transitional care.. your experiences

[xUniquex]

So transitional car ehas been mentioned,and we have been told that when bub is 34 weeks (wednesday) we will possibly get a date (they are thinking this weekend coming)

Now the thought of moving into hospital is taking it out of me a little,i know its what is best for our little man and what he needs,but i am going to miss our eldest and my OH so much!

Also the hospital is a 30 mile round trip,so my OH and eldest wont be able to visit as often or for as long as i would like.

Another thing i am struggling with is the fact that we will be in for our eldests birthday (week on friday) it's his first birthday and i am very upset at the thought of not being there for it.OH did suggest we just move his birthday as he knows no different,and i guess this is true but i still feel bad!

So how was Transitional care for you?and how llong were you there?

I have been told to expect to be there for at least 2 weeks,we will be going there to establish breast feeding...

thanx in advance for your replies!

 

[lynne192]

my son was born on holiday so none of my family where there at all he was born at 33weeks on the dot, we were in SCUB for 5days and in TC for one day, i had to stay in hospital the whole time because i was sooo far away from home (300+miles) anyways i was meant to stay in post-natal unit but i refused and would only sleep in a chair next to my son because i wanted to be with him the whole time, when he was moved into TC i was soooo happy that i would be getting him home soon, its shame being alone but its a milestone closer to home so think of it that way you miss your OH and older child but soon you'll be a family at home until then you have to stay a strong unit and know its one day closer, just keep saying that, take a camera, a book, some paper and pen to write down everything, why not write letters to family members and then when you get out stick pictures of your Lo on them and post they make lovely birth announcments etc, or little diary for when he is older about the care he got, breast feeding and expressing took up alot of my day when i was there lol and also got some reading in, it was nice to just be able to be with and cuddle my LO, i was very luck and he got home when he was 6/7days old he was only 4lb 3oz when we were discharged and were able to travel home 4weeks after he was born than god, when he was born he scored 10 and one min and 10 at 5mins so done well, was breathing on his own but did have two lots of shots one at 27 weeks and one at 30weeks, he was able to feed on his own although he was tube feed for first 48hours, he had some toilet problems but we tried to sort them out as best we could. but when he got back to scotland he became ill with GERD and still has it to this day, my hospital told me they were shocked he got out so early and the lack of care he got but i think they done well.. i took over alot of his care even from day one only one mistake the whole time and that was the nurse forgot to write they gave him his meds and almost double dosed him at the time i was going mental because they almost did but i stopped them and thats all that matter, it could have happened but it never and we had been through so much to get him and keep him so that seems silly thinking now....

i hope your LO is allow home soon, what weight was he? how is he getting on in SCBU?

 

[Elveneye]

My Sophia was born on 33+5, 17/09/09. She got home 5 weeks later.
She was 4lb 4oz and 15 inches when she was born, so reasonably big I guess.
She was always able to breathe on her own and such, the only problems she had were her body temperature (kept being too low) and breastfeeding.
Once she had her body temperature under control after 4 weeks, they transferred us to the transitional care unit. We spent 4 nights there before getting home. Well, they didn't really want to let us go home but seeing as they were so happy about my breastfeeding and Sophia's condition and all that, I just decided on that 4th night that I've had it, it's been too long, I'm going home. So the next morning at 9am when the doctors had their round, I was sitting on my bed, wearing my outdoor coat, with all my bags packed and baby sleeping in her pram So it gave them the last push to sign the papers. So a few hours later we got to leave! Nothing will ever feel better than that moment, when I pushed the pram out through those doors and smelled the fresh autumn air

 

[katy1310]

I didn't stay in the transitional care room as they had a double room free on the unit when I needed to stay. In our hospital there were 2 doubles with doors that locked and a transitional care room which was like a ward with 4 beds in it. I didn't fancy staying there so I was glad we were able to get the room!

I was told I'd need to stay for 2 nights to establish bf after Sophie had been in hospital for 10 weeks but in the end we had to stay 6. Sophie was still in SCBU and the nurses had to come to the room to wake me in the night to go along and feed her.

We then came home for a few nights and had to go and stay again the following week but this time we got Sophie in the room with us as she was being discharged after those 2 nights. The nurses came in during the night to check we were all ok.

It was fine staying there - I was really nervous and worried in case it would be like staying in hospital but it really wasn't. Easier for us though because Sophie is our first baby. I think it woudl have been worse if DH hadn't been able to stay too and I'd had to be in the tc room.

 

[lynne192]

My Sophia was born on 33+5, 17/09/09. She got home 5 weeks later.
She was 4lb 4oz and 15 inches when she was born, so reasonably big I guess.
She was always able to breathe on her own and such, the only problems she had were her body temperature (kept being too low) and breastfeeding.
Once she had her body temperature under control after 4 weeks, they transferred us to the transitional care unit. We spent 4 nights there before getting home. Well, they didn't really want to let us go home but seeing as they were so happy about my breastfeeding and Sophia's condition and all that, I just decided on that 4th night that I've had it, it's been too long, I'm going home. So the next morning at 9am when the doctors had their round, I was sitting on my bed, wearing my outdoor coat, with all my bags packed and baby sleeping in her pram So it gave them the last push to sign the papers. So a few hours later we got to leave! Nothing will ever feel better than that moment, when I pushed the pram out through those doors and smelled the fresh autumn air

lol know what you mean lol we were only in for less than a week and considering he was 33weeks on the dot everyone was sooo surprised. i am glad you got out when you wanted too, because i lived so far away wasn't in any rush but was let out at 8:30pm 6days after he was born into the night with nothing, and i mean nothing i had to find a 24hour store and buy nappies, breastpads, maternity pads, baby clothes and such he slept in a pram for first night cause was all we had and then 2 days later i got a moses basket for him to sleep in but ended up kinda co sharing cause was breast feeding, he was right little fighter and they seemed to think he was older than he was but its impossible and i think he was actually 1-2weeks younger than they though because of dates and me and Ex had LDR so only seen him at certain times lol.

 

[AP]

I was in the same transitional care as Katy, and TBH, I liked it! I wasnt breastfeeding so I was only there for a night.
When I gave birth I had a double room to hide in when I was discharged, I wasnt ready to go home and leave her.

I stayed several nights in the ward part (4 beds) and when I realised I wasnt the only one in the ward I was stressed to the max - til we got talking and i was fine. AT least I had someone to watch LO when i went for a pee

 

[xUniquex]

Thank you for your replies!

He was born at 32 + 5 and weighed 4lbs 14oz!!

He's doing really well,never needed O2 support (thank god for steroids!) and is now off all his monitors apart form his sleep apneoa one which they said is routine for under 34 weekers,so that should be removed on wednesday.

The only help he is getting currently is with his temperature,which they are trying to nudge on now, he's started rooting and showing an interest at feed times and i have had him latched on and taking a few sucks a couple of times.

I'm just feeling so torn at the prospect of leaving my eldest for sucha long time and also missing his first birthday, i know it needs to be done to get our baby home but it still doesn't change the feeling i have

 

[maisiemoo]

Sounds like he's doing really well! Once the bf is established, I doubt you'll be there for very long.

I can't imagine how hard it must be for parents with another child at home - i really feel for you and others who have been in a similar situation. Fingers crossed that you get your LO home soon xxx