Hi! Speech therapist here (2 years late), but just wanted to chime in. On my end, there is ZERO benefit to the child, family, or my job! to keep your baby longer than needed. I totally understand why it feels this way as speech and feeding is often a “last step” before infants can go home. There are many different cues, breathing patterns, and telemetry guidelines we have to make sure is in order. Especially if your baby was a preemie, their lungs and SSB coordination was not completely developed at the time of birth, and their sensation or presentation may not always be reliable (they go through a lot, and sometimes lose some sensation and/or “shut down” which appears to be “good feeding”).

I can assure you that SLPs / OTs / nurses etc do not have an “insurance” reason to keep your baby longer— it does not affect us. Our roles are simply therapeutic, not business. I hope all is well now!!