When you’re the mom of a baby born prematurely, that means you are navigating life in the NICU…
When you’re the mom of a baby born prematurely, that means you are navigating life in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). It is a foreign land that only a select few get the ‘privilege’ to experience.
I say privilege because you learn so much about yourself, the ability to trust others with your most precious gifts and just how innately resilient you really can be with an enormously uncertain future ahead of you. But, in addition to that, when you are a NICU mom, there are a few elements to your daily routine that you start to view as comical.
➡️ You’re known as “Bessy” and the Land o’ Lakes truck covets your supply of milk.
➡️ Acronyms are a part of your everyday lingo…..NICU, CPAP, ROP,DSats,ABD’s.
➡️ You have multiple strategies for getting rockstar hospital parking.
➡️ You should own stock in the Medela company for all the products that you use.
➡️ You have the doctor “scrubbing-in” process down.
➡️ Your regular accessories consist of pink (or blue) hospital band(s) around your wrist and for the 37th day in a row, you’re tickled to say “yes, I ‘just’ had twins” as you ride to the Neonatal ICU floor.
➡️ You’re borrowing a neighbors freezer for your milk stash.
➡️ You’re ecstatic to see your girls (or boys!) in their first little outfit because it was not a given when they were born and it means they are able to regulate their body temperature.
➡️ The idea of your child(ren) being in an open crib brings tears to your eyes 😥
➡️ The NICU nurses see you more often than anyone else.
➡️ You’ve found yourself longing over the babies that are doing the car seat test.
➡️ You’re considering a second career as a nurse simply because it’ll be a no brainer at this point.
Are you a NICU mom? What would you add to this list?
Kendra·
This is extremely accurate ❤️
Amanda·
Мама двоих (младенец)
Wow so true 💜
Megan Sweigart·
Мама сына (1 год)
not a nice mom but might as well having to take of my brouther in laws "kid" i say kid cause it's not his and I was that little girls mom for a year but this is very true
ashley·
Мама дочки (1 год), беременна (12 нед.)
I've never read anything more accurate 💜 love my preemie. I actually did change my major to nursing after my time in the nicu! Hopefully I don't have an experience in the nicu this time around!
Kimberly ·
This is perfect. 😘. We watch our children fight for our lives. We see things too would never want to see. We make it through the toughest times. We are STRONG!
Ashley·
Мама сына-младенца
Not all preemies are NICU babies. Your voice matters, and your baby thrives bc you are there! I feel the good parents should get a rally of nurses to clap them out as they leave. You learn to be your child's medical record. The people that show up to the support groups tend to be your greatest friends!
Ashley·
Мама сына-младенца
Rather shall I say not only preemie babies are NICU babies. Oan you learn to depend on "rounds" for updates and to update them (team)
Nikita·
Мама дочки (5 лет)
So true after my time spent in the Nicu I felt like a had a doctorate.
Emily·
Мама сына-младенца
After 3 months in the nicu I definitely changed my major. I can't even begin to say how much of a roller coaster it was and currently still is, but I'd never ever trade my little guy for anything ever. There were so many babies in the nicu that hardly got held and I wished I could've held all of them. I spent hours there before my shift, during, and after my shift. My days off, any time I could there and it doesn't hurt as much to look back on now but it hurt so much while we were there. It tests you as a parent and I feel like it only made me love my baby more. I cheered every gram gained, every o2 sat that he didn't need help with. I don't miss the life supportive oscillator vent or the blood transfusions. I'm sorry this has just been a rough week and to look back has been a bit over whelming.