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Going back to work after the NICU
I recently came across a post on social media, where a mother shared her plan about returning to work after coming home from the NICU and asked for advice on what other NICU parents did. The thread that followed completely blew my mind! I couldn’t believe how many parents responded and how similar their stories were to ours. Having a baby in the NICU is life changing, and more often, bringing a baby home from the NICU is also life changing. Some parents bring home babies from the NICU who still require a lot of care. They have to make some serious decisions about who is going to care for…
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What about NICU Grandparents?
I never really gave it much thought, and it makes me feel horrible to say, but I never really took into consideration what our parents went through when we were in the NICU.
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Kangaroo Care, get in there Dads!
As National Kangaroo Care Week has come to an end, I wanted to share my experiences with kangaroo care and some advice for NICU dads. Kangaroo care is incredible! I remember when our nurses explained to us that when our baby was removed from the heated isolette and placed on my wife’s chest, skin to skin contact was going to regulate our baby’s body temperature, and it did! Our baby was hooked up to monitors and was having her temperature checked constantly, and here when she had that skin to skin contact, everything was perfect. All of her levels were stable and her temperature was just right. It was unbelievable.…
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Happy Parents of Preemies Day!
On this Parents of Preemies Day I took a moment to reflect on what being a parent of a preemie really is to me. What does it mean to be a parent of a preemie? We have two daughters, both of which were preemies. Our oldest was born at 30 weeks and weighed 3 lbs. 6 ounces. Our youngest was born at 27 weeks and weighed 2 lbs. 5 ounces. Having two daughters who were preemies, the biggest thing I have come to understand is that when it comes to preemies, the words fight or fighter will never describe a person or situation better. From day one of that preemie…
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Things don’t end in the NICU…
My daughter was a ROCKSTAR while in the NICU. She exceeded all expectations and was even released before our original due date. After she came home, it was an onslaught of doctors visits. We were going to our pediatrician for regular newborn check-ups but were also seeing other doctors to help monitor her progress. She was getting evaluated quite often. At first, everything was great. She would pass her evaluations with flying colors! Little did I realize it was because she was still being evaluated for her gestational age and not her adjusted age. Finally, when she was old enough, they were able to tell that she was delayed in…
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My NICU Journey…67 Days in the NICU
My NICU journey began the same way that it does for most NICU dads. My wife was in the hospital, recovering from a C-section; my new baby was in the NICU, after being born at 27 weeks; our oldest daughter was at my parents house with our dog, trying to enjoy her first week of summer break. Now began what I like to call “The NICU Dad Shuffle”. Where do I go? Who do I spend time with first? Who needs me the most? How long can I go without sleep? Or a shower? These were all questions that would become my daily routine. My wife was in the hospital…
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10 things I wish I would have known as a new NICU Dad…
I knew people who had children in NICUs, but I never really understood what that really meant. I knew that babies that needed surgery or babies who were not doing too well, were in NICUs. What I never really thought about was the NICU experience, especially for a NICU dad. Now having gone through our own 67 day NICU stay, there are several things I wish I had known about being a NICU dad. I can only speak from my experience, but I’m sure I’m not alone. There are some things that I wish I had known or at least been able to prepare for as a NICU dad. I…
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My Story. How it all began.
It was right around Christmas when we found out that my wife was pregnant. Our first daughter had been born at 30 weeks, so we knew we were a high risk pregnancy. We immediately started seeing specialists. We were seeing doctors every couple of weeks and getting ultrasounds on a regular basis. Everything was looking fine. We even started injections, just to be sure that we would go full term. I would have to give my wife these painful shots, which was an event within itself. We made sure my wife was taking her prenatals, eating healthy, and really taking care of herself. We did all of it! Once we…
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Here we go!
Thank you for visiting The NICU Dad. I started this blog because like you I am a NICU Dad, and as I searched or looked around, I could not find anything out there for us NICU Dads. We are going to change that! I want The NICU Dad to be a place where NICU Dads can come to read and share stories, get information, or just come and see that you are not alone! There are others who are riding that same NICU roller coaster ride as you. I hope you enjoy The NICU Dad, and please help spread the word!
