NICU Check-in 11/22

[penguin129]

This is a check-in for all mommy's with babies that are in the NICU or were in the NICU in the past. 

Birth weight/current weight:

Gestation at birth/current age:

New skills, milestones, etc:

Ongoing issues:

How are YOU doing?

GTKY: What do you do to decompress?

[spring78]

Hi ladies. Hope you don't mind me jumping in. When my b/g twins were born last year, I spent most of my time on the IF groups, but I feel it could be really good to connect with some ladies who understand the preemie aspects of the experience.

Birth weight/current weight: 3lbs 4ozs and 3lbs 14ozs

Gestation at birth/current age: 31 +6/13 months, 11 months adjusted

New skills, milestones, etc: Baby girl is doing great! She is hitting her milestones and was walking by 12 months. She has a few words in addition to momma and dadda -- bye-bye, bottle and cat (we have 3 and she is obsessed). She waves, blows kisses and sometimes responds appropriately to No. Baby Boy is doing well now, too, considering all he has been through. He was born with some serious health issues -- heart defect leading to heart failure at 3 weeks old, kidney defects, breathing problems, frequent illnesses, oral aversion, poor weight gain, etc etc etc. But he had his heart repair at 7 months and he has been working overtime trying to catch up. He mastered sitting a couple of months ago, loves to stand with assistance and has recently figured out how to get around scooting on his bottom. Despite everything, he is a happy little guy with the sweetest smile.

Ongoing issues: Baby girl has no lingering issues from being a preemie -- at least none we know about. Baby Boy is still catching up developmentally after his open heart surgery. The heart failure was resolved by surgery, which also helped his breathing issues. His immune system is weak, resulting in a couple of illness related hospital stays. His has a severe oral aversion, leaving him dependent on a Gtube. And he will need a kidney transplant somewhere down the line, but not yet.

How are YOU doing?: I try not to think about this too much. I am doing fine. I have to do fine. But honestly, the last year+ has been terrifying. Both were in the NICU for a while, my daughter for a month, my son was in 2 months, then hospitalized twice for illnesses and had 2 surgeries in the months since. I still feel a lot of anxiety for my little guy. I have some degree of PTSD, I suspect. I have to take my little guy back to the hospital he was in for 2 months in the NICU regularly to visit doctors. It can be a little hard, especially now that it is decorated for the holidays like it was when he was in the NICU. But I forge ahead.

GTKY: What do you do to decompress? Ummm... Nothing really. With twins, I have no time.

[motownthrowdown]

spring78 I'm with you on the ptsd. My dd was born at 28 weeks and spent 3 months in the nicu, followed by a hydrocephalus diagnosis and several brain surgeries. The sound of the monitors still haunts me. Have you talked to someone about your ptsd suspicions? I finally broke down about a month after my daughter came home because I couldn't function due to the flashbacks and recurring dreams.

[penguin129]

I posted the thread but forgot to come back. I'll be back later.