What do you remember fron N.I.C.U

[Early Kids]

I remember everything.... the beeping, the lighting, the humidity....

Brendan's entire journey made Tristan's a whole lot easier. Knowing what it all meant and how things happened down there meant that when Tristan arrived I was left to my own devices. I was "allowed" to do everything with him, because I didn't need to be shown.

I also LOVE the smell of Aqium Although sometimes it does bring back some bad memories...

[Inertia]

Sadly my strongest memory is the absolute pain of not being able to hold my baby for the first week of his life. It felt like torture. There he is in a little plastic box and you can't have him! I remember every time I walked past the NICU unit with Haz when he was born I would just have to pick him up to prove to myself I could.

[shazzi]

I have so many negative strong memories, everything still feels too fresh one year on. But a good memory was seeing DH learning how to change her nappy in the first few days while in NICU, under lights and on CPAP. His hands looked soooo huge lifting up our little DD, and he was shaking and scared about hurting her. HE was so in love already and it was beautiful. The first kangaroo cuddle when DD was 2 days old was so overwhelming, then I had to wait again for a few days so heartwrenching as well.

[ladybird11]

Everytime I smell anti-bacterial hand wash it brings me back to just entering the NICU to see DD.

I also remember being swift at changing nappies side on while DD was in the humidicrib too.

I recall every visit upon entering the NICU running to see DD's 'daily running sheet' to check her weight gains .

[DaintreeDream]

I don't think I will ever escape CPAP, we are still battling it now and it is still a horrible thing to deal with

Yes I too remember running in to see the weight gain, Matilda had to be a minimum of 4kgs to undergo surgery and until the surgery was complete we could not go home, so to see those gains was a mixture of feeling, 1. closer to home 2. closer to surgery

[Early Kids]

Our NICU CPAP didn't bother me so much because at least you could still see most of their face, I've seen some where the snorkel is in front of them and it covers the whole face

Waiting to hold Brendan was torture, he was 5 days old when I got a 5 min cuddle while they changed his bedding in the humidicrib. With Tristan he was placed on my chest at birth, absolutely beautiful moment, even though short lived (he needed to be intubated).

I also became a pro changing nappies side on in the humidicrib Brendan was in his until about 3 weeks old, even then they didn't really want him out because he was only just 1600gm, they prefer them to be 1800gm.

Ah soo many memories.... the absolute best day was running out that door and putting Brendan in the car for his first car trip.

[DaintreeDream]

IBrendan's entire journey made Tristan's a whole lot easier.

Same here. Matildas journey made Annabelles so much easier. I too knew what all of the machines meant and the beeps and the leads. I mastered putting the leads on and repositioning them when they played up. I hate that Aquim stuff, it leaves a horrible coating on your hands, they had that at RCH, the pink stuff at MMC was a little nicer. I too had the pain of not being able to hold my baby, not being able to feed my baby and the unbearable pain of their little bodies still from the drugs after surgery, the recovery that seemed to take forever, the pain I knew they were feeling and the tubes down their throats to help them breath, the pins coming out of Matildas chin when she was so small and having to turn them knowing that I was extending her little jaw, to see Annabelles heart beating with her chest open wide all the while so tiny and limp. I find it hard to treasure happy memories from NICU, I prefer to treasure happy memories at home where my girls are now safe and sound.