The House of Wheeler: surviving the nicu

After about a week of having my baby Treg in the nicu, I realized operation break Treg out, wasn't going to happen anytime soon. So i scoured pinterest for ideas, tips, anything about an extended stay in the nicu. And i found NOTHING. I was so sad. Not only was i a first time mom, the closest i had ever been to a nicu was greys anatomy. In my particular case, my baby was in the nicu for one month. Treg had an extended stay due to feeding issues, low birth weight, heart problems, breathing problems, and jaundice (twice). Which are all pretty common in babies with Down Syndrome-which if your new to this blog, thats what baby Treg has:)

But i wont be focusing this blog piece on our particular case. I've gotten dozens of responses on my instagram and facebook when i posed the question to all nicu mothers "if you could give one piece of advise to a new nicu mother, what would it be?" and all the advise was incredible! So i have compiled a little list.

1. I'll be selfish and share what my piece of advice is. Now i may be a complete idiot but i had no idea what "care times" meant. I was all drugged up and crazy from my emergency c-section so when i snuck out of our room, and into the nicu at 4:30am the second day of Tregs life, the nurse asked "are you here for his cares?" I just stupidly replied, yes! and he told me the diapers were under his isolate. Well it took me a few days but i finally realized that Care times are just that, times you can care for your baby! In all nicus they occur every three hours, that is because after research and studies, it is proven that babies little hunger sweet spot is approximately every three or so hours. Our times were 2,5,8,11 round the clock. My favorites were early morning, and late night. No one was there, the nurses usually let me hold him as long as i pleased, and it was just quiet and peaceful. I would often opt to stay up late with Treg, and just skip a morning care and sleep a little. You go in, take his temperature (especially important if your baby isnt able to maintain his/her own body heat) change his diaper, the nurse would then listen to his heart, feel the pulses on his extremities, and then feed him. Feeding leads me to another thing, take all the free help you can get. Probably twice a day we would grab a lactation consultant, or occupational therapist, and ask for help with Tregs breast feeding. Its free and they love to help!

2. On a note of feeding, if your little one isnt feeding, learn to do the ng tube yourself. That is one thing i highly recommend. If you can be confident running your babies equipment, it will make going home so much easier! By the time we went home with Treg we were doing everything for him. We knew how to fix his oxygen, all the cords, what everything meant with that equipment, how to do his tube feeding, we were old pros! and trust me, you will be too when you leave!

3. Dont be afraid to ask questions. It can be intimidating when rounds come by your babies crib. A half dozen nurses and doctors speaking foreign medical talk. But that is the best time to ask your questions, and get straight forward answers. Most hospitals do round same time every day, so if you can only make it once or twice a week, write down all your questions, and unload! If you want to know an eta of how long you will be there, if you want to know "whats typical" in your babies circumstance, just ask! its your baby, and your his/hers advocate, you are your babies voice!

4. Which brings us to four. Do what you feel is best for your baby. Ever heard of the fed is better movement? Its heartbreaking that is even a thing. But the idea of it is, that feeding your baby by any means is better than starving your baby who cant for some reason sustain life of breast feeding. You have to ask for formula is hospitals, or else they will keep pressing breast feeding, so if you are so close to going home, but your baby isnt feeding, ASK FOR THE BOTTLE!

5. Bring snacks! Yes!!! Food makes everything better right? I remember days i wouldnt eat at all, because i felt i needed to be there, some days are just too important to miss honestly. I also brought my laptop to blog, books to read, i saw some mothers with coloring books, and of course a camera.

6. That brings me to six; take pictures!! I know your heart is aching. And it seems far fetched you will ever want to remember such painful times. but my nicu pictures are some of my most cherished. Below i have quite a few nicu pictures i adore, feel free to copy them, to make your own precious nicu baby photos. After all, your baby is only a newborn once, and you will eventually want to remember.

7. "This is only a season, whether its weeks, or months. You get to be a family forever" i had to quote that one because it was just too sweet, and so true.

8. Join a mothers support group, make friends of other parents in the nicu. You never know who you will meet, and who you, yourself could help. I was talking to a nurse about Treg having down syndrome and when the nurse left, the mother right beside me said "did i hear you have a baby with down syndrome?" "Olivia has down syndrome too!" This woman became such a dear friend to me. We learned how much we had in common, and she really pulled me through on the days i thought i was gonna make it.

While i was there one long day i went in to the parents lounge to pump. There was a mother there laying with her baby, it looked like they were preparing to go home. i sat down and began pumping and for some reason this mother had the inclination to ask me why we were there. I began to tell her about Treg, and how his problems were mostly relating to him having down syndrome. I talked about what an amazing little boy he was, and what a special spirit he had. She began crying. And explained that although she was taking home her baby boy, she had twins. one of which was in the process of being tested for down syndrome. Mothers in the nicu have such a sweet special bond.

9. One of my favorite things we did in the nicu was a "Treg and mom update" everyday. Everyday my husband would send a lengthy text chain with an update. we would talk about tregs weight, what we did that day, any accomplishments he made, or set backs, and how i was recovering from labor and c-section. All the details we could think of, and our family loved it! If we skipped a day, we definitely heard about it!

10. This was the most common response. Take care of yourself. Shower, eat, sleep, get ready. Your baby is in such capable hands. A nurse once said to me "this is the most expensive, and most qualified baby sitting you will ever have." Thats when i finally stopped staying till 2:00am and coming back by 8:00am. It is true. Not only that, but its hard to truly be there, mind, body, and spirit for your baby, if you are exhausted. I often thought "well i would be way more exhausted if Treg was home and i was taking care of him." That is simply in no way true. When in the nicu, you dont nap when your baby naps, you just sit there, worried and restless. I honestly sleep 10x more now that Treg is home. So get a couple hours rest, take a shower in the morning, and be the refreshed supermom your baby needs you to be!

Thanks to all the moms who helped, and gave wonderful advise!