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| Sarah only needed CPAP for a few hours; after that, she remained on room air for the remainder of her stay. She had a gavage tube placed for tube feedings as she was at first unable to feed orally. She had an IV in her head which stood up like a stem! |
| After a few days they decided to let her try nippling (a bottle, of coarse! Heavens knows breastfeeding would tire her out too much!) To their surprise, she did well; but as they went up with her feeds, she became too tired to keep up with the amounts they wanted to give her, and went back to all tube feeds. |
| Each week the attending doctors changed; some were progressive, some very conservative. Some were more pro-breastfeeding than others. It helped to have residents to talk to; Sarah had a wonderful one! The clinical specialist also was a great resource for questions. |
| Medically, Sarah was just a 'feeder and grower', so she didn't require as much direct care from the staff. When it got really busy (and boy did it ever!) it helped just to be there and sit with your little one in case she'd cry so you could soothe her quickly. |
| It wasn't the easiest thing to remain hopeful; each day's end was tempered by a few grams up or down on her weight. Your whole day culminated in the nightly weigh-in, when the difference of a few grams meant whether or not she'd be coming home soon, or that they would let her nurse more often. |
| And then there were the *really* sick babies, the ones on the ventilators, or with sepsis, or neurological problems, that really made you feel lucky for your realtively healthy baby. Their mothers sometimes were the happiest, their babies' sole survival a reason for joy. |
| The NICU is a wonderful place for your baby to be when she needs it; it is also a wonderful place to graduate from! |
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