Going home on oxygen?

[TwittleBee]

My 28 weeker is now 35 weeks gestational age.

Today the Drs put him onto 0.08 oxygen low flow, that's up from his usual 0.05, as he failed his oxygen trace. They also said that he is likely to come home on oxygen.

I'm terrified and really do not feel comfortable doing that.

My dd came home on oxygen after being off in the hospital for two weeks. She was fine on the standard monitor but the special one for the test picked up lots of tiny dips.

At first I was frustrated but I the end I was pleased. We came home on the minimum and were off during the day within a couple of months. Off at night about 6 months in if I remember correctly.

I was pleased because, in the days before social distancing, people used to try to touch her when we were out and about, or come very close. People love tiny babies, and dd looked like a newborn for months. The oxygen pipes meant that people kept their distance. It also reduced her chance of getting sick with RSV etc over the winter. Even when we were off it we could put it back on when she caught a cold etc. We were the only ones in our “group” with oxygen and the only ones (bar one) who weren’t readmitted for bugs.

I carried her in a sling/wrap a lot. You will get a long pipe and machine for home and a backpack for out and about. It can be a pain finding a buggy that will hold it so that’s why I used a sling wrap. Also good for all the skin-to-skin etc.

At that flow of oxygen it won’t matter if it’s not perfect. I once drove 20 min to look in the footwell and find that I’d forgotten the tank! Dd was fine, I was a hysterical mess!!

Any questions do ask.

I remember feeling like that OP. We too were told we were going home on oxygen but one day our DD turned a corner and that idea was shut away.

i will say this though - the nurses told us they don't always let everyone home on oxygen, only the families they think can manage.