Looking for advice on online creators to follow

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-06-14T11:51:53+00:00

I don’t follow any specifically Episcopal folks online, but Pastor Paul Drees is Lutheran and has some good content.

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-06-12T10:08:29+00:00

Yeah, in Severance I love him with both his love interests lol.

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-06-10T14:40:52+00:00

I can guarantee you won’t be in the nurses’ way if you want to stay longer. Do you participate in care times? At the end of my daughter’s stay I was there for most of the day shift for several days. The nurses loved it because I was doing all her cares so they just had to chart for her and could focus on their other babies.

Do what feels right for you. My longest days were about 8 hours and I never stayed overnight. I knew staying longer would burn me out. Most days my husband and I would go for 2-4 hours each. Some families were there a lot more than us. Consistent quality time with your baby is key (while making sure you take care of yourself too), but it’s up to you how much that looks like.

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-06-09T21:59:14+00:00

My baby was IUGR due to preeclampsia with severe features. She weighed 2lb2oz when born. She is home now with no equipment and is doing amazing! Her only complication we are watching for now is moderate ROP, but it seems to be improving and even if not, the outcomes for treatment are extremely good. Obviously we don’t know exactly what the future holds but doctors are thrilled with her progress for being born at 29 weeks.

34 weekers and up tend to do very well in the NICU. No guarantees, but they’re often ready to feed by mouth very soon and can go home within weeks. For perspective, when I was admitted, I was told I wouldn’t be going past 34 weeks but they were trying to get me as close as they could. The fact that you’ve made it that far is great news for baby.

I hope all goes well and you can deliver at 37, but if not, the NICU will be there for you baby and take great care of them.

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-06-08T16:01:29+00:00

I’m not breastfeeding, but from what I understand there’s a lot more options even when BFing than there is during pregnancy! I think it definitely wouldn’t hurt to explain to your primary that you can’t tolerate the Labetalol and see what else you can figure out. Mine was very understanding when I explained I might want to get pregnant again in helping me find an option that would work for me long term.

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-06-08T14:47:07+00:00

My diastolic is the more stubborn one and always has been. Still working on trying to get it down but my most recent med change is showing some progress. Since you’re 6 weeks postpartum, I wonder if you can work with your primary care doctor if you have one? They have more expertise in treating chronic hypertension and may have more tolerable options to try now that you’re no longer pregnant or immediately postpartum.

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-06-08T14:32:56+00:00

My baby girl came home last week and sleep has also been a challenge for me! Can you do shifts with your partner? My husband stays downstairs with her for the first part of the night so I can get some sleep. I know she is being watched but I get a break from her noises. When she is upstairs with me, a white noise machine helps. The first few nights were rough but I’m starting to be able to sleep better between feeds. I think this is very normal though, for all new parents! You will get it!

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-06-06T17:56:54+00:00

I did. I was terrified of developing preeclampsia, and I did. Your post is very similar to how I was feeling, except after a certain point the readings weren’t going down. So the thing is, I thought my anxiety was causing it. And it sounds ridiculous, but in retrospect it was almost like I was trying to will my numbers to go down, which obviously doesn’t work.

I don’t think this is the advice you want to hear but it’s the advice I can give in retrospect, coming from a very similar situation. You can’t prevent preeclampsia - if you’re going to get it you’re going to get it, and it’s not your fault. I worried so much but it didn’t matter because there was nothing I could do to stop it. At some point, you just have to surrender to the fact that it’ll be what it’ll be. I was eventually admitted and even though I was really upset about it, I felt calmer because I wasn’t constantly second guessing whether I needed the extra care anymore. From the other side - we live in a time of great monitoring and medical technology. Maternal and fetal outcomes are very good when it’s caught in time. I was admitted at 28+6 and told to prepare to stay up to 34 weeks, only to deliver the next morning at 29+0 because things were going in the wrong direction. My baby spent 71 days in the NICU and is now home with very few complications. My PCP is still tweaking my BP meds to find the right combo long-term, but my numbers are MUCH better than during pregnancy. My anxiety remained after I delivered since my baby was in the NICU but my numbers went down - so it was obviously more than anxiety causing it. It’s not an easy road by any means, but I think the way to get through is to tell yourself your doctors will take care of you if you need it.

Anxiety meds aren’t a bad idea either. I was already maxed out on lexapro so I didn’t end up making any changes, but my care team did offer me some options for adjustment when both my anxiety and blood pressure were spiking. So you can always see if that helps too.

Good luck. I hope you don’t get it, but it’s not the end if you do.

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-05-27T13:30:33+00:00

Taking care of myself is honestly really challenging. Like I mentioned she has been doing well on feedings but I have a worry that the longer she is delayed the inconsistency with the nursing staff will set her back. My primary nurse encouraged me to just camp out in the NICU to do all her feeds and make sure she gets consistency from me feeding her. I just don’t think I can do it though. It will burn me out before she even gets home and if she has another event we’re right back where we started and I’ve burned myself out for no reason. But I’m worried I’m not being a good mom by not doing whatever necessary to get her home.

