tiniest micropreemie

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Feb 4, 2004

Originally posted by kc ccurn
is that because their little vessels are so fragile and can rupture at any time? do you worry about blood pressure control for these guys? Hope the questions don't sound too stupid but your corner of the world is such a wonderful speciality. I'd love to know more of the pathophys behind these complications.

!

Exactly! And we worry about it being too low mostly, but the micros you want to go easy on the Dopa because then the MAP is sky high and I can imagine vessels busting open!

Come on over to our side. We need nurses like you! (I am on a recruitment binge today! :chuckle )

fergus51 · Feb 4, 2004

:roll You should definitely come on over to our side..... Kids are better than adults any day!:)

iceNICUnurse · Feb 4, 2004

The smallest one I have seen was a 400 gr. 28 weeker.

She was so great just breathing on her own. But we had big trouble keeping her blood sugar down. She was on IV insulin for weeks.

She is a happy 3 year old now and doing great.

We usually dont do anything for babies under 24 weeks. The last one we tried that was under 24 did not turn out good.

kc ccurn · Feb 4, 2004

You should definitely come on over to our side..... Kids are better than adults any day!

I'm having dreams of poops that don't drip down the side of the bed, they can't "finger paint" and they don't sass back to ya as much and you don't hurt your back turning them. Sounds like a fun adventure.

NICU_Nurse, BSN, RN · Feb 5, 2004

Originally posted by kc ccurn
I'm having dreams of poops that don't drip down the side of the bed, they can't "finger paint" and they don't sass back to ya as much and you don't hurt your back turning them. Sounds like a fun adventure.

A) Poop, no matter how small the ass is, can still drip down a bed. And onto our shoes. And you can track it out of the room and not realize it until someone makes a face at you.

B) Like Farrah Fawcett in her Playboy video, babies prefer to body-paint. Why use a finger, they rationalize, when it's so much fun to undo your own diaper and smear yourself from chin to toe in it? Woo! Party in *my* Isolette, ten o'clock, be there or be square!

C) I have tennis elbow and carpal tunnel from holding so many babies in the same position and repetitive movements. Alas, I wasn't spared.

But. You can say things like, "Smoochy-woochie-sugar-bunny" to your patients without getting written up. And baby hair is softer than pink clouds. And they sleep better when you snuggle them. So it's got it's pluses. Come work with us.

fergus51 · Feb 5, 2004

Don't forget the crazy parents. i sometimes think my job would be much easier if it were only with kiddies:)

Gompers, BSN, RN · Feb 7, 2004

mweaverrn - so is the baby still alive?

One other thing about this case - if the baby needed 70% oxygen once she came up to the NICU, aren't they worried about the hypoxia she suffered for three hours on room air? We've had this come up in our hospital a few times, and it's so hard to know the "right" thing to do. Yes, the baby is obviously trying to fight, but after going so long without treatment, what kind of brain damage is already present?

Oooh, gotta love those NICU ethics.

mweaverrn · Feb 7, 2004

Sadly the baby did not make it. The parents were hysterical and cussing at people on our unit saying we killed her. Hopefully the will come to their senses. They seemed a bit irrational from the get go. She is still pregnant with the other twin though and that twin is over 500 g. I know what you mean about the hypoxia, but she wasn't expected to live that long. When she was born they couldn't intubate her so the docs left her with the parents, but she kept on going. Not much we could do for her at that point. A nasal cannula was put on her by the parents insistance that we do something. Had we not done that she probably would have went sooner. I know it's a huge ethical dilemma.

I just got home from work a little while ago. Business is booming once again. Our census is 29 and strong with lots of potentials. Just today on our L&D board we got warned about a ruptured and bleeding 24 weeker, 30 weeker in active labor, hyperbilirubinemia from another hospital, and a 30 weeker with a diaphragmatic hernia. I'm sure I'll go in tomorrow and we'll have at least 2 of those. UGH!! And of course we had a influx of big hypoglycemic kids....gotta love em!

Good Night,

Michelle

lvnurs9 · Nov 16, 2008

I have this little twin... 27 2/7 weeks... 370 grams. Her sis was 790. She is doing amazing! Someone forgot to tell her how small she was. No meds, on low oscialltor settings and that's it :) I am only here at this hospital until Dec1 but I will keep you posted.

NeoNurseTX, RN · Nov 16, 2008

We had a 23 wker at 380g .. he is still kickin' at about.. 10 months of age? Still in level III NICU though.

elizabells, BSN, RN · Nov 16, 2008

Our smallest (that I've seen) was 270g. He lived for a couple of weeks. Right now we have a 360g baby with CMV.

justme1972 · Nov 16, 2008

Both of my twins were around 2 1/2 lbs at 29 weeks, but I saw lots of babies born at 30 and 32 weeks that didn't make it.

A 23 weeker...I can't imagine.

I was different than probably some mothers. I have always been a realist. I didn't think my babies would die, but I did spend many nights crying myself to sleep wondering what I would be "left with"...would they be deaf, blind, mentally impaired. I knew that them "just surviving" was the beginning of our battle.

Some of these stories are truly miraculous, but MOST of them end tragically.

We feel very fortunate that we have not one, but two perfect children. I even cry when I see stories of other mothers who were not as lucky as me.

Because for the mothers that do everything right....it is about luck.