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There comes a point in some infants stay in NICU where parents have to say enough is enough.
If your baby is sleeping in an open crib, eating on their own, having acceptable bowels movements, and otherwise needing no “medical” assistance, it is okay to tell the doctor or nurse that you feel it is time for your baby to go home.
There will be objections, but stand your ground and state your claim. There is no reason for a baby to be sitting in NICU if there are no actual medical reasons. There will probably be a few steps that the parents will have to take to achieve the homeward haul, but they are mandatory.
Most NICU’s require parents to watch a CPR video. If you are already certified, this will not be necessary. If you are delivering multiples or you are at risk for a premature labor, it is a good idea to get CPR certified prior to your baby’s arrival.
The local Evansville hospitals do a stress test on a baby in their car seat. The baby will have to remain in their car seat, for the amount of time it requires to get home, with monitors attached to make sure the baby’s body can handle it. This is especially important for tiny babies. Car seats are just not made for babies around or fewer than five pounds.
If a baby has jaundice or requires a monitor for apnea, these things can be treated at home through home health care. The baby can be provided with the proper equipment and routine monitoring will have to take place to make sure the baby is doing well. Also, if the baby has jaundice they will need to have daily blood drawings to monitor the levels. This can be done outpatient.
There will be lots of paperwork. Just saying you want to go home is not a simple task. There are discharge things to be signed and many other papers to be reviewed. It is funny that after months of pregnancy one of the hardest things to do is simply go home.
Remember this is your baby and if you feel it is time and all is well; tell someone. There is no harm is asking questions as to why a baby is remaining in NICU. A lot of preemie doctors will tell you that a baby may have to stay in the NICU until their due date. This is just not the truth unless the baby is not doing well. The average stay of a premature baby in the NICU is between 6-14 days. Every baby is different and every situation has to be accounted for. Hospitals do their best to protect every new little life and every baby has to go through the same routine in NICU.
For every mother who has sat in those rooms and every mother that will, a time will come where NICU was just a small event in the big picture of life; a hiccup.
*Look for the next addition to the NICU series: A review of “Come Home Soon, Baby Brother!” by Danielle Donaldson
Other articles in this series:
Surviving NICU part 1: An introduction
Surviving NICU part 2: Feeding your baby
Surviving NICU part 3: Stages of beds in NICU
Surviving NICU part 4: What is Bradycardia or Apnea?
Surviving NICU part 5: My baby needs O2
Surviving NICU part 6: Monitors
Surviving NICU part 7: Aiva's stay in NICU
Surviving NICU part 8: Caroline and Sophie
Surviving NICU part 9: Jaundice
Surviving NICU part 10: Helping older siblings
Surviving NICU part 11: Blood work and IV therapy
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NICU support for Evansville area parents
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