mermom

Hello all, Please forgive the intrusion, I was reading the NICU nurses forum and in the discussion regarding whether a NICU nurse would choose homebirth, it was mentioned that for the same reasons a NICU nurse would not choose homebirth due to their ...

I appreciate your response. I'm actually doing my online research as we speak, and apparently it's not usually a matter of falls from the tramp. Just the forces associated with jumping is the main culprit. Well, at least I'm better informed about tra...

I have read that there actually is a Level II Plus (or +), which sounds like what you have, and what my dd stayed in. Because I read everywhere that Level II does not typically accommodate vent/CPAP. I was confused since my dd was on CPAP, and there ...

Hi all, I have a friend who had a 33-weeker (born IUGR at 3#3oz) who was in NIC for 4 weeks and had a Grade I and Grade II (or III) IVH. While in NIC he had a few apnea episodes. A week after discharge he had a nearly fatal episode at home. If not f...

In defense of online support groups, they saved my sanity. I'm sure I would've dealt with the experience on my own terms somehow without them, possibly found a few preemie parents in my small community to relate to who understood what I was going th...

ALTE = Apparent Life-Threatening Event Sometimes (in our case) used to describe un-self-resolving A-B episodes Wen

Thank you for the info~ after 4 years I'm still learning. I realize there are no guarantees even with healthy FT babies, but with the increased risk of prematurity and according to history, I think a few months of home monitoring would have been prud...

Hi nurses, Would you please share your funny preemie/NICU pet names for things, like some of these for example: first attempt at breast-- "meet and greet" under oxyhood-- in da 'hood c-pap-- elephant impression coming off of monitors-- (baby's name) ...

I was thinking more along the lines of "parent-friendly" terms of endearment. For example: Isolette-- womb with a view Preemie tank top-- nurse-beater step-down unit/feeder-grower room-- fat farm Heat lamp-- french fry warmer/bun warmer Lactation roo...

Hi ladies, Preemie mom here with a quandry. Often times on the preemie parenting forum we'll get a later-term (past 32 weeks) preemie mom who is frustrated by extended time in NIC for Brady-watch. Here's why I'm confused. It seems that they are mor...

This was very enlightening, thank you. I can always find information here that I can't find elsewhere on the web. I'm very appreciative of you ladies for taking a moment to help me understand from a truly realistic first-hand POV. Preemie/NIC parent...

Interestingly we just touched on this subject on my preemie parenting bb while discussing the frustration over the misconception of what preemies actually are. While I enjoy some of her work, we were discussing how this type of "glorification" can pr...

I was just wondering how many 37,38-weekers do you encounter in the NICU due to organ immaturity (RDS, etc). **I am adding my subsequent question further down in the thread here, so that it will be seen: The reason I ask is that there is a bit of con...

The reason I ask is that there is a bit of controversy regarding early (pre-38 weeks) self-induction inquiries. We are concerned that these mothers do not truly comprehend the gravity of the possible implications for their babies. Are we over-reactin...

Have any of you seen a 29 or 30.0 weeker go home in 3 weeks? Is that plausible? Thanks Wendy *preemie mom*

Could you please elaborate for a preemie mom? I've often wondered why it is so miserable for the babies...I know the prongs are murder on their little noses, and they're always falling out and having to be repositioned, but what exactly is it that ca...

Hello, Michelle~ I have always liked this site: http://www.pediatrics.wisc.edu/childrenshosp/parents_of_preemies/index.html Wen preemie mom and NICU nurse fan "The Laughing Preemie"

Me too. That's why I try to interject whenever someone makes false or inaccurate statements about prematurity on the expecting moms bulletin boards. I don't want anyone getting the impression that 20, 21, 22, even 23 weeks is a survivable gestation. ...

Amazing~ she lived that long breathing on her own??

Oops, I thought 128 days early was 22.5 weeks. It's 21.5. Wen

I guess weight can vary widely, but this seems big for a 21-weeker, but who am I to say. And I don't know how Guinness gets it's records, but I know of one preemie who is widely known throughout the preemie community as (one of) the earliest babies ...

Having been around the preemie block, so-to-speak, it irks me to no end when someone makes outrageous claims like that. Someone just said, "I know a 19-weeker who survived and is a healthy 6-yr-old now." Another claimed to have had a 21-weeker who sp...

Hi all :) I was requesting my dd's medical records, just for my own satisfaction/curiosity. I was told it would cost hundreds for the complete records. I was wondering, though, would I need the complete records to see her day-to-day progress and an...

Wow, thanks, everone. Very enlightening and appreciated information! I will definitely make sure they're not trying to charge me to much, and find out about just viewing them and taking notes. Great advice! Thanks so much~ Wen preemie mom and NICU n...

Hi :) I was just wondering how you became so interested and focused on working in NICU with preemies at such a young age? I had no idea what a preemie was in high school! :) I had no interest in babies period until I was in my thirties, lol! Any...