But you can have some control. You can reach into your baby’s
isolette and soothe his cries. You can pump breast milk to give him those
precious antibodies that his body can’t make. You can dress him like a
"normal" baby. You can talk to him and tell him of the outside world,
a world that you hope and pray he will see.
Kangaroo Care
If you are allowed to hold your baby, try Kangaroo Care, which is holding
your naked baby against your bare chest - skin-to-skin contact. Kangaroo Care
has been shown to decrease respiratory distress, increase body temperature,
reduce apneas and bradys, aid in breast-feeding, aid in weight gain, and
decrease hospital stays. If you are uncomfortable holding your baby while you
are naked from the waist up, just ask for a privacy screen.
Daily Care
You can participate in the daily care of your child. Change his clothes,
change his diapers, take his temperature, clean his belly-button, feed him and
clean him. The nurses will show you how to handle your precious one.
Learn as Much as You Can
You can quiz an grill all the nurses and doctors in the NICU until you have
no questions left, and you can do it again the next day and the next and every
day after that while your child is in their care. You can bring family members
in, one at a time, to meet the new member of the family. You can take pictures
and videos of your child just as you would if you had been able to take her
home.
You can learn, from a professional, how to give your baby an infant massage.
You can take infant CPR classes. You can talk to every tech in the hospital and
learn the ins and outs of the monitors that are regulating your baby.