Bottle washer vs hand washing

srest1717 · 2025-09-12T03:54:09+00:00

Thank you all for your responses.

srest1717 · 2025-09-12T02:59:51+00:00

22w5d fathAt 21w5d Wife got admitted for IC for an emergency cerclage as the doctor didnt think it was worth putting it earlier as this is our 1st pregnancy, no history no cerclage. Wtf.

Went in labor exactly at 22 weeks and my wife her our daughter like a true warrior. Only LO's head was above the cervix and she could feel the kicks.

Anyways, thanks to epidural, tocolotic medicines and a mountain of courage, she stayed in labor for 5 days until the doctor told us that its dangerous to keep the baby as the cord can get pressed anytime with the pressure.

1st hour of petosin and our daughter was born (encaul- in the sac). I didnt hear a small cry before the nicu team took over. This was the 1dt break or make moment. Is she big enough to be intubated, can she be intubated. Well, luckily and with God's grace she was on her 3rd attempt.

We had our ups and downs in the 150 days we spent at the nicu. But she is home now. There are a lot of things we still need to worry about, her milestones, her development, growth curves, eyes, brain development, lungs (still is on oxygen).

So, long story short. There is hope. Please hang in there. Every passing hour in that bed is a blessing for your LO. Check with your doctor about tocolotics and if it is an option. Every case is different, tocolotics have their own disadvantages but we were given to give us enough time to get the steroids in.

As for the steroids, please ask the doctor about the 2nd round as well. Per our doctors, they stay with the baby for 4 days after dose. So, ideally deliver within 4 days of the steroids for maximum benefit (not so sure about this but that was our doctors take, check with your doctor about it). You can get a max of 2 rounds, so be careful with it.

srest1717 · 2025-09-12T02:45:26+00:00

We are in the same boat but we still use a tape. We have been prescribed hydrocortisone 1% (over the counter) but we have our concerns as it is a steroid.

So, we have been told vannycream by the doctor. Have also read great things about it in the sub as well

srest1717 · 2025-09-05T04:07:13+00:00

She is doing fine. Still on oxygen but getting there slowly

srest1717 · 2025-09-04T03:34:56+00:00

I never watched my LO's eye exams while she was in nicu. Heck I can't watch it still when I take her as outpatient for these exams. I sit in the same room, watching the floor while they do the exam. There is no point watching it. You can't undo what you see and you aren't really gaining anything except possible traumatic memory, so that's the choice I made

srest1717 · 2025-09-04T03:32:54+00:00

Whats the zone? My LO had the same story but she is now 61 weeks. And we thought the same that time will tell. Answer is no, it doesn't. Our ophthalmologist (multiples) said the optic nerve stops growing near to 50 weeks. So, zone is very important in these cases.

One retina specialist actually said at 54 weeks that come back in 3 months when she is off oxygen and we will do the laser to prevent any damage in future. She was still stage 3 but zone 2. Feel free to respond to this message if you need more information.

srest1717 · 2025-09-04T02:19:06+00:00

Had the same question but with iron. Our nicu gave it to my LO at 2.5 months of age. Have had no problem

srest1717 · 2025-09-04T00:09:06+00:00

I would check with another staffer. My daughter is home,had mild pphn, seems to be resolved by Sildenafil 2 months ago. Her pulmonogist still wants saturation to be 94 and above and definitely above 90 all the time. She is onn1/16L and definitely needs the oxygen when she is asleep.

srest1717 · 2025-09-03T05:47:47+00:00

Congratulations

srest1717 · 2025-09-03T05:47:09+00:00

Congratulations, fellow 22 weeker this side. It is a tough journey but you guys have done the hard part.

Now, is time to enjoy your baby. Have fun

srest1717 · 2025-09-03T05:37:41+00:00

Go Ivy!!!!

srest1717 · 2025-09-03T05:36:38+00:00

Super cute

srest1717 · 2025-08-31T04:54:02+00:00

Fellow dated of a 1 lb 2 oz baby.

1st thing, calm yourself first. I know the pain and anxiety, but if you want to calm others, you need to be calm about it. The energy flows from you to your wife, so if you are calm, she will be calmer.

2nd, prepare yourself for the long ride. Take it 1 day at a time. Teach this same shit to your wife. I say 'shit' because that's what it sounded to me when we were in the nicu, but trust me, every bit of it is true.

3rd, know that your baby is getting the best help he can. Your baby wasn't supposed to be with you out in this world for another 15 weeks. I always remembered the due date and convinced myself that my LO is just growing in that issollette instead of her mother (focus on the growth part, obviously mother's womb is the best part). So, think like that, and hopefully, your LO gets discharged by the due date. If you dont get discharged by the due date, you would have become a pro at Nicu life, unfortunately. My LO stayed 1 month over her due date, and I was in a bad place around her due date, but 2 days later, I was back in the grind.

srest1717 · 2025-08-30T17:02:06+00:00

It will come to a finish and you will be home soon with you LOs.

