Medical Complications/Issues

Posted by Kate on March 7, 2012

NICU Notes: A Preemie’s Secondary Womb

With a premature child in the NICU it is easy to feel robbed of special moments. Every parent who has written about having a preemie in the NICU writes about that moment when you leave the hospital empty-handed. When I was pregnant with my son, I knew a few other pregnant women. They were all due before me, but I gave birth first. While I visit my son in the NICU and pump milk at home, they cuddle happily in the delivery room, bonding with their new babies. They go home. They go on walks in the park. I am jealous. Why didn’t I get the happy bonding with my newborn? Why do I have to drive across town just to see him? Why do I have to ask permission to hold him or feed him?  (more…)

Posted by Kate on March 6, 2012

NICU Notes: Dads Count Too

We’ve been in the NICU for almost a month now, and my husband and I have been surprised at the relative absence of dads in the room. Oh sure, we see them once in a while. Shortly after delivery, dad comes to the NICU alone while mom recovers. A bit later, mom and dad take a trip from their hospital delivery room or recovery room to the NICU together. Mom holds the baby while dad watches. After a few days, mom checks out of the hospital, and dad is rarely to be seen.

This makes no sense as we near the end of 2011. I’m not suggesting that all families take up an equally shared parenting division of labor or that both parents give up their jobs for weeks on end while they visit their newborn in the NICU. I am simply saying that dads* count too. (more…)

Posted by Kate on March 5, 2012

NICU Notes: Words Words Words

When you have a child in the NICU, common words take on a whole new meaning. This starts on the very first day. “Congratulations!” That’s what you say when someone has a baby, isn’t it? But “congratulations” can cut like a knife when your baby has arrived way too early. You are not excited he is here. He should be inside you. You feel like you failed in some substantial way. Or maybe your baby is right on time but has a problem you never thought you’d have to deal with. This is not to disparage anyone who says, “congratulations.” I say it too, and I can think of no suitable substitute. But that doesn’t change the fact that it hurts. So say it if it feels right, but do not be surprised it if results in a pained expression instead of heartfelt gratitude.

“She’s so advanced for her age.” If you’re like me, and you hear another parent say that, you just want to cringe. Great, another braggart. Your kid is better than mine. Yay! But for someone with a child who is or was in the NICU, this could have a completely different meaning. It could be a comfort while the child is still at risk that at least she’s further ahead than expected, and she has a fighting chance. Or, months later, it could be that sigh of relief, that realization that the child is on track and everything is going to be all right. So if you hear that dreaded statement, consider the situation. Maybe you can cut that parent some slack. (more…)

Posted by Kate on December 12, 2011

Surviving Bed Rest: The Wait

You’re on bed rest. Look on the positive side. You’ll have lots of time to sleep and relax. Not quite! While you will have lots of time to relax, sleep is another story. If you’re on continuous fetal monitoring, someone will probably have to sneak in to realign the monitors whenever you or the baby moves too far and gets it out of alignment. You’ll have someone come in to check your vital signs every few hours. You’ll have your IV bag changed or be given oral medications. If you don’t have an IV bag attached, someone will have to come by to flush the line to make sure it still works. And let’s not forget about the various alarms, hallway noises of doors banging and the staff talking, neighborhood noises, delivery trucks coming to the hospital. The list is endless!

Every day, in addition to all those visits by the nurses, you will probably get a checkup from your assigned OB and maybe also a perinatologist. The NICU doctors might come by. You might meet someone from Admissions to discuss how you will pay. Perhaps you’ll get an intro to physical therapy so you can do bed exercises. A nutritionist might give you your daily menu, a sociologist will talk to you about the potential life with a baby in the NICU. Yet another endless list. All of these things are important, but all of them will keep you from having an uninterrupted schedule. Accept that and go with the flow, and you’ll be fine. If you’ve already had a baby, you remember those months of interrupted sleep. If you haven’t this could be a rough adjustment. Remember that you don’t have to do this forever—just long enough to let that baby bake a little longer. (more…)

Posted by Kate on December 2, 2011

Surviving Bed Rest: Self-Preservation

A big thing to remember while on bed rest is that even though the nursing staff is taking wonderful care of you around the clock, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be your own advocate. They know the important questions to ask, but they don’t know what’s bothering you if you don’t tell them.

