The first day in the NICU I asked what parameters needed to be met in order for us to take her home. It used to be that they had to weigh 5lbs. Not the case anymore. As long as they are doing well and steadily gaining weight, they can go home at any weight.
For Megan to go home she needed to be able to breath room air on her own. tolerate feedings well, hold her temperature outside the isolette, and as a general trend be gaining weight, and pass the "car seat challenge.
We were off to a goof start. Megan was able to keep her pulse/ox at 100% right from the start. No need for ventilators or breathing treatments. She was initially placed in an isolette (incubator) because she needed to have her temperature regulated for her. She got an IV in her tiny little hand for fluids and a sugar solution because her glucose was so low.
Babies are expected to lose weight in the first few days of life. This is normal as long as they don't lose too much. Megan wasn't tolerating feedings by mouth and what little she would take in, she spit back up. She got down to 3lbs 12oz so she got a feeding tube. She also got a new solution added to her IV that they call "gatorade." It's yellow and full of electrolytes and other essentials that she wasn't getting otherwise. This caused some stress on her IV and that night her arm was all red and puffy. Poor thing, I know that hurt.
Her nurse changed her IV to her foot, but blew three veins in her other hand before doing so. Megan was such a trooper. She never even cried. When they were trying to find a vein in her foot they turned off the lights and put a flashlight up to her leg. Her skin was still so new and translucent you should see right through it. Unbelieveable.
Poor little girl had a feeding tube, an IV, a pulse/ox, and 3 lead lines coming off her chest. And she just slumbered away and didn't let any of it bother her. My little fighter.
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