How long did your babies stay in intensive care ?

[dg93]

Sorry, I didn't know where to post this. My baby was born on Friday at 37+3 by planned csection. She's been in intensive care ever since on oxygen etc.

She's having her ventilator removed this morning and will be back on oxygen for around 5-7 days, then the plan is for her to go to the nursery area to learn to feed.

I've been told it can take her around 5 weeks to learn to feed. Is this correct?

She's being fed currently by feeding tube, with some of my colostrum occasionally when I'm able to get some out.

She's also sucking on my fingers, so I'm hoping this is a good sign for when she starts learning to feed.

Can you please tell me how long your babies needed help for, and how long learning to feed took?

We still don't know exactly what's wrong with her, she has an infection which they think is her belly button, and also that her lungs weren't fully developed x

My twins were born at 32+3 weeks, they were in NICU for 3 weeks, one twin was on CPAP and low flow oxygen for a week and his sister only for 24 hours. Both began to try bottle/breast at around 34 weeks whilst still using their tubes, the rule in my hospital was once they go 48 hours without using their tubes at all it can be removed. This happened with mine and they were home 3/4 days later as they were doing well with weight and no other issues. Not sure if this is the rule everywhere but I found the process was a lot quicker than I expected x

They normally say don't expect them to come home before their due date and anything before that is a bonus. DS was born at 33+3 and came home at 36+2, so he was in for 20 days. Initially ventilated then on oxygen. He didn't feed at all for the first three days (not even by tube). I can't remember how long it took to transition from tube to bottle but don't remember it being more than a week.

My 31 weeker spent 48 hours in NICU and then moved to HDU for 4 days before spending the next 3 weeks in SCBU before coming home at 4 weeks old.

She never needed oxygen and wasn't poorly, she was just small and needed to learn to suckle and regulate her temperature.

It sounds like your baby, although further along, is a bit poorly.

Wishing you well xx

My eldest was born at 31 weeks. They were in scbu for 8 weeks then came home. We're in an incubator for 5 of those weeks with cpap. Then a normal cot with extra monitoring for feeding and weight gain etc for the last 3 weeks

Once your baby is well I wouldn’t have thought it would take long at all to learn to feed. Most babies at 37 weeks would be able to feed if they are well and often would go straight home with Mum.

My baby was born at 30 weeks and was in for 6 weeks altogether but most of that time was just learning to feed and we were home at 36 weeks.

I hope you get home soon - sounds like things are moving in the right direction xx

It's not a set course , it totally depends on your baby . My son was in there for 4 weeks and I watched babies go after a day it were three weeks . It depends if they feed quickly or get an infection etc . The doctors won't lie to you , just take it day by day .

Thanks everyone
We ended up starting to feed yesterday (syringes of breast milk into her mouth) which she really enjoyed so today they are starting to feed her by bottle using both formula and breast milk.
She will still be using her feeding tube temporarily but they are desperate to get her off it as she pulls it out twice daily!
I just can't wait to take her home, I'm being discharged from the hospital today so it will be strange not being here with her.

My boy was born at 34w and spent 5 days in nicu, he was on oxygen for a few days and was treated for jaundice. He was small but healthy.

My daughter was in hospital for 14 days however that is because she needed a full course of antibiotics.

She had a feeding tube for a few days while the antibiotics got to work and then this was later removed and she started taking bottles. We also tried breastfeeding.

My daughter was 41 weeks though, so she was there because she was poorly, not small, so probably was a bit stronger than some of the other littlies there which meant she recovered a bit quicker.

I've just spoken with the intensive care team, they have said she finishes her last dose of antibiotics tomorrow, and then they need her to come off her high flow breathing device, which she is on because she is breathing too fast currently.

They don't know when this will be.

They've booked me a bed on the ward for tonight and tomorrow and expect her to be out and feeding fully on Thursday. I assume after feeding normally and having no issues for 3 days they'll let us go.

Breast feeding at 1/1:30 today for the first time!! 💪🏻 🥳

Unbelievable how much baby girl has done over the last few days as she only arrived on Friday 💖