How To Manage When Your Newborn is in NICU
Having a baby is a major life experience, and in most cases is a happy and smooth process. However, sometimes a complication can arise which may result in your baby going to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Your baby going to NICU will no-doubt be a stressful and upsetting experience, but there are steps that you can take to make it easier on yourself and your family.
Build a Support Network
The first and most important thing that you can do is to build a support network around you. Begin with the NICU nurses and doctors, who will be the biggest champions of your baby’s growth and successes, as well as the people who are there for you first when your baby has a problem or needs extra care.
Getting to know the NICU doctors and nurses will also help you to build trust in the team that is looking after your precious baby. From another perspective, NICU teams are encouraged to make connections with parents too. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence notes that “parents of babies receiving specialist neonatal care can expect to be encouraged and supported to be actively involved in planning and providing care, joint decision-making and to be in regular contact with their healthcare team”.
A representative from Fletchers Solicitors notes that from a medical negligence perspective, the “standard for specialist neonatal care requires that the physical, psychological and social needs of the babies and families are at the core of the care provided”. This means that a relationship with the NICU doctors and nurses is not just something you should seek out, it’s part of their jobs.
Next, make sure that you have a good support network within your circle of family and friends. Talking about what you’re going through and what you need can be an invaluable step in ensuring that you are able to cope with the difficulties of having a premature or unwell baby needing extra care.
Finally, talk to the parents or families of other newborns who are also in the NICU. These families will easily understand what you are going through, because they are also in the same position. Getting to know these families can be a big step in feeling supported and understood, and as your babies grow older they may also become good friends.
Ask for Help
The next important step is to make sure that you ask this support network for help. When you have a baby in NICU, your time can be split between visiting the NICU, work, family (including other children), household chores and errands, as well as taking time for yourself. These huge and often conflicting commitments can take a toll on your ability to cope, and if you don’t ask for help you may find it harder to manage as time goes by, even if you have found it manageable to begin with.
Some practical help that you can ask for includes help with shopping and running errands, asking friends or family to prepare meals or food that can go into the freezer, or taking time to provide childcare or spending time with your other children.
If you are struggling to manage, or your mental health is suffering, make sure you also reach out to your midwife or doctor (or whoever is in charge of your postpartum care) to ask for counselling or mental health support. Having a difficult time after your baby is born is common, and with the additional stress of having a baby in NICU it may be more likely that you suffer from postpartum depression or anxiety.
Take Photographs
On a more superficial note, it’s important to take photos to document your baby’s life and progress, even though it may be hard at the beginning to see how small your baby is or how much they are struggling. Having this record of their life even in this difficult time will be a valuable memory later, both for you and for your child as they grow up.
Having a child in NICU can be a taxing experience, but with these steps you can better manage this difficult time. Build a support network, ask for help, and make sure that you take the time to record memories for later. It will stand you in good stead to happily and healthily take your baby home when they are ready.