The gel used with continuous fetal monitoring caused me to break out in a rash. I knew I felt itchy and should have told the nurses sooner, but I waited until the next time we moved the monitors and actually saw the redness. Since I waited too long, it took another day or two for the alternative cream and hydrocortisone to improve things. Even the “baby” soap they provided at the hospital dried out my skin. If you have any skin sensitivities, make sure to bring soaps, etc. from home so you won’t get an uncomfortable surprise. (more…)

Posted by Kate on November 25, 2011

Surviving Bed Rest: Preparations and Self-Preservation

While you are on bed rest, it would be smart to prepare a little. You don’t want to scare yourself with too many horror stories of extremely premature babies, but you if your stress level can handle it, knowledge about preemies and the NICU will help you remain calm if you do go into labor sooner than you hope. I found the internet to be inconsistent and was concerned it might be too graphic, so I opted to read the Sears family’s The Premature Baby Book. It wasn’t the best book the family ever wrote, but it is a nice reference. Looking back now that I have a baby in the NICU, I am so glad I prepared myself.

Look up what you need to do to get your baby on your health insurance after birth. If your prognosis is for staying in bed until your baby reaches term, think about the things you will need when bringing baby home. If you’re going to be induced early and you know you’ll have a preemie in the NICU, you can wait on some of these things and just focus on the goal of helping your baby thrive and come home soon. (more…)

Posted by Kate on November 20, 2011

Surviving Bed Rest: Arrival at the Hospital

First of all, I’m no expert on bed rest. I’m not a doctor, a nurse, or a researcher. All I can tell you about is my particular bed rest at my particular hospital. Maybe this can put some things in perspective for anyone who is about to go on bed rest or for the friends and family of someone who’s already there.

When you first get to the hospital it might be an obvious emergency or it might just be to check on something of concern. You’ll probably get hooked up to equipment to measure your vital signs (a blood pressure monitor or a clamp on your finger that checks your pulse) and a fetal monitor to track of the baby’s heartbeat and your contractions, even if you’re just having Braxton Hicks. These fetal monitors are the same ones usually used for normal delivery. For a term baby, you can just plop them right on. If your baby is preterm, it might take some searching to find the heartbeat, and every time you or the baby changes position, a nurse will have to hunt around to find it again. I hope you like lying really still. The nurses and doctors are going to track heartbeat accelerations and decelerations. Both will happen. They might not have time to explain to you the types of accelerations and decelerations that are good versus which are bad, but if you’re around for bed rest they will have time to answer these questions. (more…)

Posted by Kate on November 17, 2011

Surviving Bed Rest: The First Two Weeks

Two weeks. That’s how long I’ve been in the hospital. Every time I’m on PregTASTIC, I start my introduction by saying I work for a medical device company. I love medical technology and all the ways it can help people, and I don’t ever want to have to use it. Ever. It should be there if you need it and invisible if you don’t. But sadly, I need it. Two weeks ago, when I was a day under 27 weeks pregnant, my water broke. Hello freak out. We rushed to the hospital, were seen by a million doctors and nurses, and were seriously concerned I would go into labor. I didn’t, thankfully.

Preterm premature rupture of membranes means there is now a much greater risk of infection for me and for the baby. So we’re under constant observation, and I’m not going home. If all goes well and I don’t go into labor or exhibit signs of infection, I am looking at a total of 7 weeks in the hospital before they induce. That’s the best-case scenario; I’d much rather be sitting on my butt in the hospital for two months than visiting the NICU for longer. (more…)