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I AM SOOOOOOO UPSET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
we are delivering on friday and i just found out that the protocol for our new baby will have to be carried out in the freaking NICU! this is completely unnecessary in my opinion! the only thing that needs to happen for the 1st 48 hours is checking his blood sugars every 3 hours. even dh and i can do that ourselves, so i don't think a nicu staff needs to be involved w/ that! then after 48 hours the baby needs to pass an 8 hour fasting test. i was in charge of dd's fasting test at chop last year so i don't believe the nicu is necessary for that either.
i don't want them taking my baby from me unless its necessary to treat a low blood sugar by any other means other than a feeding! and not only that, but the ped said that the baby will need to be bottle fed to keep track of how much he's eating. i'm having a c-section and i won't be able to be freely mobile after surgery. so i can't just hop up and go to another floor of the hospital whenever i want to! this is going to cause problems w/ breastfeeding that i wasn't prepared for, too! i have never been successful in bf'ing my girls and was hoping that this time it could be different... but now i'm just discouraged! i can't even think of pumping at home b/c of dh working out of town all the time and having 3 young children other than my newborn and messing w/ pumping equipment and bottles. and i don't want to have to use formula if i don't have to!
and also, them taking him to the nicu means limited access for family members (that are even here from out of town and even my sister) to see our new baby boy in the hospital. only parents and grandparents are allowed in there and only at certain times..... THIS IS JUST NOT FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i'm so upset and crying and freaking out b/c this just ruined my last oportunity to relax before our delivery on friday! i would love some encouragin words and support......... I'M SO MAD!!!!!!!!!!!
i don't want them taking my baby from me unless its necessary to treat a low blood sugar by any other means other than a feeding! and not only that, but the ped said that the baby will need to be bottle fed to keep track of how much he's eating. i'm having a c-section and i won't be able to be freely mobile after surgery. so i can't just hop up and go to another floor of the hospital whenever i want to! this is going to cause problems w/ breastfeeding that i wasn't prepared for, too! i have never been successful in bf'ing my girls and was hoping that this time it could be different... but now i'm just discouraged! i can't even think of pumping at home b/c of dh working out of town all the time and having 3 young children other than my newborn and messing w/ pumping equipment and bottles. and i don't want to have to use formula if i don't have to!
and also, them taking him to the nicu means limited access for family members (that are even here from out of town and even my sister) to see our new baby boy in the hospital. only parents and grandparents are allowed in there and only at certain times..... THIS IS JUST NOT FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i'm so upset and crying and freaking out b/c this just ruined my last oportunity to relax before our delivery on friday! i would love some encouragin words and support......... I'M SO MAD!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey there just wanted to wish you all the best for tomorrow. Am off back to hospital myself tomorrow after spending the night there last night due to spiked blood pressure and all the signs of pre eclampsia!! Bp finally went back to normal at 3pm today and they discharged me. For me tomorrow is the big decider as they have now decided that i may be able to give birth naturally after telling me i was having a c-section!!! So now i just want to know for sure and hopefully will be re admitted next week to do this thing!!!
Just to give you a little more hope...my best friend had two premie's that were both actually flown to seperate hospitals than her directly after birth.but she bf all 3 of her children. the hospital should be more than accomidating to provide you a pump to use, at the hospital. most NICU's have a "pumping room" that any mother is free to use with sterile equipment anytime you are at the hospital. i know that is what she did. she would pump two or three times while she was there and give it to them. i dont know how you feel about this, but they may also offer "donor milk". it is a really great program where lactating mothers donate milk (seriously, a milk bank) for the specific reason that it IS so much better for the baby than formula. i donated while i was nursing my son, i produced WAY too much. lol. so, they may have options for you. good luck and i hope everything works out to your liking!! :)
Okay well the only thing I can really say is that I had nurses who were trying to instruct me and didn't really even seem to know what they were doing, one would say one thing, the other would say the total opposite. I didn't even successfully breastfeed Riley until he was like... 15 hours old or something. Apparently they don't really NEED to eat immediately after birth, you know, having been supplied all of those nutrients just before birth, and not being familiar with what hunger even is.. [although I kept trying and was totally freaked out by him not waking up to eat or nursing properly] so when they say that the first hour or so is critical, it really isn't. I had a nurse in my way trying to help while I was half doped up on Nubaine. She took forever getting back to the room and he was already screaming and frustrated by the time I got a chance to try.. I let her try to help for like 10 minutes before I asked if I could do it myself. He kept on waving his arms about and crying and it just didn't work until much later. Anyways my point is, just be persistant!!! Riley has bit me atleast 3 times and I know it really hurts. :( But just stay focused, be positive, and be persistent!!! Those are key. And try to stay calm and relaxed, as impossible as that can get at times.
