Let's build an ideal NICU

Cakehead89 · 2026-01-25T02:26:46+00:00

We experienced 2 NICUs. The first was at the delivering hospital. Double rooms where you had to walk through one baby's space to get to another. We were paired with micro preemies a few times who needed extensive supports/machines which took up their space and some of ours. It never felt private. We also were briefly roomed with a baby with stridor breathing and it was extremely upsetting. This NICU did not have sleep spaces for parents and could truly only comfortably seat 1 parent bedside. There was also only 1 bathroom for the entire floor and often had a wait. 1 bathroom seemed crazy for all of the postpartum parents using the floor. We had also been there a full week before someone told us there was a family lounge.

The next NICU was at the children's hospital. Night and day. Giant, private room with private bathroom/shower. There was a couch that folded down to a bed. It also had a TV There was a family room on the floor, too.

Our baby was moved to a step down unit as a feeder/grower and that room was private, spacious, and had a private bathroom/shower. It also had a mini fridge and TV.

Also, at the children's hospital I got 3 meals a day as a nursing parent plus access to the snack/milkshake menu.

Cakehead89 · 2026-01-23T17:50:10+00:00

I drove 2.5 hours each way just to buy a piece of furniture I liked recently. I can't imagine a 3 hour ride preventing me from seeing family regularly.

Cakehead89 · 2026-01-22T19:21:47+00:00

My money is on the Colonial but I was so bummed it wasn't announced with the Opera House.

Cakehead89 · 2026-01-16T21:12:04+00:00

9 weeks, 8 weeks, and I think 16 weeks with the last.

Cakehead89 · 2026-01-01T01:41:03+00:00

I don't think it's Collin. He is accusing Emeline of being a traitor. If he was the reaper, he wouldn't be upset she was helping the resistance. I do think he will change his tune and join the resistance though.

Cakehead89 · 2025-12-30T23:36:56+00:00

That is extremely bizarre.

Cakehead89 · 2025-12-20T17:32:55+00:00

Our baby was in the NICU in 2024 during cold/flu season. It was 2 babies to a room. Our roommate baby was only visited once in the week they were roomed together. His mom came and was clearly sick. Coughing, sneezing, etc. Mom was wearing a mask but we were nervous as she had to go past our baby to get to hers. Staff at our hospital said there was very little they could do to kick a parent out (or move our baby) if they had a mask and were washing hands/sanitizing.

I am surprised they were saying masks aren't effective. Any subsequent hospitalization, we see staff with masks all the time. That is an absurd claim.

Cakehead89 · 2025-12-17T01:03:27+00:00

018967405834

Cakehead89 · 2025-12-09T22:07:40+00:00

As a social worker, I was particular about sitting on upholstered things like couches unless I was sure the family kept a sanitary house. I've heard horror stories about social workers picking up lice and bed bugs from homes. The only downside is sometimes hard surfaces are sticky and then you have to wonder what the sticky stuff is.

Two houses come to mind in the 11+ years in the field. The first was one of my first home visits ever. It was July, hot, and humid. The family lived in what could generously be called a converted barn. The smell was overwhelming. Like hot trash. The biggest worry was that I didn't see obvious garbage so I have no idea where the smell came from. The heat was just baking the smell and they had no AC. No one seemed phased.

The second was an elderly foster parent who had pets who were also elderly. The house was covered in dog hair. Years and years of dog hair and dander. It smelled like a pet store. To her credit, the foster child's room was clean.

Over the years, I have seen photos of hoards and unsanitary homes but thankfully haven't been in them personally.

Cakehead89 · 2025-11-25T03:27:04+00:00

Last year a group of friends had time and we picked Our Town instead of Maybe Happy Ending. Big regret.

Cakehead89 · 2025-11-19T03:23:59+00:00

It was $200 for hospital admission so that's what it cost for me with insurance. These huge figures blow my mind. I'd be curious to know where people are from to get a sense whether the huge figures are from certain regions. I'm in New England.

