My NICU/Preemie Mama Hands
My husband and I became NICU parents 10 years ago when our son was born full-term but needed just a few days in the NICU as he was learning to regulate his breathing and temperature on his own. Little did we know 8 years later our youngest son, would be born at 30 weeks and would spend 6 weeks in the NICU. When our preemie was discharged from the NICU, we spent February-April in social isolation. It can be done, but yes, it is a great sacrifice for everyone´s health and sanity.
I´ve always been a very thorough hand washer, ever since becoming a preschool teacher almost 20 years ago. It was during our NICU experience that we really learned the value of washing your hands for at least 20 seconds before going to care and visit with our beautiful preemie.
I remember the first time my husband and I went to visit our preemie in the NICU, I was so afraid that washing our hands wasn´t enough to prevent him from catching some sort of virus or infection. With all the reassurance from the nurses, washing our hands frequently, never touching our faces, disinfecting our smart phones, and using the provided clean robes, our little preemie did not catch any virus or bug that his older brother caught while going to school. After just one week in the NICU (in December 2017) my hands became chapped and raw. Lotion didn´t really work since I needed to wash my hands so many times before and after I´d change David´s diaper, washing pump parts, before helping with oral care, taking David´s temperature, giving him a sponge bath, etc. At night, before going to bed, I would moisturize my hands with Vaseline and wear cotton gloves to sleep to try and heal my hands slightly before getting up to pump or head to the NICU for the day.
When our preemie, David was discharged from the NICU our older son was finishing a 10 day antibiotic treatment for strep throat. I was terrified that David would get sick. David´s NICU doctors and nurses reassured us that newborns are not susceptible to strep throat and just keep washing our hands frequently and limiting sibling contact. Through out the rest of the winter of 2017, our older son, Daniel, caught every virus and stomach bug that would go around his 2nd grade class. My husband, myself, and our preemie did not catch any illness that our older son brought home, and I think it was due in large part to our strict hand washing routine. We all had individual hand towels to use after washing and sanitizing our hands. My son learned to change his clothes right after arriving home from school, took a shower, and changed into clean clothes. He also used saline solution to spray up his nose to kill any germs or bacteria.
Due to no fault of your own, and your child or preemie does need to be admitted to the PICU for treatment, don´t blame yourself, but keep focusing on the importance and value of washing your hands and not touching your face. I know we can all get through this scary time together. My family and I have been keeping each of the NICU families (especially in the Greater Cleveland Area) in our thoughts and prayers. Don´t forget to reach out to family and friends to go grocery shopping for you. Take each hour, pumping session, tube feeding, bottle-feeding, breastfeeding, and care session one at a time.
Enjoy all the skin to skin cuddle time with your baby, while in the NICU and at home.
-Kathleen S.
(Preemie mama to a 30 weeker)