Good luck to you!!!
Good luck to you!!!
My son had his sugar checked every three hours for the first 48hrs when he was born a month ago, and they just did it in the nursery, and they would only take him away from me for a few minutes at a time.. I am breastfeeding too.. I did end up giving him a supplement of formula and still do so he can gain weight and his sugar never really went down to low, just didnt want him to drop below and get taken away from me.. so I made sure it wouldnt go to low.. I would stay calm and maybe it wont be as bad as you think.. maybe he will get to coe right ack, and you wont have to deal with low blood sugar.. I really know how you feel.. I had a c-section, and he was grunting in recovery so they took him to the nursery, and watched him for awhile, and it was really hard to deal with not having him, I kept asking for him.. Just take a each breath as it comes, and try not to get yourself to upset.. Make sure you tell your family to come and keep your mind off of not having him..
But I had a vertical c-section and they had me up at 2am that night to walk around, so head right to the nicu, my first son was there for a two months and I would visit at all hours, they dont sleep.. good luck
But I had a vertical c-section and they had me up at 2am that night to walk around, so head right to the nicu, my first son was there for a two months and I would visit at all hours, they dont sleep.. good luck
we have private insurance... i never knew you could do that! i have a medela double electric pump... but of course its no where near the comfort of a hospital grade one!!! if i'm not successful in doing it naturally (i don't even want to say that) then i'll look into that option... thank you!
Many hospitals have hospital grade pumps you can use while you're there. Also, do you have private insurance or medicaid? The only reason I ask is becuase in many states medicaid will cover the cost of getting a rental grade breast pump so long as you're ob writes a prescription for it. Even with private insurance it wouldn't hurt to check on that so you could get a better grade, easier to use pump.
thank you so much for your thoughts and support. i know everything will be fine i just hope that it will be a little less stressful then they are trying to make it be!
i'm waiting until after 9 so i can call my peds office for their fax #... i'm calling chop this morning to see if they can send a statement saying that this protocol is completely safe to be carried out as a room in procedure. our baby will be otherwise healthy (hopefully) and i really need the bonding time to promote good breastfeeding if i want to be successful in that. so i hope i can get someone at chop to help!
kstarr- i actually did have LC's help me after my deliveries... my 1st bit my nipple the first time i tried to feed her and it freaked me out and it hurt so bad that it completely discouraged me from trying again (but i still pumped)... w/ my 2nd i was a little more successful and was able to do it for a little while but still ended up going the pumping route (that's when i got my electric pump). i had the same LC for both of those deliveries and she was really nice but wierded me out a little when she told me i had very nice breasts (dh about lost it when she said that!). i would have had that LC again for my 3rd if she hadn't have been transported to the nicu at another hospital. the LC there was just completely not someone i even wanted to talk to. for someone being that close to my bbs, i need to feel comfortable w/ her and i didn't. so i ended pumping a 3rd time... so i'll keep my head up and just be as determined as possible and hope i get it right this time!
i'm waiting until after 9 so i can call my peds office for their fax #... i'm calling chop this morning to see if they can send a statement saying that this protocol is completely safe to be carried out as a room in procedure. our baby will be otherwise healthy (hopefully) and i really need the bonding time to promote good breastfeeding if i want to be successful in that. so i hope i can get someone at chop to help!
kstarr- i actually did have LC's help me after my deliveries... my 1st bit my nipple the first time i tried to feed her and it freaked me out and it hurt so bad that it completely discouraged me from trying again (but i still pumped)... w/ my 2nd i was a little more successful and was able to do it for a little while but still ended up going the pumping route (that's when i got my electric pump). i had the same LC for both of those deliveries and she was really nice but wierded me out a little when she told me i had very nice breasts (dh about lost it when she said that!). i would have had that LC again for my 3rd if she hadn't have been transported to the nicu at another hospital. the LC there was just completely not someone i even wanted to talk to. for someone being that close to my bbs, i need to feel comfortable w/ her and i didn't. so i ended pumping a 3rd time... so i'll keep my head up and just be as determined as possible and hope i get it right this time!
