Baby on 24hr Oxygen

[BusterTheDonk]

Hiya guys... just wondering if any of you have had experience of a baby on oxygen at home... we're meeting a little baby next week with a view to her coming to stay with us... lots of health problems... am sooo excited & terrified at the same time...

Hope you all well & happy...

[MissVforVendetta]

Oooooh, Buster, none at all, but I bet they'll be sending nurses and the like round all the time.

From my limited experience of oxygen, I think a nice delivery driver drops off/picks up the canisters.

Good luck with the visit! x

[TulipsfromAmsterdam]

Afraid I don't have any experience of baby on oxygen either but we do have a very premature little one with us now. Born at 26 weeks and discharged to us once reached term lo has been through an awful lot.
We didn't get a chance to meet before so when he arrived it was quite a shock to see how tiny and frail he looked.
3 weeks later there has been a huge change, good weight gain and so much more alert. It is enormously rewarding and I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to look after him.
We do get a lot of support from SCBU and health visitor and it is reassuring to know they are always available for any queries.

[BusterTheDonk]

Thanks for that Tulip.. nice to know how well they can develop... this lo is 5 months old (about 3 corrected i think).. hoping we get lots of training & support...

Been reading up on BLISS website which if you haven't already found is just outstanding...

Good luck with your LO & thanks again

[Sidge]

My DD2 came home on oxygen and had it for 12 months.

What would you like to know?

[BusterTheDonk]

Thanks Sidge.. just a general idea things to be aware off... the company is coming out next week & I've been reading loads.. any handy tips? I think we'll have a portable system too for hospital appts (she's not allowed out yet due to risk of chest infections with cold)...

I don't know what rate she's on, or if we need to increase it at any time (been reading that at times of activity sometimes you have to e.g. feeding, bath)..

Just any handy tips - did you have an oximeter or anything? Did she pull the cannula off at all?

Thanks in advance... x

[bonnieslilsister]

Have no experience at home BtheD ( only from nursing) if the cannula you mean is the nasal cannula for the O2 then it is very easy to insert the little plastic tubes into the nostrils. You definitely won't find that a problem. Best of luck xx

[scarlet5tyger]

No experience I'm afraid but wanted to send you best wishes Buster! Word of warning from a totally different point of view - I find the more "difficult" the child (I suppose I should say challenging rather than difficult) the harder it is to let them go...

My last LO had all sorts of health problems and was very demanding but I miss her every day - she's been gone two months now. On the plus side, the LO I have now seems a piece of cake! I don't know how I fitted all the creams, meds and special needs into my day before.

I've always found the nurses at the SCBU very, very helpful and also baby's health visitor - I know lots of people have bad things to say about HVs but the ones I've encountered have been excellent at explaining things in layman's terms to me!

[gettinghappy]

Hi, No direct experience of home oxygen but lots of experience of many many other medical stuff.

Re the 02, be sure to let your home insurance company know. I'm sure you will get lots of suppot, but can I suggest you check on the special needs forum or even have a look at kids in the uk.org. Everyone on the forum there is very friendly, lots of knowledge and lots of foster carers too :)

[Sidge]

We had a home concentrator and yards of plastic tubing running around the house! Then we had a portable cylinder for going out. It's all done on prescription and organised through a company so they do all the work. They take regular readings for the concentrator as it runs off the mains, and send you a cheque to cover electricity costs.

You have to let your home and car insurance people know you have oxygen - our premiums didn't go up though. I also had to let our local fire brigade know, and had green oxygen stickers to go on front and back doors and on the car.

We had lots of support from the community paediatric nursing team. We had a loan of a sats monitor (pulse oximeter) and taught what to do with it, when to adjust the flow rate etc.

Our DD2 was too weak to pull the nasal cannula out but we did tape it to her cheeks as she also had an NG tube and that pushed the O2 prongs out!

If she has oxygen and any other bulky medical equipment she may be eligible for a Blue Badge (they can be given to under-3s in special circumstances). Ask your council.

Good luck with your new little one

[BusterTheDonk]

Thank you all so so much for your helpful advice & kind words..

I feel like I'm so attached to her already!!!

Mind is whirling full of questions but hopefully all will get answered on tues when we meet her & her carers and then from the O2 people in the afternoon.. I predict a headache tues evening ..

I am hoping to go up for a couple of days before she moves in to get comfortable with her, the routine, and using the equipment!!

Thank you all so much again... keep watching.. I'm sure I'll need you all again soon...

ps - hope your DD2 is thriving Sidge? x

[BusterTheDonk]

I'm in love already ... she's absolutely gorgeous, not as poorly as we thought and a brilliant sleeper!!! Roll on moving in day

[cupofteaplease]

My dd is currently on 24 hour o2 if you need any questions answering, but Sidge has covered everything, I believe!

[Sidge]

Great news Buster, bet you can't wait to have your new little one!

My DD2 is 8 now and doing really well, thank you

[bonnieslilsister]

Awww hope all goes well

[TulipsfromAmsterdam]

Great to hear she is not as poorly as first thought. Good luck and enjoy your time with her x

[BusterTheDonk]

She's here on a sleepover tonight... good as gold... oxygen concentrator buzzing away gently in the background..

Thankfully had some good training & a nurse came around to remind us of CPR & choking so feel well equipped..

All being well she moves in Tuesday morning... I'm well smitten!!!

Thanks again everyone for your help & supportive words x x x

[bonnieslilsister]

Good luck Buster, I hope everything goes well xx

[threeandcounting]

Hope you have a good night and all goes well for Tuesday!

Keep us updated if you have time

[giraffesCantDonateBoneMarrow]

good luck

[weblette]

Good luck today Buster, hope it all goes well

[BusterTheDonk]

Thanks guys

She's here... flat out after a hard day of being adored (by me!!) and kicking and trying to reach for things...

I lurve my "job"...

[weblette]

Lovely news :)

[bonnieslilsister]

Aww Buster, hope it all goes well. Well done xx

[rhinosCantDonateBoneMarrow]

[Raeray]

Hi buster how you getting on with your little one now?