A Parent's Guide to Everything Needed for a NICU Baby

I was 24 weeks pregnant when I began feeling a bit out of sorts. I wasn't experiencing any of the normal cramping or pain they tell you to be watchful for; still I knew something wasn't quite right. My husband and I went to the hospital where they gave us the news that would change our world. My cervix was funneling and the baby was already in the birth position with his head at the top of the funnel. I found myself living the moment in slow-motion as they wheeled me up to my room, without realizing that I would be staying in this room for the next month and a half. I was terrified, my husband was terrified, but the scariest part was still to come: The NICU stay.

What is the NICU?

The NICU or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is the nursery specifically for babies who are born premature or with complications. One way is to think of a NICU like a hospital with in a hospital. Everything with in the walls of the NICU is tailored in size to fit babies, and the staff of doctors and nurses are trained to care for the tiniest of patients. The NICU can be a scary and overwhelming place if you are not prepared for the sights and sounds you see.

The constant beeping of alarms, the sounds of little cries, the calls of the staff to each other when a baby shows signs of distress; can at times frighten and worry any parent. The constant movement, shuffle, and hectic nature of the NICU can begin to wear down new parents who are already in a frazzled state of mind. I remember some days where I longed to just stay there until my son was released and other days where I felt like a nervous break down was about to occur. Luckily the staff from the high-risk unit, the labor and delivery unit, and the NICU staff themselves all tried to help us prepare for our son's stay in the NICU.

Can I really prepare for this?

Yes and no.

Yes if you have enough time like my husband and I did, no if you are caught by surprise and suddenly find yourself having a baby at 24 weeks with no way to stop the impending delivery or you have a full-term baby with complications.