I totally get that.. If breastfeeding were easy to begin with, I'd wish the same thing.. Haha.. I personally prefer pumping to breastfeeding but only because of my experiences with breastfeeding so far. Did you ever have a lactation expert ever try to help you introduce the breast and be able to make it work? Your daughter just never ever took to it? I guess that does happen. Sorry, it would be awesome if you could finally get your wish this go around. So, I wish you luck!!!
And thanks, it still isn't the easiest thing in the world, but it's slowly getting better like everyone said it should.
And thanks, it still isn't the easiest thing in the world, but it's slowly getting better like everyone said it should.
I completely understand about being scared of surgery. it's a HUGE fear of mine to be opened up under only a spinal.... and this is my first baby...
BUT, I'm just praying all will be good.
I really hope you get to have your son in your room. I understand your stress. As of now I still haven't talked to the NICU staff OR the Pediatricians who'll care for my son. And we've gotta find some way to keep the nurses from putting tape and stuff on him when he's born since alot of the time they think they know best (even if it's something they've never seen before.)
again, I hope all goes well for you and your precious baby gets to room in with you. bonding in that first few hours is the most important!
BUT, I'm just praying all will be good.
I really hope you get to have your son in your room. I understand your stress. As of now I still haven't talked to the NICU staff OR the Pediatricians who'll care for my son. And we've gotta find some way to keep the nurses from putting tape and stuff on him when he's born since alot of the time they think they know best (even if it's something they've never seen before.)
again, I hope all goes well for you and your precious baby gets to room in with you. bonding in that first few hours is the most important!
I am so sorry, sweetie! I hope he gets to room-in with you. That protocol does seem strange and it's not fair you won't get to be with him 24/7. For an otherwise healthy infant, they should at least let one parent stay there all the time.
hey... thank you! i will definately post an update tomorrow. and then of course after i come home from the hospital (i think monday).
i am soooo tired right now i can barely keep my eyes open!!! i'm gonna go pass out and when i get on here tomorrow hopefully i won't be so freaked out! :)
i am soooo tired right now i can barely keep my eyes open!!! i'm gonna go pass out and when i get on here tomorrow hopefully i won't be so freaked out! :)
I will be praying for you on Friday... Hopefully everything goes okay..... Plz keep us posted... I am going to miss you.
thank you... i actually have a pump at home and am NOT looking forward to pulling it out again. of course i will if i have to, but i would definately rather not!!!
w/ my first i was unsuccesful w/ teh actual bf'ing but was so determined to have her on breastmilk that i pumped exclusesively for 4 months w/ a single, manual medela breastpump!!! and it wasn't one that you can just hold up to your breast and pump the handle w/ one hand... i had to hold the piece to my breast w/ one hand and pump w/ my other hand while holding the pump piece between my knees! looking back i can laugh now b/c dh would always look at me like i was crazy and she was such a pig so i felt like i couldn't keep up w/ her that's why i stopped at 4 months and switched to formula. luckily i do have an electric pump now and can do both at the same time but its still extrememly time consuming and this being our 4th, i would LOVE to be able to get it right this time and leave the equipment out, ya know?!?!
i'm really glad to hear that your bf'ing venture has eased up and you and riley are doing good!!! :)
w/ my first i was unsuccesful w/ teh actual bf'ing but was so determined to have her on breastmilk that i pumped exclusesively for 4 months w/ a single, manual medela breastpump!!! and it wasn't one that you can just hold up to your breast and pump the handle w/ one hand... i had to hold the piece to my breast w/ one hand and pump w/ my other hand while holding the pump piece between my knees! looking back i can laugh now b/c dh would always look at me like i was crazy and she was such a pig so i felt like i couldn't keep up w/ her that's why i stopped at 4 months and switched to formula. luckily i do have an electric pump now and can do both at the same time but its still extrememly time consuming and this being our 4th, i would LOVE to be able to get it right this time and leave the equipment out, ya know?!?!
i'm really glad to hear that your bf'ing venture has eased up and you and riley are doing good!!! :)
for your stay in the hospital * I meant like everytime he needs to eat, you could pump every 2-3 hours or however they instruct you and perhaps work something out with the NICU staff if you bring up your concern and let them know how sincere you are about it if you can't atleast have your son with you in your arms.
