During my previous article I described some helpful tools I gained from my NICU experience. I also feel that sharing the humor that can be found in such an occasion would also be beneficial to help those suffering through the monotony of it currently. So, it is with the sincerest desire to add laughter, or at least a grin, to those in need that I contribute this piece.
I quickly discovered during my time in the NICU that some babies are there on account of scandalous and intriguing matters. To help ease the monotony and sorrow of my own situation, I became very astute to try my best to overhear the juicy situations of those around me. By doing so, it became quite an entertaining venture for me day to day.
For example, the baby that had no visitors, it was overheard, was in the middle of a custody battle due to the mothers lack of knowledge as to the actual father. When the father arrived to retrieve the child, my mouth gaped at the results of the hearing. Quite literally as well, because my husband had to shake me out of my blatant staring, as my eaves dropping at times became quite apparent. It was as good as a television drama.
Onto another act of comedy, my closest acquaintances would agree that compared to most human beings, I am hardly the most coordinated. Seeing a baby attached to all kinds of wires that are necessary in keeping him alive, whilst knowing that I was to care for, hold, or even be near that baby cause great alarm to many people, rightfully so. Surprisingly, and thankfully no serious calamity occurred resulting from this detail, but it did inspire some hilarious instances.
My son was in an incubator that you could reach your arms into by pushing a latch and opening a small round door. Then you could touch him, hold his hand, change his diaper, without him getting cold. What was not commonly known to me, was that the door is spring loaded. So when I pushed the latch, I didn't pay attention to the door itself, which flung open with great eagerness, causing a load bang on the monitors next to it.
I then noticed that my poor son, in the commotion, had grabbed his oxygen tube in a death grip of his entire three pounds, and was lifting them over his head. His heart rate was feeling the effects as well. As his nerves calmed down, I unlatched his hands from the oxygen cords, and explained gently to him that such instances need to be expected from now on if he is to have me for his mother.
Proceeding my next comedic comment, it must be stated that the nurses of the NICU far outrank all those within the category of mankind. On occasion, I noticed that when giving advice based upon their own experiences in caring for children, their suggestions often proved contradictory to each other. Mind you this excludes medically necessary elements, but pertains only to their personal manners.
When I would burp the baby, for example, I was told to slightly rub his back and gently lay him down using very little movement so that I wouldn't upset his stomach and cause throwing up. Meanwhile, the next nurse showed me how your spin him around, bounce him up and down, throw him over your head, rub his face, and smack his back to him to burp. Naturally, I have become accustomed to my own methods on this case.
With forty-five days of anecdotes, I could continue this article of more humorous NICU displays. Including the complete absence of any doctor that didn't speak from a foreign land, complicating even further the medical jargon I don't understand. Or the intrusive cleaning lady who always seemed to find me in the private breast pumping room, ignoring the ocupado sign on the door. But, whether you are currently in your NICU stay, or see it as a memory like me, I will leave you to yourselves to laugh at your own personal idiosyncrasies observed at the NICU.
I quickly discovered during my time in the NICU that some babies are there on account of scandalous and intriguing matters. To help ease the monotony and sorrow of my own situation, I became very astute to try my best to overhear the juicy situations of those around me. By doing so, it became quite an entertaining venture for me day to day.
For example, the baby that had no visitors, it was overheard, was in the middle of a custody battle due to the mothers lack of knowledge as to the actual father. When the father arrived to retrieve the child, my mouth gaped at the results of the hearing. Quite literally as well, because my husband had to shake me out of my blatant staring, as my eaves dropping at times became quite apparent. It was as good as a television drama.
Onto another act of comedy, my closest acquaintances would agree that compared to most human beings, I am hardly the most coordinated. Seeing a baby attached to all kinds of wires that are necessary in keeping him alive, whilst knowing that I was to care for, hold, or even be near that baby cause great alarm to many people, rightfully so. Surprisingly, and thankfully no serious calamity occurred resulting from this detail, but it did inspire some hilarious instances.
My son was in an incubator that you could reach your arms into by pushing a latch and opening a small round door. Then you could touch him, hold his hand, change his diaper, without him getting cold. What was not commonly known to me, was that the door is spring loaded. So when I pushed the latch, I didn't pay attention to the door itself, which flung open with great eagerness, causing a load bang on the monitors next to it.
I then noticed that my poor son, in the commotion, had grabbed his oxygen tube in a death grip of his entire three pounds, and was lifting them over his head. His heart rate was feeling the effects as well. As his nerves calmed down, I unlatched his hands from the oxygen cords, and explained gently to him that such instances need to be expected from now on if he is to have me for his mother.
Proceeding my next comedic comment, it must be stated that the nurses of the NICU far outrank all those within the category of mankind. On occasion, I noticed that when giving advice based upon their own experiences in caring for children, their suggestions often proved contradictory to each other. Mind you this excludes medically necessary elements, but pertains only to their personal manners.
When I would burp the baby, for example, I was told to slightly rub his back and gently lay him down using very little movement so that I wouldn't upset his stomach and cause throwing up. Meanwhile, the next nurse showed me how your spin him around, bounce him up and down, throw him over your head, rub his face, and smack his back to him to burp. