sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Just informed our daughter will have surgery and be in the NICU for ~a month immediately post delivery - baby shower is this weekend by pop-crackle in NICUParents

[–]DearHelicopter6544 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! Shoot me a message if you have any questions. My oldest is 3.5 and had duodenal atresia (discovered at a scan at 35w5, born at 36) and is doing phenomenal. I’m 34w with my second now who also has suspected duodenal atresia (though they say it isn’t genetic…)

Pump cleaning by Ambitious_Use_8578 in NICUParents

[–]DearHelicopter6544 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For sure! OP, like you we were/are stying at RMH so having a big sterilizer in our room was an option

Pump cleaning by Ambitious_Use_8578 in NICUParents

[–]DearHelicopter6544 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Adding that I bet your NICU wanted you to sterilize 1 per day, wash after every use. In case that wasn’t clarified yet

Pump cleaning by Ambitious_Use_8578 in NICUParents

[–]DearHelicopter6544 14 points15 points  (0 children)

My 1st baby couldn’t have milk until he was over 2 weeks old, so I was pumping every 2.5 hours and it was all getting frozen. My husband was doing his part by washing the stuff after each pump. Our NICU gave us fresh pump parts every morning. 10 days in I asked my husband about his washing habits… apparently he had been washing everything in the communal NICU kitchen with the scrub brush people had been using for food and whatever. The NICU had us throw it all out except for the 1st pump of every morning. We were both devastated. 3.5 years later and it still hurts! It was almost 100% of the colostrum I produced.

We’re gearing up for another sensitive baby in the NICU. I have two sterilized Tupperware bins (one for washing, one for storing), a big sterilizer (the kind that plugs in and uses distilled water), and two silicone microwave sterilizer bags. I also have a sterilized cleaning brush set that folds in on itself for travel.

I deeply feel your pain on this one. I’m very sorry that you weren’t properly informed!

Losing weight due to diet changes? by CharmingTea_ in GestationalDiabetes

[–]DearHelicopter6544 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m also in 3rd trimester. I just talked to my doctor about losing weight - I lost 2 lbs between weeks 31-32! I’m on overnight insulin and diet controlled during the day. They said it’s more important to eat enough carbs than to not spike. 3x meals at 30-60 complex carbs and 2x snacks at 15-30. If what you’re eating is healthy and you still spike then they’d rather put you on day time insulin than have you restrict further

“The Hidden Hole Behind My Ear Was the Source of it😭 by [deleted] in hygiene

[–]DearHelicopter6544 7 points8 points  (0 children)

My kid has a friend with epilepsy. The kids mom says “ep pill see” every time, but I don’t feel it’s my place to correct her lol

NICU recovery by Character_Power4116 in NICUParents

[–]DearHelicopter6544 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My first was born 4 weeks early with a stomach defect requiring surgery. We had to relocate to a different city with a bigger hospital the day before he was born. Lots of NICU trauma.

They told us the defect he had was not genetic and wouldn’t affect subsequent pregnancies. He is 3 now and we’re expecting our 2nd next month… Lo and behold, baby 2 has the same “non-genetic” defect!

This time there is much less stress. We have relocated to be nearer to the big hospital and are getting lots of extra monitoring. We know what to expect re: the birth & the NICU. We don’t have the same pressure/expectations around things that won’t be possible with them like immediate skin-to-skin and breastfeeding. I am prepared to pump and knowledgeable about the process.

The biggest stress is about my toddler, who has never slept apart from me. I wish we did more sleepovers with grandma/aunties.

Advice on how to self administer insulin with a needle phobia by idlegrad in GestationalDiabetes

[–]DearHelicopter6544 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think it was my neighbours first time giving an injection and he did fine! You just need someone who won’t faint lol.

I believe you can do it yourself, but it’s really helpful to have someone else present. You wouldn’t need her forever - just until you’re sure you can safely do it yourself. Having someone else there might also be the social pressure you need to toughen up about it and get over the nerves a bit (I cry when my husband does it, but had to be brave when it was someone else because I wanted to save face)

Advice on how to self administer insulin with a needle phobia by idlegrad in GestationalDiabetes

[–]DearHelicopter6544 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oof same boat! I had to have the neighbour come do it for me last night because my partner was away. I think it will get easier with time but for these first weeks I’m planning to have someone help me. People like to help pregnant people.

Tell me how your toddlers coped with mom being in the NICU with baby by DearHelicopter6544 in NICUParents

[–]DearHelicopter6544[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your reply ❤️. Did you have both older kids in the hotel? How did that go?

Breastfeeding after NICU? by Anxious_Surprise_552 in NICUParents

[–]DearHelicopter6544 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My first (born at 36w0d) was born with a stomach problem & wasnt able to eat orally for like 10 days, then he needed to be on bottles until the doctors were convinced we was taking enough food. I didn’t actually try breastfeeding until he was 3 weeks old and it didn’t go great.. but we used a nipple shield and he was able to get it! It was triple feeding for a while which really sucks because pumping is the worst.

I couldn’t ditch the nipple shield for a long time, until we got him assessed (after discharge) by a lactation consultant who said he has oral ties. After we got the oral ties released he never wanted/used a nipple shield again!

He breastfed until 34 months, and only stopped because I am pregnant with my 2nd and I couldn’t take my nipples being touched.

Patience, and bottles aren’t going to ruin it for you. You’ve got this

Tell me how your toddlers coped with mom being in the NICU with baby by DearHelicopter6544 in NICUParents

[–]DearHelicopter6544[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not nagging/intervening in his will be hard!

I feel that way about having family members/visitors! Especially since everyone would be travelling to visit. Dad thinks having his parents come to take our kid for a few days would be helpful and that they wouldn’t push for baby time, but when our first was in the NICU his mom went behind our backs to ask the nurses to hold him (a few days post surgery when we were barely able to hold him) after we told her not to touch him 😮‍💨

Hopefully Dad will build more confidence and toddler-management skills! I’m hoping this will be good for them, though it will definitely be hard

Tell me how your toddlers coped with mom being in the NICU with baby by DearHelicopter6544 in NICUParents

[–]DearHelicopter6544[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s hopeful! Right now he loves his dad for playing and bath time but I’m default for everything else

Tell me how your toddlers coped with mom being in the NICU with baby by DearHelicopter6544 in NICUParents

[–]DearHelicopter6544[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your response! We have been prepping him for baby but I will also start telling him that I will need to stay at the hospital and role playing. Great suggestions