One twin home from the NICU

Yesterday we brought Julia home from the NICU after 54 days. Her sister will probably follow in a week or 2. They've been on a 4 hour schedule and my hope is to keep them on it which so far has not been a problem with Julia. She's been taking her feedings well but the first night was tough. She spent most of the night grunting and sounding very uncomfortable. I could not figure out what was wrong. I swaddled her in a different blanket, wrapped her, unwrapped her, laid her on a slight incline, burbed her, changed her diaper. She never cried or screamed, just grunted all night long. The only thing that helped was holding her and laying her in the bed. As soon as I put her back in the co-sleeper she would start up again after 10 minutes. I'm pretty tired right now and I do not want a repeat of what happened. The only other things I can think of is maybe she was missing her sister, as silly as it sounds, or maybe there was something else with the co-sleeper that was making her uncomfortable or maybe it was too much space and she didn't have enough bounderies even though I rolled up blankets around her. Interestingly, she sleeps very comfortably in the Pack n Play downstairs. Anyone here hae any suggestions or tips?

TIA!

 

Did they grunt in the NICU? My guys both grunted til about 3 months or so. It kinda sounds like they are poopying.

 

QUOTE
Interestingly, she sleeps very comfortably in the Pack n Play downstairs. Anyone here hae any suggestions or tips?


Let her sleep in the pack n play...you'll learn to do what ya gotta do.

Congratulations on having one of them home!!!

 

Congrats on bringing Julia home! I agree with Christina! Do what works, let her sleep where she is comfy. :hug99:

 

I could have written your post! DD came home first, and the first night she was grunting nonstop, and it drove me nuts. She'd probably been grunting all along, it's just that the NICU is so darn noisy that you don't notice all those things.

Both babies were big grunters for at least their first month or so at home. Everyone told me it's normal. I wound up sleeping with earplugs - they filter out the "little stuff", but I wake up right away for anything serious.

 

QUOTE(cwinslow7 @ Aug 2 2007, 06:52 PM) [snapback]354770[/snapback]
Let her sleep in the pack n play...you'll learn to do what ya gotta do.

Congratulations on having one of them home!!!


Ditto! Do you works now!!

 

Congratulations on bringing Julia home! That's wonderful!
Our first night home was HORRIBLE...the worst ever. We could not figure out what to do, how to get them to sleep and we tried everything. If she sleeps better in the pack 'n play - I say have her in there. You've figured out something that works! Maybe bring it upstairs to your room so you can still co-sleep in a way.
Good luck!

 

QUOTE(Buttercup1 @ Aug 2 2007, 02:48 PM) [snapback]354759[/snapback]
Yesterday we brought Julia home from the NICU after 54 days. Her sister will probably follow in a week or 2. They've been on a 4 hour schedule and my hope is to keep them on it which so far has not been a problem with Julia. She's been taking her feedings well but the first night was tough. She spent most of the night grunting and sounding very uncomfortable. I could not figure out what was wrong. I swaddled her in a different blanket, wrapped her, unwrapped her, laid her on a slight incline, burbed her, changed her diaper. She never cried or screamed, just grunted all night long. The only thing that helped was holding her and laying her in the bed. As soon as I put her back in the co-sleeper she would start up again after 10 minutes. I'm pretty tired right now and I do not want a repeat of what happened. The only other things I can think of is maybe she was missing her sister, as silly as it sounds, or maybe there was something else with the co-sleeper that was making her uncomfortable or maybe it was too much space and she didn't have enough bounderies even though I rolled up blankets around her. Interestingly, she sleeps very comfortably in the Pack n Play downstairs. Anyone here hae any suggestions or tips?

TIA!

 

QUOTE
Let her sleep in the pack n play...you'll learn to do what ya gotta do.

Congratulations on having one of them home!!!


Ditto!!

 

We had the SAME problem when my son came home and we had to leave my daughter in the NICU. I know how hard you had it leaving her there, trust me she will not remember... I don't think I got any sleep the first few days unfortunately but do what works, leave your baby in the pack-n-play, we had to put him in another room (w/ the baby monitor of course) in his bassinet, just so we could get a little sleep. We found that around 2 months he preferred his belly, I know everyone said "no, no, no" to this, but he sleeps like a log and won't sleep any other way now. They did this position in the NICU and I think he had a bit of acid reflux and this helped him, and us get some well deserved sleep. He is now 5 months and sleeps 10-12 hours a night, as well as his sister, who prefers her back to sleep. Good luck and enjoy your babies they grow so fast! Shannon

 

If she likes the PNP, I would leave her in it! Congrats on Julia's homecoming! I hope that everyone is home soon!

 

Congrats on bringing one home! My boys grunted A LOT at first - everyone thought they were constantly pooping. 2.5 mos. later, they still grunt a lot, but not nearly as much. so really, it's just something your daughter will grow out of. I'd say, if she's good in the P'nP, let her sleep there!

 

My son was a noisy grunter from night one in the hospital. He still grunts all the time and he will be 6 weeks old in a few days. I have four children and he is the only one who grunts like this. I turned off the monitor and I know I will hear him if he cries and needs me - their bedroom is right next to ours.

Good luck and congratulations on bringing your baby home!!!

 

OMG the first night was a total nightmare! I just rmemeber my husband and I looking at each other in horror like, is this going to be every night? They both seemed so miserable. I'm taking nursing classes and I spoke with one of my teahcers a few weeks later and she said to me that the adjustment is so hard for them. They're so used to constant noise, nurses all around, lights all the time, a completely different smell. It's really a huge change for them.

But the grunting. It's unnerving, isn't it? Like PP's said, just keep doing what you're doing because you're doing great....and I never even thought of taking them out of the PNP. It was just so convenient and they didn't seem to mind.

Good luck!

 

Congratulations on bringing one home, the other wont be too far behind!

When they boys came home after 5 weeks in NICU they grunted too. In fact Ty will still grunt at almost 6 months old. It didnt start bothering me until recently.

I know the first few nights can be overwhelming to say the least. I think the first month was for us with both boys. Let her sleep where she feels comfortable. Sleep whenever you can during the day also.

 

CONGRATULATIONS ON ONE COMING THE OTHER WON'T BE FAR BEHIND. MINE WAS NEVER IN THE NICU, BUT THEY DID GRUNT FOR A WHILE, BUT THEY HAVE QUIT NOW AND THEY ARE ONLY ALMOST 10WEEKS.
MISSY

 

My girls grunted like that too. I asked the pedi about it and he said it was a perfectly normal baby (especially preemie baby) thing to do. They do eventually grow out of it.