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NICU question
Hi all... what is the standard for when babies are put in the NICU? Do they automatically put all babies there when they are born before a certain number of weeks? OR at a certain weight?
So, if I have the twins at 33 or 34 weeks, would they be in NICU automatically? What's the cut off?
Thanks!
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Posted 3/10/09 1:34 PM  |
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Long Island Weddings
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marycpa
LIF Adolescent
Member since 7/07 635 total posts
Name:
Mary
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Re: NICU question
It depends on how they are breathing and other vital signs.
MY twins were born at 34.5 weeks and needed NICU time for 2 weeks due to breathing difficulties. They did not need a breathing tub or anything ..just a CPAp which is forced air but it does not breath for them.
The rules were that the babies need to be 35 weeks gestation and weigh 5lbs.. however they let one of my twins go home at 4lbs 12oz.
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| Posted 3/10/09 1:41 PM |
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boosh1002
We like hanging together!
Member since 5/05 5475 total posts
Name:
Mommy to twins
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Re: NICU question
My twins were born at 34.5 weeks also and were sent to NICU just based on there gestational age.
They were about 5lbs each, and I got to take them home when I left the hospital. Everyone told me that this was rare and I was very lucky.
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| Posted 3/10/09 6:25 PM |
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Diane
Hope is Contagious....catch it
Member since 5/05 30683 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: NICU question
My boys were in the NICU, they were 5llbs. 13, and 5 lbs 14 ozs. They were only there for 2 days for monitoring because I developed a fever during the labor.
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| Posted 3/12/09 8:11 AM |
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SweetTooth
I'm a tired mommy!
Member since 12/05 20105 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: NICU question
My babies didn't have any NICU time. They were born at 37wks5 days and weighed 4lb15oz and 5lb1oz.
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| Posted 3/13/09 1:05 PM |
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Re: NICU question
I had a singleton who was 36 weeks, weighed 4lbs 12oz and went to the NICU for hypoglycemia, inability to suck and even though his lungs were mature, he would forget to breathe (time for CPAP). He also developed jaundice. A lot of 36 weekers will have no NICU stay. I didn't think that any babies automatically went to the NICU based on number of weeks, but I guess I did not realize it. Some people will tell you that babies have to weigh 5lbs in order to go home from the NICU. This was not the rule in our hospital. It was a more common rule years ago. I flipped out when my MIL said that he had to weigh 5lbs to go home. We already had a doctor tell us otherwise, and he was not expected to reach 5lbs for a while! My DS stayed 6 days. It's very tough to have a baby in the NICU but they do receive excellent care. Also, take advantage of the nurses' willingness to teach you a lot about child care, even some great tricks of the trade that experienced parents don't get to learn!!!!!! If you BF, most of the NICU nurses can help you. In fact, I got a little overwhelmed with all their attempts to help me but I excused myself and went to pump BM, which was how my DS was taking it anyway.
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| Posted 3/14/09 2:31 AM |
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DNR
LIF Adult
Member since 2/08 909 total posts
Name:
Donna
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Re: NICU question
My boys were sent to the NICU b/c they wer born at 35 weeks. They did not require any help with breathing and were not put on any machines. They were 4lbs. 13oz. and 5lbs. 12 oz. One baby came home after a week and the other after 2 weeks. They say they usually have to go to NICU until they reach 36 weeks gestation. One of my little guys was having Bradie Cardia (sp?) episodes so he had to stay a week longer.
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| Posted 3/14/09 5:28 PM |
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DRMom
Two in Blue
Member since 5/05 20223 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Re: NICU question
35 wks 3 days
Declan-Nicu for 7 days born at 6lbs 3 oz
Ronan-NICU for 9 days born at 5lbs 14 oz
1st they were there for lung development, then jaundice, then weight loss
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| Posted 3/14/09 10:14 PM |
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mamallama
<3 <3 <3
Member since 9/07 5035 total posts
Name:
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Re: NICU question
Message edited 6/29/2011 9:13:15 AM.
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| Posted 3/17/09 9:08 AM |
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Laura1976
Member since 5/05 5754 total posts
Name:
Laura
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Re: NICU question
DD was in NICU for a day and a half, she was 4lbs 4ozs. At winthrop they have a 4 1/2 lbs requirement for babies, If they are under it they go to NICU.
DD got kicked out of NICU, they had no room, DS was 5lbs 5ozs and he we straight to regular nursery
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| Posted 3/17/09 3:50 PM |
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Ali1
Mommy
Member since 8/05 3116 total posts
Name:
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Re: NICU question
My boys were born at 36 weeks at 6lbs and 5lbs 1oz. Neither had any NICU time. My doctor told me they usually will put them in if they are born before 36 weeks or less then 5 lbs.