Hey, I'm not sure if anyone said this yet, [i didn't read responses] but you could pump for your stay in the hospital, and instruct them to feed him ONLY your milk, if he NEEDS to be bottle fed.. You'll be working on your milk supply, and he'll only be getting breastmilk. After he comes home you can work on nursing. You'll have a slow start on the learning process for breastfeeding, but it may work out.. Plus you will most likely need a breast pump if you want to breastfeed, anyways.. Like for the times you simply have to be away from him, and such.
I'm really sorry you have to go through that! I was so upset I wanted to cry when they had to take my son simply for weighing/baths/his circumsicion because I felt I was missing out on initial bonding time. I can't imagine how you feel right now. -hugs- :(
I'm really sorry you have to go through that! I was so upset I wanted to cry when they had to take my son simply for weighing/baths/his circumsicion because I felt I was missing out on initial bonding time. I can't imagine how you feel right now. -hugs- :(
i'm not ticked at you saying that! :)
dd was in the nicu for month last year and it was awful.
i know their reasoning is for precaution w/ this baby, but we just feel really strong that its just not necessary for it to be done in the nicu when dh and i even would be capable of doing it ourselves. the baby isn't even needing to be hooked up to monitors or anything... so he would just be "in" the nicu in a bassinet when he could be in our arms and hopefully me getting breastfeeding right this time!
if they feel that the fasting test needed to be done in the nicu, then we wouldn't disagree to that... we just feel that leading up to the 48 hr mark when its just blood sugar checks every 3 hrs then he should be able to stay w/ us.
ugh... idk, i'm just freaking out b/c i didn't expect this to be said to me today! i was just asking our ped some questions i had and then i mentioned this just thinking he really wouldn't say anything and then BAM!!! so of course i can't relax and i'm already completely scared out of my mind going into surgery again... (4 c-sections in 5 yrs). and i just want everything to be ok...
dd was in the nicu for month last year and it was awful.
i know their reasoning is for precaution w/ this baby, but we just feel really strong that its just not necessary for it to be done in the nicu when dh and i even would be capable of doing it ourselves. the baby isn't even needing to be hooked up to monitors or anything... so he would just be "in" the nicu in a bassinet when he could be in our arms and hopefully me getting breastfeeding right this time!
if they feel that the fasting test needed to be done in the nicu, then we wouldn't disagree to that... we just feel that leading up to the 48 hr mark when its just blood sugar checks every 3 hrs then he should be able to stay w/ us.
ugh... idk, i'm just freaking out b/c i didn't expect this to be said to me today! i was just asking our ped some questions i had and then i mentioned this just thinking he really wouldn't say anything and then BAM!!! so of course i can't relax and i'm already completely scared out of my mind going into surgery again... (4 c-sections in 5 yrs). and i just want everything to be ok...
Don't get ticked at me, but I say that you should count yourself lucky that if he goes in he'll only be there a day or two.
With my son when he's born it's VERY likely he'll be in there for 1 week at least. and it's possible I won't be able to have him. So my only hope for him is that he comes home when I do.
Just think, even if you believe it's not nesessary.. the doctors do, and they are trained Physicians. What would happen if his blood sugar got too high or too low, and they had to give him emergency med's? It would happen MUCH quicker in the NICU than in your room or the normal nursery. This is not only for his safety but the hospitals.
I'm sorry your stressing, and hope all works out well. hopefully if his blood sugar tests fine they'll only keep him for 12hrs or so?
With my son when he's born it's VERY likely he'll be in there for 1 week at least. and it's possible I won't be able to have him. So my only hope for him is that he comes home when I do.
Just think, even if you believe it's not nesessary.. the doctors do, and they are trained Physicians. What would happen if his blood sugar got too high or too low, and they had to give him emergency med's? It would happen MUCH quicker in the NICU than in your room or the normal nursery. This is not only for his safety but the hospitals.
