Privacy and support.
Hopefully there will be portable
screens available for nursing sessions. Or perhaps your
hospital has small, private rooms that could be used for
nursing. If all else fails, turn your chair around
away from most of the other visitors. Some mothers
commented that the NICU experience "cured" them
of any feelings of modesty.As
mentioned previously, lactation consultants or
experienced nurses can be helpful in positioning,
latching techniques, and pumping. However, be aware
that not all lactation consultants are familiar with
nursing preemies, and some are so busy that appointments
must be made well in advance. What other support or
information would have been helpful?
Maureen (mother of 33 weeker,
from USA) writes: "I wish all NICUs had
lactation consultants on staff. It really gets
too hectic in the NICU sometimes to get the support
at the time you need it. If it was someone's
job just to focus on helping to establish
breastfeeding, rather than also caring for 2-3 other
babies, it would make a huge difference. That person
could also put together reading materials for moms
while they are sitting around the hospital all
day."
Planning for discharge.
The criterion for discharge is usually all feeds by
breast or bottle. Rooming in to breastfeed for at least
24 hours can be very beneficial for your family, in
helping you to feel more comfortable with feeding and
caring for your baby.
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HOW ARE YOUR PREEMIES TODAY?
Meaghan-Anne is
a typical three year old girl with nightmares & a
great fear of monsters. Collin is still on phenobabital
for seizures which are controlled. He has some light
perception but not much hope for sight, & has turned
in to a vampire as he prefers night to day. WHAT HAS YOUR FAMILY LEARNED
FROM THIS EXPIERENCE?
There are some
children that are very determined to survive the odds no
matter what the doctor's think!!!
HOW DID YOU HEAR
ABOUT PREEMIE-L?
I heard about
it from Tina Hammer when we met when our children were
roommates at W. Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI.
WHAT EFFECT HAS
HAVING A PREEMIE HAD ON THE SIBLINGS OR YOUR FAMILY IN
GENERAL?
Alot of stress!
We thought our first experience was a hard time (32 weeks
) then came my boys. We were medivacced from Okinawa,
Japan to Hawaii because of the ability to care for the
complications with the pregnancy. Hubby had to return to
Japan with our daughter due to the uncertain amount of
time I would be in the hospital before the birth. Then
return without our daughter for the birth of the boys (
she stayed with a friend until she had to return to the
states because of illness in the family so Meaghan-Anne
then went to a neighbor & finally I was so stressed
that another friend was able to bring her to us in
Hawaii) Finally ending in re-assignment to Hawaii &
me taking numerous trips back & forth to Detroit for
eye care for Collin.
COMMENTS AND ADVICE
TO OTHER PREEMIE PARENTS
Try to relax!
There has been to much stress and I am still wondering
when it will calm down a bit!
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