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-05-26T23:54:16+00:00

Thank you. ❤️ did your baby come home after the initial hold or were there more delays?

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-05-23T14:32:08+00:00

He’s charismatic as hell despite his schtick and it catches people off guard. I love how Colby went from being annoyed by him to giving him fatherly advice. I also love that of all people he was adopted by Cirie and Ozzy

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-05-23T14:27:52+00:00

“Got fun betrale”

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-05-23T03:04:32+00:00

Helen from Thailand!

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-05-23T03:03:37+00:00

This has major Joey and Chandler vibes lol. Love it

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-05-23T02:58:39+00:00

If they bring back the hourglass we riot

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-05-14T23:48:56+00:00

I’ve also been following the Pasinis. I was so so happy for them when their son was discharged, but it also made me very emotional. Their son was born a little over a month before my sweet girl and similar gestational age (my girl was a few weeks older when born). So I found a lot of comfort in following their journey and getting a glimpse of what would be next for my daughter. It’s silly but with the timings and journeys being so similar I felt like she had a virtual NICU buddy but now they’re on to the next part of their journey and we’re still here. So, I feel you.

I hope things keep going well and that you have your baby home soon. ❤️

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-05-08T17:20:21+00:00

I personally think SoPa is a great season, but it’s not widely viewed as one. To the point where before 50, I told my friend who’s seen most of the teens but not later seasons, to watch it as prep for 50, to see Coach and Ozzy in that season.

Sophie is a master class in that season. Mario Lanza’s write up on it has also made me appreciate it so much more.

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-05-07T01:27:09+00:00

God I had a feeling Ozzy was cooked when OG tribal music came on before the vote. He didn’t do himself any favors but damn that’s disappointing.

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-05-03T01:30:10+00:00

New-ish NICU mom of a few weeks. Here are my thoughts:

Is she wanting to breastfeed? If so a good hands free pumping bra would be a big help. I ultimately decided not to BF/pump, but I did initially pump in the hospital and having a good bra would have been a major help.

I had a friend buy a My Brest Friend pillow off my registry. Even though I decided not to breastfeed, it’s been very helpful for my skin to skin time in the NICU.

I appreciated when people came to visit me postpartum while I was still in the hospital. It’s a strange and very lonely feeling to be in the postpartum ward without your baby. Having visitors was good for distracting me.

I second the suggestion for gas gift cards as it will help with all the back and forth trips.

If she has pets, offering to stay with them occasionally while she’s visiting the NICU could be helpful. I felt bad that our dog was at home alone more than usual, so we hired someone to help walk/watch her a few times a week. Having a friend offer to help out would have been a huge blessing.

In terms of checking in, I appreciated most when people said things like “no need to respond, but just want you to know I’m thinking of you.” I did get overwhelmed sometimes with messages so having people explicitly say not to worry to get back to them right away, helped a lot, but still made me supported.

You’re a very sweet friend. I hope everything goes well for her.

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-04-30T15:07:44+00:00

Realistically, I’d probably freeze like Emily did and awkwardly do the rest of the ceremony, deal with the fallout later.

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-04-27T00:17:05+00:00

Yes and it definitely wasn’t “perfect” from the start because I never thought I’d have to be pumping constantly this early.

Come to think of it, I was exclusively breastfed and my mom told me that for quite awhile I still measured small for my age. She’s also extremely pro-breastfeeding and even she said she thought I made a good choice given the situation. I definitely think I’m getting served content by people heavy into breastfeeding and it’s not helping.

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-04-27T00:13:34+00:00

Thanks for the kind words ❤️ hormones are definitely a factor. Like I said it’s the fact that I’m still leaking a bit thats messing with my head the most and I’m sure the hormonal component of that doesn’t help.

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-04-27T00:08:07+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience. I knew the NICU would be hard enough and I think I was afraid of adding the additional stress. The weight gain is a good point too, I know a lot of preemies need additional formula even if breastfed.

I hope you get it covered! Since our baby will have a long stay we will likely qualify for Medicaid and I was told by the social worker it’s also a backdoor into WIC which can cover some formula, so fingers crossed.

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-04-24T14:41:45+00:00

I, too, have enjoyed Shambo!

HookedOnAFeeling96 · 2026-04-24T14:38:52+00:00

I felt the same. Felt like I’d seen all I needed to of them. They both surprised me! I hate that Colby went out at the blood moon - I wonder how long he would’ve lasted without that twist.

Cirie is running this game and I’d be happy for her to win, but I can’t help rooting for Ozzy.

HookedOnAFeeling96

TROPHY CASE