I'm sorry your stressing, and hope all works out well. hopefully if his blood sugar tests fine they'll only keep him for 12hrs or so?
i joined a yahoo group for families of cases of hyperinsulinism recently and i posted a question in there earlier asking about having this protocol done in the nicu and was it normal for that to happen...
a labor and delivery nurse responded saying that no its not common practice for a otherwise healthy baby to be sent to the nicu for only blood sugar checks and then a fasting test. she said since i still have one more day before our delivery, to call chop and have them maybe fax something to me or to the hospital saying that this should be done as a room in protocol to promote bonding and breastfeeding and al that. that's exactly was dh and i were saying... so hopefully we can get this resolved tomorrow so i don't have to be so stressed about them taking my baby from me for no freaking reason!
i'll update tomorrow on how far i get w/ reasoning w/ the hospital and voicing our concerns about this...
a labor and delivery nurse responded saying that no its not common practice for a otherwise healthy baby to be sent to the nicu for only blood sugar checks and then a fasting test. she said since i still have one more day before our delivery, to call chop and have them maybe fax something to me or to the hospital saying that this should be done as a room in protocol to promote bonding and breastfeeding and al that. that's exactly was dh and i were saying... so hopefully we can get this resolved tomorrow so i don't have to be so stressed about them taking my baby from me for no freaking reason!
i'll update tomorrow on how far i get w/ reasoning w/ the hospital and voicing our concerns about this...
the hospital i'm delivering at is where dd was in the nicu... i think its the only level 3 nursery here in our city. its also the only hospital that our peds office makes rounds to so we will be able to see our own doc's.
i did voice my concerns to my dds ped today on the phone b/c the orders are coming from him but, essentially run by the neonatologists at the hospital. my MIL just told me the same thing about the reasoning for this is most likely for avoiding lawsuits. its just completely unfair to cause this many problems when we believe its not necessary (although i know in the best interest for the baby). and while in the nicu it gives the endocrine department here access to just mosey on by and peek in (although not needed or asked for) and then let them charge you hundreds of dollars on your hospital bill for doing so! :)
dh said he's not going to let them take him to the nicu just for blood sugar checks, but i know he's saying that out of frustration and he won't really be able to do that anyways! i just can't wait until this is all over and we're home w/ our baby boy!
i did voice my concerns to my dds ped today on the phone b/c the orders are coming from him but, essentially run by the neonatologists at the hospital. my MIL just told me the same thing about the reasoning for this is most likely for avoiding lawsuits. its just completely unfair to cause this many problems when we believe its not necessary (although i know in the best interest for the baby). and while in the nicu it gives the endocrine department here access to just mosey on by and peek in (although not needed or asked for) and then let them charge you hundreds of dollars on your hospital bill for doing so! :)
dh said he's not going to let them take him to the nicu just for blood sugar checks, but i know he's saying that out of frustration and he won't really be able to do that anyways! i just can't wait until this is all over and we're home w/ our baby boy!
Is there any possibility of you delivering at a different hospital? Have you voiced your concerns to the doctors or is this standard hospital procedure? I'm sure they do it to avoid lawsuits...thats usually the reason for all stupid protocols.
Oh Lindsey:
I am so sorry that they are not taking your feelings into account. I know that they will always do "what is best for the baby", but sometimes they are SOOO conservative, because everyone is afraid of lawsuits if something goes wrong. Did the doctor give you this information or the hospital? Personally, I would call the hospital myself and speak to the Administrator that is responsible for the NICU and maternity areas and see if there is some flexibility with their rules.
I hope the delivery goes smooth otherwise and I will be thinking about you on Friday.
I am so sorry that they are not taking your feelings into account. I know that they will always do "what is best for the baby", but sometimes they are SOOO conservative, because everyone is afraid of lawsuits if something goes wrong. Did the doctor give you this information or the hospital? Personally, I would call the hospital myself and speak to the Administrator that is responsible for the NICU and maternity areas and see if there is some flexibility with their rules.
I hope the delivery goes smooth otherwise and I will be thinking about you on Friday.
thank you linzola! the thing i keep thinking of is that when dd was in this nicu last year, they literally made us feel like she was an experiment for them. they had not had a case of hyperinsulinism in there before so they were doing all kinds of tests on her and taking so much blood from her (too much in fact) and we were just so stressed and unhappy w/ the staff... it was awful! and now knowing we have to deal w/ all that again makes me so upset!
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