When Will My Premie Come Home?

Oh I hated the "cage". That's what we called my first's NICU bassinet. I couldn't even hold him at first.
Mine was sent home at around his due date, so about 5 weeks in NICU. He had to hit 5 pounds, but because he was thriving so well they sent him home at 4 lbs, 13oz.
So wait until he hits the target weight. In a couple weeks he will be able to thrive at home. THe last thing you want do is run back to the hospital because he isn't able to handle the germs in the outside world.

Hi K., my 26 week 1lb 11oz preemie came home three months later, coincidentally on his due date! He was born July 2nd, came home Oct 14th. He has TWO birthdays!

The rule at our NICU was 48hrs without his stats dipping, 48 hrs without oxygen. In September, he kept making it like 40 hrs, then he'd dip down and we'd start all over agin. They would not send him home on a moniter, or with oxygen. It was maddening. I figured TODAY'S THE DAY many times!

Of course I did NOT want him to come home til he was ready. I was grateful for the round the clock care he had in the NICU. They were probably ready for him to go home too! I pretty much lived at the hospital with my 20 month old son too.

Once he's home, you do NOT want him to go back!

He was 4lbs 6oz on the dat he came home, still tiny. He was nursing like a pro by then, still had the Alimentum formula supplement, bleck.

It was terrifying. I sat on the floor next to him while he slept watching his chest rise up and down, incredibly stressful making sure he's BREATHING, was on the phone for every little thing, is this right? Is that ok?

He's going off to college in September. It's been an amazing trip. Frankly, I'm so impressed that he's ALIVE anything he does beyond just LIVING is amazing to me!

I remember the frustration, wanting to get him home SOOOO bad.

It'll come. It really will.

Thinking about you and your little fella. Sending you strength!

Congratulations!

:)

I am sorry your baby is in the NICU. It isn't easy. My niece was born premature with a number of problems.
They have to reach certain milestones before they will allow you to take them home. Feeding is one of them. I know my niece could not go home until she could eat from a bottle and at least attempt to nurse. She had to reach a certain weight (she was born at a little over 2 lbs and they wanted her to be I think 4 lbs).
You doctor should be able to tell you exactly what milestones your baby needs to meet before they feel it's safe to send him home. Unfortunately there is no way to guess when he'll be able to reach them. We had many false starts when we thought she was going to get to go home, only to have her fall behind again. Even after going home she had to be readmitted a couple times.
I am happy to say that she is now 2 1/2 and doing amazingly well.
It was hard watching my brother and sister in law, I can't even imagine if it were my own child.
Be there to love on your baby as much as you can in the NICU and it won't be long before you all get to go home.
All the best to your little one, you and your family!

I am so sorry for your family. Please be patient. Right now, he is also fighting to go home to be with his mom. You have to be strong for him. Feeding is an important issue here. When my son was born with cleft lip, he was fed through the tube, too. But when he is able to latch on me and drink from spoon, he went home. The key was I don't like my son to be formula fed, so everytime I always went to the nursery room and ask him before they feed him the formula. This, to make sure he is hungry enough to latch on me. If he is too full, of course he will be too lazy to suck or latch.
They say that rocking the baby and massaging the baby is a good way to help the premie. It also promotes bonding.
Be patient and hang in there. Visiting hospital everyday is not fun, but it will pass. I will pray for your family.
Be strong mommy :D so you can support your baby.

Patience momma you want to hring a healthy baby home not have regrets for going home too soon. I know the hospital. Days are long and tour life is on hold. Usually afrer they hit the 4.5lb mark, are able to feed ir parents have been educated how to feed and there are waining apnic periods they will talk about home. Make sure you engage the doctors in ypur concerns and questions as the bill you get will. Be the same if you adk or not.

K.:

Welcome to Mamapedia!!

I don't know when your little guy is coming home. I never had babies born that early. Mine were 6 and 4 weeks early. It's not easy leaving your baby at the hospital.

My girlfriend who had twins at 28 weeks, brought them home at 4 months 3 days. They are now 3 years old and doing GREAT!!! Both had heart monitors for the first three to six months after they came home.

Talk to the Doctor about his growth and weight. Most babies need to be a certain weight before being able to leave the NICU. At 27 weeks - they need to verify a lot of things, heart and lung function, liver, kidney's, etc.

Talk to the NICU nurses as well. You don't want to bring him home too early.

Congratulations!! I hope you are able to bring him home soon!!

The feeding is usually the last part of the puzzle to fit into place. Make sure you are around when the nurses attempt to feed him via a bottle. Their are some great NICU nurses out there but, sometime you get nurses that don't "try" to get the baby to drink from a bottle. That will hold up the process of getting your little one home. I understand how frustrating it can be but hang in there. He/She sounds otherwise healthy so it may just be a matter of days before you get to take your little one home. Good luck to you and hang in there...I know what you are going through and it is so hard! My heart goes out to you!!

talk to the hospital administration, nothing gets results faster then complaining to hospital management, even the most incompedent nurse will suddenly decide to do her job when you have a long talk with the hospital administration, been there. done there.
K. h.

Updated

talk to the hospital administration, nothing gets results faster then complaining to hospital management, even the most incompedent nurse will suddenly decide to do her job when you have a long talk with the hospital administration, been there. done there.
K. h.

Both my boys were born at 33 weeks. My first was in the NICU for 12 days and my second was in for 4 weeks. My second was in so long because he was doing the same thing your's is...falling asleep while eating! He was one of the bigger babies there weighing 6 pounds 7 oz when he was born, but he just kept falling asleep and not getting as much as they wanted him to have from a bottle and had to get the rest through the tube. There were a couple times when they took the tube out because he was doing well, only to have it put back in because he went backwards. It was hard for that month and I can't imagine three months, but I know the frustration! Just talk to the nurses and doctors and get as much info as you can. As one of the nurses told me, he WILL go home and this will all be just a memory. Have faith and be strong, it sounds like he's close to the end!

My premies have always came home pretty quick. I've never had a baby that early though. I always constantly talked to the doctors.

I know from my personal experience that they won't send you home till pry after you really could have been home. They always err on the side of caution. I have to pretty much tell them I'M GOING HOME! Otherwise they'll keep me for days even weeks longer than they need to.

But with your baby still having his tube in I'd wait till the baby was eating on their own completely if possible. I've always read that you should plan on your baby not leaving till it's due date usually anyways and 5 pounds is another thing I've read.

Anyways, Talk to your babies doctor. Get a educated guess from them. Get their guidelines for when they WILL send your baby home. What are they looking for? Just simply ask. I've found if you don't press you won't get much.