And the award for most asked question goes to...

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

What is/are the one or two questions you get asked most by parents in the NICU?

For me, the hands down winner is "What's his weight today??". Not "is he doing ok?" or "what are his chances at survival?" It's forever the darned weight question.

What is it about parents that make them want to know the baby's weight down to the gram? Quit asking that! He gained 3 grams.

I know, I know...it's all they know to ask. But I wish someone clever would start a trend of asking about poop or something else besides weight. :)

[prmenrs, RN]

I like that question best when the OB hasn't even cut the cord yet. Or when you're doing chest compressions.

[silverbat]

When my premie was in the hospital, I asked that question as well. Daily and without fail..... The reason being, was that nurses and Dr's alike would say that this would happen, or that would happen, etc., when he weighs "X" amount, so not being a nurse at the time, I listened to the Dr/Nurse and worried/thought about all they said and what would happen at XXXX grams of weight... and so.... I asked......daily and without fail...... I was reasurred that he was, indeed growing, and reaching those milestones and with no backsliding/weight loss, I was reasurred... Just my story.....

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

I'm a mom of one premie (8 weeks early but thank the stars large for her gestional age and totally healthy..no O2, no tube feedings..all she needed to do was gain some weight and maintain her body temp and she could come home) and one who was full term but very low birthweight (just shy of 4 lbs).

I asked the same 2 questions every day..."how's she doing today" and "is her weight up?" Since both babies were very healthy and had none of the typical problems that these kind of babies usually have, their going home was dependent mainly on them gaining weight. I know 3 grams doesn't sound like anything major but to a baby who needs to increase their weight to go home...each 3 grams is one step closer to being home. All I really wanted was a general 'she's fine' or 'she's doing well' just to know my girls were on the right track.

In my defense, I never asked the nurses anything until I could see they weren't involved in something else. My knowing how much my little ones gained/lost was never more important than the NICU nurse taking care of another wee one..even if it was just a diaper change.

And to each and everyone of the NICU nurses, such as the OP, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for answering those questions as if it were the first time you heard it out of my mouth hahah. My daughters' NICU nurses were the best nurses ever. I think of them often.

[nursevicki66]

it is an understandable objective measurement for parents. And also what mds1 said.

[prmenrs, RN]

There's nothing wrong w/the question, and we understand why parents ask it. We had little cards on the beds w/the daily wts recorded-I would show it to Mom and Dad, and point out that looking back a week would give them an idea of the trend, which is a better indicator of the baby's progress, and less stressful than comparing day to day numbers.

We also point out that there are more than one criteria for going home.

[boardchic]

I get, "did he sleep?" Or " did he have a good night?" I find the sleeping question amusing when it's a 32 weeker. Though, recently, the first question a mom asked me was "how are your kids?" That switched it up a bit. I spent some time as primary for her sister's twins, so I guess they talked about me :)

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

I like "Are you going to circumcise him soon" on a 450 gram kid...

[prmenrs, RN]

@NicuGal--that's another gem. I would answer, "not yet".

[umcRN, BSN, RN]

"When can he take a bottle?"

Never mind that the kiddo is an ex 24 weeker, has been intubated 6 months, just arrived to our facility a few days prior and we decide to try vapotherm since the other hospital didnt have it...10L of vapo mind you.

Same exact question came out of their mouth the day after he got his trach

[Calabria, BSN, RN]

When Mom/Dad/grandparents call for an update: "What's the baby doing right now?"

The answer that I usually give, since it's true most of the time (especially for our littlest ones): He/she's sleeping/resting quietly right now...

The answer that I'm tempted to give on the most stressful days, but don't: Tapdancing, hula hooping, jumping rope, doing gymnastics, reciting poetry.

[boardchic]

One of the moms commented that their little girl seemed extra tired. I said that's because we do baby races at night and place bets on who's fastest :)