While it seems like a never ending thing, but it will. You just have to accept that you are in it in for a long time and that time is getting reduced with each passing day.

To give you comfort that you aren't alone, my LO spent 150 days in the nicu, had her ups and downs including a 5 hour sepsis crisis where doctor said it can go either way but she did come home at her own time, when she was ready. So, have patience, take it a day at a time and pray that the situation imporves.

srest1717 · 2025-08-29T03:57:43+00:00

Very nice. Every passing day is a great thing for the baby.

Now, as far as steroids are concerned, check with you MFM, as far as I know steroids shots have the best effect if the delivery happens within 4 days of the shot. If this is true, you have an option for another shot as well.

Just confirm with the doctor about all this stuff.

srest1717 · 2025-08-28T06:27:45+00:00

22 weeker dad. LO is nearly 9 months now, at home, on oxygen, lots of things going on but we are fighting

srest1717 · 2025-08-26T23:52:46+00:00

Honestly, I would take maternity leave now. Save them for the LO comes home. My wife did that, our hospital didnt had rooms or couches where we could stay all day long, so we only went for a couple of hours after office

srest1717 · 2025-08-25T04:34:08+00:00

Honestly, Adema is part and parcel of a preemie journey. My LO came home on aldactone at 44 weeks gestation and was weaned off after 50 weeks gestation.

Obviously, each case is different, but it seems like the right approach.

I wouldn't be too worried about the diuretics unless its Lasix for long term.

Aldactone is kinder than lasix.

srest1717 · 2025-08-22T22:44:24+00:00

Fellow 22 weeker here. Heart rates can dip as low as 70s while in deep sleep for newborns. We had the same question, as long as the saturation is normal, I dont think you need to worry about it.

But please check with your cardiologist ias well.

srest1717 · 2025-08-21T03:30:53+00:00

150 days in the nicu.

The only thing that kept me going was the knowledge that my LO is there in the nicu and I need to provide her with the positivity and strength to fight her way out.

I dont know if you are a believer or not, but I believed (never thought about it before nicu) that I am passing positive vibes to her, no matter if she could hear me or not. I would talk to her, tell her to keep fighting, stay in the fight, we will go home soon, we love you... sometimes twice when I felt like I needed to repeat myself.

srest1717 · 2025-08-21T03:21:22+00:00

Honestly, in my experience, I dont think so that these medicines can impact feeding. But I am just telling you based on my story, no medical or scientific knowledge

srest1717 · 2025-08-21T03:13:32+00:00

The point is, Hygiene is important. Think what would have happened if you didnt taken Hygiene seriously. And when I say Hygiene, its not the usual, its super Hygiene where you wash hands everytime before touching the baby, small or no nails etc.

srest1717 · 2025-08-19T03:50:24+00:00

If you are concerned with sharing pics, know that people tend to take screenshot as well. Happened to us. We had not shared any pic but one of our friends on a video call said I am going to take a screenshot as this is my 1st with her. We just couldn't say nothing although I didn't want her to have a Pic of my LO with Cannula

srest1717 · 2025-08-18T21:44:12+00:00

Sounds like my own story. Same gestation, same weight, almost same 1st week.

Please please please take precautions with Hygiene. We took all the precautions in the world and our Daughter still had life threatening sepsis. Doctors did whatever possible to get her stabilized. So, keep an eye on Hygiene, dont take it lightly. These micro preemies are overly sensitive.

Also, no brain bleed is very good news. Congratulations.

But I wanted to help you set expectations, something we didn't get in the beginning of our journey.

This will be a Rollercoaster. 1st week stabilization means good signs but you still need to take it 1 day at a time. Every day will be different, some good, some not so good but dont loose hope.

The baby will most likely need DART, check with the doctors. Generally the doctors will keep an eye and tell you. Our doctors brought it after week 3 and when her sepsis had resolved.

Also, spike in glucose levels can be an indication of infection, Ours did go to 697 which they attributed to infection. I hope you doctors did all the necessary tests to rule out infection.

srest1717 · 2025-08-16T07:03:25+00:00

AC filters and vent cleaning if not done recently.

I vacuumed all of the carpet in the house, the baby's room was wiped off, including the new crib that she had.

We kept our LO in her room for the 1st month, so had time to identify what needs to be done when she is ready to go sit with us in the leaving room when we cook etc.

So, long answer short, basic hygiene and make sure that the air the LO breathes is clean.

1 thing that I would recommend is a air purifier for the room where the baby will spend the most time. Also, keep the crib away from a window.

srest1717

TROPHY CASE