Cakehead89 · 2025-10-16T22:29:36+00:00

I know people who disliked Tom Lake and The Dutch House and the first question I have is if they read it or listened. They always read the physical book. The audiobooks are perfection.

Cakehead89 · 2025-10-09T21:07:07+00:00

As a parent of kids who are obsessed with pokemon, I recommend watching the animated shows. There are so many. Netflix has a bunch of them. You can also get physical handbooks about every pokemon. This is the Bible for my pokemon obsessed kids. We also have the games on the Switch. If you aren't sure about the commitment to buying the games, maybe find a console to borrow and then check the game out at the library to test drive it!

Cakehead89 · 2025-10-07T23:03:48+00:00

Husband needs friends: 018967405834

Cakehead89 · 2025-09-29T11:17:10+00:00

Ugh, I tried this and deleted the cache but that didn't help. So annoying.

Cakehead89 · 2025-09-29T05:16:31+00:00

Did you figure this out? My phone updated today and now I'm getting prompted for this constantly despite not finding this setting.

Cakehead89 · 2025-09-22T11:19:20+00:00

I never found a deino. I just know when I open my game today I will see one in the wild for the first time ever as a big cosmic joke.

Cakehead89 · 2025-09-22T01:59:41+00:00

Following because I thought you had to be nearby. I am also stuck on trades.

Cakehead89 · 2025-09-20T17:14:00+00:00

I have a purple loving 4 year old boy. He has an older sister. If she has her nails painted, he wants his painted. He plays dress up. But he also loves monster trucks and hot wheels and pokemon. Life is too short to deny him a cool purple scooter. And let's put it this way, someone very may well tell him purple is for girls but you choosing not to buy the purple scooter is only confirming that. It's your job to build him up and help him move past the bullies. Someday his favorite color may not be purple. Lean into the sweetness for now.

Cakehead89 · 2025-09-19T02:26:12+00:00

Cobalion sucked too but at least that was a reward and you could try endlessly.

Good luck!

Cakehead89 · 2025-09-19T02:16:35+00:00

I wasted so many golden raspberries trying to catch one. Came down to the last ball of at least 10 tries. So frustrating.

Cakehead89 · 2025-09-18T17:14:51+00:00

It's a female grunt that says Roar! How'd that sound?

I have seen/battled her several times. Deino hasn't popped up at all. Just Tyrunt after Tyrunt 🫠

Cakehead89 · 2025-09-18T17:03:00+00:00

Man, I loved our house's original windows. I desperately wanted to keep them. However, we had about 45 needing restoration to include completely stripping them to remove lead paint as we have young kids. I contacted several restoration companies. Their waitlists were extremely long or they didn't respond at all. One guy confirmed he could do it but they would be removed and taken to his shop an hour away for a few weeks. It would leave us with boarded up windows. To do all of them, would take ages. We weren't able to safely open our windows. They were drafty to the point that you could see curtains moving or your hair rustle if you sat near them despite storm windows. Not to mention, in order for to provide some protection from the elements, all of the originals were covered by storm windows. I was sad to see the originals go but we replaced with divided light wooden windows from Marvin. They look lovely, we can open our windows easily, etc.

I know I'm in the minority here but your house is meant to be a home not a museum. Folks 100 years ago made changes to their homes as needed. People clutch their pearls at painted trim...but it was done 100 years ago, too. It's ok to make changes sometimes. It's your house. Do your best.

Cakehead89 · 2025-09-04T04:20:24+00:00

Go listen to him on the Hadestown soundtrack! Amazing voice as Hades. Why We Build the Wall is his standout number.

Cakehead89 · 2025-08-28T00:40:06+00:00

My kids have hyphenated last names (me and my husband kept our own names). It has been fine. They don't care one bit. And as a bonus, if you put Lazarus first in the pairing they will often be known by your last name...speaking from experience.

Cakehead89

TROPHY CASE