super mom

Thank you so very much. I'm glad I don't feel like I was seeing something that really wasn't there. I talked to her yesterday and the hospital has contacted her about meeting with them and discussing what needs to happen before the baby goes home. Maybe this is where the social worker comes in. She is very blessed to be in a great hospital. When I go up there I am with my two boys (3 & 7). The boys have been playing with two other children their ages and I get to take quick visits with the baby. To relieve the other parents (of the boys mine play with) and the grandmother they bring along, I have been reading Treasure Island aloud to them in the family room. I could easily entertain all four boys and give my niece a ride. I just keep making the offer and hopefully after this talk she will accept. As I always have, I will stand by her. Even when she gets that baby home and calls me at 2AM. It is all for that new life; that beautiful innocent miracle. Thanks again!

The father is around but I see another issue. He works a 12 hour day and she is leaving him in the dark about the baby's progress. I took them to dinner and brought up the IV being in the foot and he had no idea that one needed to be reinserted. (She got an infection) So he is not making visits either. Her parents are not to well involved. Yes, she already has a young friend set up to watch the baby three days a week. It's funny that the night visit was suggested. I suggested it recently only because she felt the night nurse was giving her a hard time. I told her to stay the night and use the sleep room to over see the nurse and the baby's care. It hasn't happened. But that would have been a great way for her to see that a baby needs 24 hour care. My big saying to her is that even a healthy baby needs 24 hour adult care. Is this a common issue with young mothers?

I know this place is for nurses but I have been trying to walk in your shoes this week and see what you may be thinking about a family member. My niece has a newborn in NICU. The baby was born at 37 weeks (&5 days) and almost eight pounds. But she was born with gastroschisis. She required only one surgery to return the organs and close the opening. Monday will be the fourth week of her stay. Because she refused the bottle her stomach tube was re-inserted just before the three week point and a day after the removial. They allowed the mother to breast feed for the first time yesterday but are only suggesting two tries a day. The Mother - a young, single, 20 year old. Is not consistent with her visits to the hospital. She will skip days and not ask me for rides or help getting there but complains about the 30 mile all interstate drive. While I was there yesterday, mom had a great tan and admitted to being by the pool daily. To top that off she left town for the weekend and will not be visiting the baby. Leading to my question - the mom thinks that the baby will be coming home Tuesday. I don't see them releasing her with a tube and not taking a bottle or breast to someone who appears inconsistent in the ability to care for her. I know the breast milk will dry up over the weekend and that she didn't not leave enough expressed milk at the hospital last night to make the night. How is this behavior viewed by the NICU staff? Does it weight on the release of the baby as it should? I am prepared to be very honest with her when and if the release does not happen.