Due to issues with one of the boys, they had a lot of nurses and 2 doctors in the operating room with us. The minute the boys were out each team got them and tested them. They let my DH hold them for a minute and then took them right out of the room. They kept them for 6 hours in observation and then transferred them to the regular nursery.
I was very grateful
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| Posted 3/19/09 9:52 AM |
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Re: NICU question
Posted by DNR
My boys were sent to the NICU b/c they wer born at 35 weeks. They did not require any help with breathing and were not put on any machines. They were 4lbs. 13oz. and 5lbs. 12 oz. One baby came home after a week and the other after 2 weeks. They say they usually have to go to NICU until they reach 36 weeks gestation. One of my little guys was having Bradie Cardia (sp?) episodes so he had to stay a week longer.
Bradycardia--how could I forget to list that as one of my son's NICU issues? My son had that also. It was a side effect of a medication I had to take while pregnant. I had tachycardia, which is the opposite, so my medication caused the baby to have bradycardia. For us, it was a matter of allowing time for the medication to clear from his system. He was born at 36 weeks and because if the issues he had, stayed until he was passed 37 weeks.
Message edited 3/27/2009 4:00:27 PM.
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| Posted 3/27/09 3:59 PM |
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saraH
happy birthday sweet kate!
Member since 5/05 16555 total posts
Name:
I know that God exsists, I held her in my arms...
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Re: NICU question
Posted by Kerie-is-so-very
Posted by DNR
My boys were sent to the NICU b/c they wer born at 35 weeks. They did not require any help with breathing and were not put on any machines. They were 4lbs. 13oz. and 5lbs. 12 oz. One baby came home after a week and the other after 2 weeks. They say they usually have to go to NICU until they reach 36 weeks gestation. One of my little guys was having Bradie Cardia (sp?) episodes so he had to stay a week longer.
Bradycardia--how could I forget to list that as one of my son's NICU issues? My son had that also. It was a side effect of a medication I had to take while pregnant. I had tachycardia, which is the opposite, so my medication caused the baby to have bradycardia. For us, it was a matter of allowing time for the medication to clear from his system. He was born at 36 weeks and because if the issues he had, stayed until he was passed 37 weeks.
From what I understand about bradycardia, is that it is a preemie thing. DD had them too and the nurses told me it was because she was early and therefore that part of her brain did not fully develop.
I was never on any mediciations and DD has bradys all the time in the beginning.
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| Posted 3/31/09 2:11 PM |
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Re: NICU question
Posted by Sarah
Posted by Kerie-is-so-very
Posted by DNR
My boys were sent to the NICU b/c they wer born at 35 weeks. They did not require any help with breathing and were not put on any machines. They were 4lbs. 13oz. and 5lbs. 12 oz. One baby came home after a week and the other after 2 weeks. They say they usually have to go to NICU until they reach 36 weeks gestation. One of my little guys was having Bradie Cardia (sp?) episodes so he had to stay a week longer.
Bradycardia--how could I forget to list that as one of my son's NICU issues? My son had that also. It was a side effect of a medication I had to take while pregnant. I had tachycardia, which is the opposite, so my medication caused the baby to have bradycardia. For us, it was a matter of allowing time for the medication to clear from his system. He was born at 36 weeks and because if the issues he had, stayed until he was passed 37 weeks.
From what I understand about bradycardia, is that it is a preemie thing. DD had them too and the nurses told me it was because she was early and therefore that part of her brain did not fully develop.
I was never on any mediciations and DD has bradys all the time in the beginning.
Sorry, I didn't mean to say that it was only because of my medication but we do know that my medication was a part of it. When he was still in the womb, his resting heartrate was normal but his heart rate did not elevate at times that it was supposed to. For example, when the fetus moves around in the womb, the heartrate should increase, like ours does when we run. My baby's heartrate did not go up. I think that technically, the condition of having a normal resting heartrate but not having normal heartrate increases is called beta blockade. There were nurses who would say my son had bradycardia. I thought he had both bradycardia and the beta blockade but I'm not sure what his resting heartrate was after he was out. I think that beta blockade might be considered to be a bradycardia but a specific type of it.
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| Posted 3/31/09 8:08 PM |
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saraH
happy birthday sweet kate!
Member since 5/05 16555 total posts
Name:
I know that God exsists, I held her in my arms...
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Re: NICU question
Gotcha.
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| Posted 4/2/09 3:16 PM |
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