Funny/happy NICU moments needed

Specialties NICU

Published

:scrying: After a wonderful 6 months maternity leave home with my girls, I'm headed back to the NICU and I need some encouragement. Help me remember WHY I love my job despite the horrendous hours.

OH, and my fridge died so 3/4 of my frozen milk supply was thawed:( and therefore ruined.

Need funny NICU moments to cheer me up! Thanks!

Specializes in level 3 NICU.

I had been primary to a former 24 weeker who was now 9 months old and still in our unit. Despite everything he had been through he had a very sweet disposition. He loved to be held and rocked, esp during nippling. OT had beed teaching him basic sign lanuage. I would head straight for his crib as soon as I started my shift just to say hi. One day when I got to his crib he signed "Mama" and threw his arms up to be picked up. It was such a happy:heartbeat and sad:cry: moment combined. His Mom had visited 5 times in 9 months, it never crossed my mind that he would think I was his mother and it never crossed OT mind to teach him the sign for nurse. Sadly, he was not the only one in the unit who's mom did not vist, but some how he felt loved. That is what we try to do for our babes who don't get visits from parents. I still really don't know how former 24 weeker grasp such an abstract concept as mother. He went to a great foster family with a mom & dad, no other kids in the home, so he did not have to be 1 of 50 babies waiting his turn for a cuddle. I hear he is still signing, and Mama to his foster mom:yeah:

Specializes in Level III NICU.
I had been primary to a former 24 weeker who was now 9 months old and still in our unit. Despite everything he had been through he had a very sweet disposition. He loved to be held and rocked, esp during nippling. OT had beed teaching him basic sign lanuage. I would head straight for his crib as soon as I started my shift just to say hi. One day when I got to his crib he signed "Mama" and threw his arms up to be picked up. It was such a happy:heartbeat and sad:cry: moment combined. His Mom had visited 5 times in 9 months, it never crossed my mind that he would think I was his mother and it never crossed OT mind to teach him the sign for nurse. Sadly, he was not the only one in the unit who's mom did not vist, but some how he felt loved. That is what we try to do for our babes who don't get visits from parents. I still really don't know how former 24 weeker grasp such an abstract concept as mother. He went to a great foster family with a mom & dad, no other kids in the home, so he did not have to be 1 of 50 babies waiting his turn for a cuddle. I hear he is still signing, and Mama to his foster mom:yeah:

You story gave me chills!

Specializes in NICU.

I was taking care of this tiny little guy quite a bit, and every time I had to give him an injection (vit A or Epo), he would grab my glove by the wrist and hold on for dear life! And I love the little ones that grab the suction catheter or NG tube as you're trying to insert it! Or when they pull their nascal cannulas out of their noses, and when you find them the cannula is in their mouth! I am amazed by the things these kiddos can do. Like the 1300g little girl who I snuggled up perfectly, and an hour later she is perpendicular to how I had her (and how she's supposed to be) and looks like she's trying to jump out the isolette door (thank goodness for looking before opening the door). I love when a tiny hand grabs my finger and seems like it won't let go. Tiny baby feet are the best too. And I love, love, love when I get extra time to cuddle a baby. Gotta love the NICU. :)

Specializes in NICU.

Last night I was caring for a 2 week old, ex-33 week gestation baby, who had been diagnosed with a VSD at birth. He had been discharged home from his birth hospital after 10 days, but had started tiring with po feeds. We admitted him to our NICU. As I was changing his diaper, I noted what appeard to be a mild case of hypospadias. This hadn't been documented in the Physician's Admission notes, so I asked another RN to come and give me her opinion on it. At that moment, this little 1900 grammer peed...missing his diaper, crib, and clothing, and hit the floor, urine arching in a perfect stream, about 10 feet from his bassinette. As we were laughing and cleaning up the floor, my colleague said to him, "Baby, your Daddy would be so proud of you!"

I just love my job.:p

A long time ago in a NICU far far away there was a grumpy medical resident who needed a little humor to get him out of his grumpiness. So in the middle of a long night shift we set up a warmer in a dimly lit corner, placed a CPR doll all wrapped up on the warmer with an oxyhood over it's head. We then hooked up the cardiac monitor leads to a slow breathing calm nurse sitting nearby who could keep her heartrate in the 60's. Then we woke up grumpy medical resident to come to our baby's bedside because we couldn't get it's heartrate above the 60's. I can still remember him looking back and forth from the baby to the monitor, and him placing his stethescope on the baby's cold, hard chest. The sleepy look of confusion on his face was priceless as he slowly realized the baby was not real, and yet that monitor showed a heartrate in the 60's.:redbeathe (Warning...Not a cure for grumpy residents.)

How about projectile stools?

A couple weeks ago I was on my last feed of a shift (had four feeder growers and was pretty much running in a circle for 12 hours) and was cuddling the little guy while feeding him when my leg was suddenly very warm. When I changed him, the "little man" was perfectly tucked in the dry diaper and my leg was soaking wet. Nothing like a "mystery pee" at 0600 to wake you up!

Specializes in Neonatal ICU-Peds Flight Nurse.

i looOoove this thread!! i will graduate in july and just got offered a position in the nicu! i can't wait!!

Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

I had a little one who was, shall we say, a little constipated.

Then I offered to let her mother changer her with me one day...As soon as mom could clean her up, and get the diaper cream on her, she'd fart and poop a little more. 6 diapers later, we couldn't stop laughing.....

Specializes in NICU.

We just had our annual reunion picnic this past weekend. It's always so much fun seeing everybody come back, bigger and healthier and happier than when they left the unit.

Last fall, I took care of a baby who was diagnosed with Treacher-Collins Syndrome. His parents are both originally from China, and when he was born, their initial reactions were to give him up for adoption. In their culture, what they have known their entire lives, is that if you're not perfect, than you will never be accepted in society. They had not known that he would have Treacher-Collins before he was born.

He did pretty well from the get-go. He needed an oral airway, and had a pretty significant cleft palate, and no external ears, but other than that - he was totally normal baby.

The first few weeks, his parents never came to visit, and only called a handful of times. They maintained that they wanted to keep him, but just didn't know if he would ever be accepted by their families and whatnot...

They held off giving him up completely until after his first surgery (mandibular distraction), because they said they wouldn't be able to live with themselves if something had happened. Afterwards, they started visiting and getting to know him, and love him.

Long story short... he ended up going home with his parents :-)

They were eager to learn how to NG feed him at home, and began coming in every day to learn everything that they would need to know. After he went home, they would e-mail us with updates, and we would hear from speech and PT/OT how well he was doing in his follow-up appointments!

I totally didn't expect them to show up at the picnic this weekend, but they did! He looks amazing!!! It was sooooooooo good to see how well his parents were doing with him. They were even in contact with a few families back in China who also have children with similar issues. They have been encouraging them to come to the states, because here "anything is possible".

I love my job!

Specializes in PCU, LTAC, Corrections.

I have read all the posts in this sticky and it confirmed something for me. I am looking to graduate in 2012 and I hope to one day become a NICU-RN and then become a NNP. Your stories have made given me a glimpse into the things you all do on a daily basis.

Specializes in Pediatric, Nursery, Postpartum.

I so, know what you mean. It is the happy moments and the little miracles that make it worth it.

Specializes in Pediatric, Nursery, Postpartum.

Thanks RainDreamer.

Your post brought tears to my eyes.

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