Description

In this parenting tips video learn tips for dealing with the unthinkable, the hospitalization of your newborn or infant.

Transcript

Female Speaker: Becky and Brian Tschida are pretty familiar with the halls of children hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. They've got twin sons in the NICU. Well, that's been hard on them. They weren't surprised. Becky Tschida: I had a history of preterm labor and with my daughter. So we knew that every week after 20 weeks was a good week. So we were trying to make it at 32, we made it to 25. Dr. Mark Mammel: We attend deliveries, we then move babies from the delivery room to this environment and provide whatever kind of help they need. Some baby they only need it for a real short time; some babies need help for quite a long time as they adjust a living in the world. Brian Tschida: It was kind of unreal at first. We were -- a couple of hours earlier we were in the delivery room and could see that whole operation taking place and then you come in hear and it's like they are not your kids. It's like it's a movie picture or something going on. Female Speaker: What's going on is medicine and technology, mixing to help premature infants make the transition from living in the room to living in the world. Dr. Mark Mammel: The isolate, helps keep the baby warm, this is for jaundice, this is an old treatment they've been doing this since the 50s, but we still need it today and all of these IV pumps are for different medications and for different solutions. Sometimes they are for nutritional support, sometimes they are for maintenance of blood pressure and support of heart, sometimes its antibiotic medications. Female Speaker: Mike and Jake Tschida are gradually gaining weight and getting over hurdles to better health. But to give you an idea how small the boys were when they were born their heads were about the size of a tennis ball. Becky Tschida: And it was like holding a feather and they were very small. My husband put his wedding ring on my closed arm and it went to all the way up to his shoulder and now you can't even fit over his hand and that's ten weeks later. This is pretty interesting. Female Speaker: Though the Tschida family's experience in the NICU has been good it hasn't been easy. Brian Tschida: It has been longer than I thought it would be. I mean, we figured that it would be three months. But it seems like there is 30 hours on a day sometimes. I think I learned a lot of patience through the whole process and certainly I have a lot of faith in the situation here, the system here the care, the nursing, the doctors. Female Speaker: The Tschida's are used to spending part of every day in the hospital and have a grown a custom to what life is like there. Many hospitals allow parents full access to the NICU. But other visitors should first check with the hospital about its visitation policy. Who can visit and when, next to make sure whoever is visiting is healthy. That means no colds, not sniffles and no active chickenpox or recent exposure to chickenpox and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends you leave the latex balloons at home. Dr. Mark Mammel: Balloons are fun, kids love to have balloons around but we use the mylar or something else because it's there is an increasing prevalence of latex allergy among health care professionals and some children, especially children with chronic illnesses who have lots of exposure to latex. Female Speaker: And latex balloons may present a chocking hazard as well. Pediatricians recommend you bring some items from home, including toys and photos to personalize your baby's space and help the whole family feel more comfortable. Jake and Mike have a photo of their two year old sister Katy in their crib. Mom and dad say their daughter Katy has helped them keep everything in perspective. Brian Tschida: With Katy around on the house you see the end product. Now with these guys they are work in progress. You know, so having her around is nice to see that end result. Female Speaker: While the Tschida's spent so much time in the hospital, they try to keep things as normal as possible at home. Their advice to other families is don't be afraid to ask questions. See if the hospital has a family resource center like this one for information and relaxation and above all don't forget your own health. Becky Tschida: Don't feel like you need to be here 24 hours a day because the nurses are wonderful. They are there when you can't be and you'd be able to give more to your babies and to your family, if you take care of yourself.