For All Premmie Mums

Hello 1stly want to thank everyone in here for the support. As a mum to prem bub (30w+1) the support and love in here was worth more than anything else anyone did for us or said to us. As you already know you’re all my angels

* SO I thought many more mums and dads will go thru the same journey thru NICU/ SCN/ Coming home, ups and downs and sicknesses and problems which plague every parents worst fears. So I figured I would write up stuff that made it easier or help in any way. Please feel free to add stuff. Might be a good resources for someone else

******************************************************* HOSPITAL - Start on diary where you write all about your feelings and journey. It is good to let it all out and also to look back on when it seems like you’re never getting anywhere. I did an online blog and added pics.

* - take as many photos and video as possible it is the closest thing you have of your baby when you leave the hospital. Makes you feel close to them

* - call the hospital as often as you like to check, calling 5x a night is perfectly acceptable and your never told not to call but also accept the reassurance from the staff really do care. * - Take in your own stuff to the hospital for your baby if it makes you feel closer is nice toy have stuff to smell at home too. * - always ask questions about your baby and ask to speak to doctors they are use to parents wanting to know. * -complain and compliment to hospital about staff, good nurses need the recognition and bad ones need the training to change their ways. As a nurse this is part and parcel of the job. But remember people are quick to complain not many people stop and compliment. * - ask to speak to social worker if you’re feeling down. Parents of prem babies are just as likely (if not more) to get PND so make sure you have an outlet to talk it really does help. *

-its normal to feel like the staff are the parent and your just a visitor. Empower yourself by knowing that your baby knows you better than you think they had ‘x’ months in you and that time was safe and warm and loved so any touch, voice, smell they have of you is a secure feeling. The staff changes each shift but the one thing that stays stable is you. * -Don’t be afraid to ask to hold or touch your baby. I was shocked the mum next to me in SCN didn’t want too annoy the staff and spent 3 days just waiting for someone to offer to her. Staff are busy and don’t realize that so by asking your just alerting them to the fact. * HOME - Coming home is the best thing ever BUT it can be hard. I found I resented the fact Noah was so unsettled like he didn’t want me he wanted the midwifes. This is a normal thought the baby is learning a new routine and probably for the first time has been attended too on demand I found what Noah was missing was bright lights and noise. We put up a night light in the bed room and a CD player with classical music played and he settled instantly. I found also that he loved being held and I loved holding him because I was getting back that time he was ill. * - Babies do bounce. (I learnt that when my DD rolled off the bed on morning and didn’t even wake up but rolled over on the carpet and continued to snore) But although your baby has been in cotton wool since birth they do like being handled and massaged. Noah loves baths (even more if one of us goes in too) yet in NICU and SCN he wasn’t ever bathed cause of the cords. -

* CLOTHES - I got lots of clothes from the hospital and copied the patterns- they also gave out knitting and sewing patterns too. * - Pumpkin patch have prem clothes and also teddy clothes which are about 7x0’s * - Target have a few 5x0s * - Lots of online stores have prem clothes like mummy’s little helper, early birds, moment by moment, premmie angels. Google it- but remembers you won’t need heaps babies grow. * - I found that people on EB had lots and also eBay.

Nappies - if you wan to use MCN try mommys touch or bubblebums (2.5kg min) * - bumgenius have covers for flats * - baby love newborn are smaller than huggies

Transport -The baba sling works fine with a prem I think most side slings would. * -Noah almost fell out of baby bjorn sling at 2kg. Think bub needs to be bigger for that one. * -Capsule worked well. Noah came home at 1800grams and didn’t look too small in it. Home -I got a baby hammock for Noah to sleep in and am a god send so much cuddlier for a baby and settles his reflux well * -Fisher price swing worked a treat too * -Toys with black and white on them apparently babies see and black and white very well good for stimulating eyes.

Feeding -Jamba breast feeding pillow by ABA is cheap small and perfect height * -I bought a medela breastfeeding pump is a double and halved the time for pumping. * -We had to use bottles for milk with added fortifier. I used cheap ones easy to use and freeze in and don’t waste heaps of money * -Squeeze bottles like the hospital have made bottle feeds and medication feeds easier * -Microwave sterilizer for the bits and pieces of pump and bottles. Only takes 10 minutes! * -Hospital gave me infacol cause of Noah’s reflux worked better than the infant’s friend * -Nose sucker thing for getting out boggas. ******************************

So that’s all I can think of at the moment but will add as I think of new things. Hope you and your baby are ok. Am happy to chat anytime