eor'spal

We have a wonderful parent support network that is run by parents. I worked with them while I was in school, and am planning to undergo training as a support parent (we had a 35 weeker). They go to all of the local NICUs, and set up interested parents with a family who underwent similar experiences. (Multiples, high-risk pregnancy, bed-rest, same gestational age infant, young parents, single parents, professional parents, etc etc). It is a fantastic group, and I think part of the reason it works so well is that the parents talk only as often as they need to! For example, if the baby(ies) is having a particularly rough day, the parent may need more support than if it's a good day. There is no set meeting time they must make it to, and above all else they are talking to someone who has been there! It's called the Neonatal Parents Network, and they also do fundraising and support for staff, physicians, etc. The questionairre is in every baby's discharge folder, but I wish more of our nurses presented it early on! Good luck! :)

I laughed so hard I cried! How about using gaily decorated panty-liners as diapers?

Good for you, TxADNstudent! I worked as a nurse tech in the NICU for six and a half years before I became a nurse, but I think I was drawn to it because I also lost a baby, and I also wish things would have been handled differently. I wanted to make that HARD experience easier for other parents (and babies, too!). I am a big supporter of our unit's PRIDE (parents responding to infant death experience) program, and as hard as it is I think one of my favorite things to do for a family is take photos of their child before, during and after the death experience so they will have what little reminders they can in the years to come. It can be a very difficult job, and it takes a special kind of person to do it, but I think your experience could help you be a better nurse to a family who needs you. Good luck! :)

I don't have any OB-GYN nursing experience, but I thought counting "breathing motions" in utero was part of the biophysical profile they did when determining how well the fetus will do outside of mom. If I remember correctly, this "practice" becomes more prominent around 28 weeks. I don't mean air exchange is taking place, but the baby is preparing to breathe on his/her own after birth. Also, I know our unit sees its share of TTN babies who have trouble with clearing the lungs after c-section delivery. Am I anywhere near right about the biophysical profile, anyone?!

Hello! Both my hubby and I are RNs in OKC (since June 2002). He works in surgery, I work in NICU. We were both techs for 6+ years before graduation. Glad we're not alone!!! :kiss