Anyone else got a bubba in intensive care?

[sophied1983]

My lovely Charlotte is and thought it might help to talk to some other mums in a similar position.

Sx

I haven't but I just wanted to pop on to wish you well. Congratulations on the birth and I hope you have support around you x

I haven't currently but have In the past - congratulations on Charlottes birth, how are you both doing?

It has been quite a week! This is my tenth day in hospital after the longest induction process ever which seemed to be delayed at every stage. Finally did c-section Mon morning as we were both showing signs of infection. And that's where it all went downhill!

I was in intensive care afterwards, then maternity high dependency and now on regular postnatal ward. Infection, lost 2.1l of blood and also heart rate went to 220 when in surgery!

Charlotte has blood sugar issues which is why she's in intensive care.

It's tough as I'm on a ward of four beds and two of them have mums with newborns. Hard not to feel jealous.

And my poor hubby. He's obviously worried sick and keeps getting upset and then apologising. As I said to him - you'd be a weird person if you didn't get sad!!!

She's so beautiful and I just want to be able to cuddle her and smell her. We've had one quick try at putting her to the breast but obviously they're controlling everything that goes into her so it's hard. Just breaks my heart seeing her in that incubator.

Funny thing is, she's huge so compared to all the other babies, looks really out of place. She weighed just over 11lb!!! So no wonder she didn't want to come out vaginally - wouldn't have been fun for either of us!

First off, congratulations.

Secondly, I haven't had a baby in ICU but my MIL did with my BIL. He was also a big baby who didn't want to come out. Their favourite story is saying how he looked like a toddler compared to all the other tiny babies in the incubators.

Hopefully everything will be just fine and you can take your lovely bundle home soon.

Wow good growing Charlotte! Sorry to hear you've had such a rough time, it's a difficult enough process anyway let alone when things don't go how we expect :(

Blood sugars should hopefully be easily fixed and she will be with you in no time! Have you asked when you both can go to transitional care if your hospital has one? Lots of monitoring for baby but you get to be with her 24/7 too!

I've had 2 babies in NICU, (the other two managed to escape it) and it's a tough time emotionally - all you want to do is scoop them up and cuddle them - but I promise it will pass quickly

Also might be worth asking a Lovely nurse if there are any private rooms available - they are generally priorities for poorly mums but mums without babies are usually considered priority too! I wasn't given one with mine but only because they had some very ill mums who needed it more

They did say that if I got released before she did, there are rooms where we can spend the night together before I go, which would be really nice.

I can't decide what's harder to listen to - other people with newborns, or the lady next to me whose baby is also upstairs, who snores like a man all night long! Luckily I think she's going home today.

the snoring is awful isn't it! We were in for 2 weeks with my second ( I could only stay a week) and the snoring was dreadful. Listening to newborns is hard so tonnes of sympathy from me - I was sent home 14hrs after my 4th whilst lo was in NICU still and actually that was better

At least if I was at home then me and hubby would be together. I send him home every night as he won't be any good to anyone sleeping in a chair. But then it's doubly hard for him to leave me and Charlotte here every night.

Congratulations to you both : )

My DD was in the SCBU for 3 days with blood sugar issues and she was fine. She did have to be formula fed immediately though and then refused to be BF after that. Not a big deal though, she was grand.

DS was in the NICU for a month with suspected brain damage and was tube fed.

Just take each day as it comes and try and get as much rest as you can. I know it's tough but it'll be over soon and you'll be able to take her home and snuggle with her as much as you like.

How are you both doing today?