Having a baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a really hard and emotional experience. After having three babies in the NICU, I learned some important things along the way that I want to pass on to anyone in the same situation. Here are 10 ways to make your experience a little better.
- Self care
Make sure to get some rest away from the hospital. The best thing you can do for yourself and your baby is to take a break. Having a baby in the NICU is emotionally exhausting. Refresh by going home. You can’t take good care of your baby if you don’t take care of yourself first. - Ask questions
Don’t be afraid to speak up if you don’t understand something. There are no dumb questions. Medical terms can be confusing so ask as many questions until you understand what’s going on with your baby. - Be present at Rounds
The doctors round every morning and go over the plan for the day. Try to be there as much as possible. It’s good to ask questions during that time and hear what’s going on. - Care times
The nurses usually do your baby’s cares every 3 hours. Try to be there for their care times. That’s the best bonding time for you and your baby, because you get to change their diaper, feed them, and bathe them. They’re actually awake during this time, so it’s a good opportunity to take care of them. - Hold them
If you’re able to hold your baby, do it as much as you can. That bonding time is important in the first month of life. Skin to skin is vital as well. - Ask for help
Don’t be afraid to ask the nurses and from your support system for help. Ask how to change a diaper if you don’t know. Or ask to help hold them if there’s a lot of wires. After your baby comes home, don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need a break or want to go out for a date night. - Remember your family at home
If you have a good support system with people visiting your baby frequently, it’s OK to not be there every day. It gets hard when you have other kids at home to care for. It may be overwhelming for your baby as well to have so many visitors in a day. - Keep visitors to a minimum
Some NICUs only allow up to three visitors in the room at a time. Babies can get stressed out if there’s a lot going on in their room. They are already probably hooked up to a bunch of machines to it’s already really stressful for them. - Trust the nurses and doctors
It’s possible your baby could have multiple procedures or surgeries done during their time in the NICU. The nurses and doctors know what’s best when it comes to big decisions. Trust in their experience and knowledge when deciding what will be best for your baby’s future. If you are uncomfortable or uncertain about something, don’t forget to ask questions. - Keep a journal
Document your baby’s NICU journey. This is an important part of their life that they could possibly ask you about one day. It’s good to keep notes with what happens every day in case you want to look back on it. Express yourself by writing things down so you can get your feelings out.