{Nursing in the NICU}
Wow! I have such respect for anyone that has made it through their infant's extended stay in the NICU. It is seriously way more taxing and exhausting than having your baby at home with you. Not that I had ever given this any thought prior to Nolan's arrival, but I would have thought you would get more sleep and be more rested since the majority of the baby's needs are being met by a staff of nurses and doctors.
Not so. I go to the NICU every three hours to feed him. When I get home I have to pump, because he is not eating enough to give me relief. More on that in a moment. So, by the time I finish with that and eat something, give a little attention to one of my other boys, it is time to get back in the car and head back to the hospital.
Nolan's breathing issues are all but over. He is at a normal respiratory rate and just has a low flow cannula in his nose with just barely more oxygen than room air. So, just when that all cleared up...he has jaundice and is on the "tanning bed" contraption. This is not making him feel great, SO...now he doesn't want to eat very well. Making it impossible to get his IV out and get discharged.
Oh, Nolan, I am so sorry this has been a tough start for you!
He is really feisty though and definitely making the nurses work hard. He will fit right in at our house -- whenever he finally gets to come home!
Sometimes I think I am handling this all very well, and other times I feel like a complete mental train wreck. Thankfully, Jack is with Bryan's mom (Grandma Caryl) and Warren is going to my mom's sister's (Aunt Shelli) house today too. Not even because I am unable to take care of him, mostly just so he can have fun and get out of the house.
So, cutting to the chase, I don't know when Nolan is getting out. He still needs to get circumcised and get some vaccinations, do the hearing screening...all the normal stuff they do with a newborn...once he is out of the NICU.
Good thing I have such a supportive, high-energy, and hard-working husband to pick up my slack with the housework, cooking, you name it. He rocks!
2 comments:
Glad to hear that Nolan's breathing is doing better. Sorry to hear that he has jaundice. Jack had jaundice as a baby too, we were discharged from the hospital and then readmitted two days later b/c his levels got so high. In his case it cleared enough with 24 hours of lights to get to go home. So, I will say a prayer for little Nolan that his clears quickly too!
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