NEC: “Necrotizing enterocolitis is a serious disease that occurs when the intestinal tissue become damaged and begins to die. It most often affects premature infants. Common symptoms include bloating or swelling in the abdomen, bloody stools, and diarrhea.” -Healthline.com The day before her one month birthday, two days after Christmas. Two days […]
Preemie Life
When its Better to Not Have a Birth Plan: My Preterm Birth Story
They tell you to have a birth plan. The books, the doctors, whatever labor & delivery class you wind up at. Some of them might include the disclaimer that birth plans sometimes need to be adjusted. Most of them won’t. If you start reading the mommy boards on Facebook, or some of the pregnancy support […]
My Baby Has a Grade 4 IVH. What is it and What do I do?
I was still new to the NICU scene when she had her first brain scan. She was only a week old when we first heard the words ” Grade 4 IVH “. That put her at 26 weeks +5 days gestational age. She was still eleven and a half weeks from being considered full term. We […]
Are you Spending Enough Time With Your Baby in the NICU?
I am in a group on Facebook for parents and families of NICU babies, and came across someone asking the other day about how much time they should be spending with their baby in the NICU. Concerned they weren’t there enough, and feeling guilty for going back to work, they turned to their peers for reassurance […]
7 Ways to Help The Family of a Preterm Baby
Having a preterm baby is…. overwhelming, emotional, scary, and stressful. Along with probably 100 other things. A lot of times having a preemie means a NICU stay. This can range from a few days to a few weeks to a few months. No matter how long your baby is in the NICU it doesn’t get […]
5 Tips to Survive Extended Hospital Bed Rest
Being put on bed rest is no fun. In fact it’s pretty difficult. Sometimes, when it’s super important for you to stay in bed or you need to be close to medical care, your doctor will put you on hospital bed rest instead. That feels even worse. Especially if you have a family waiting for […]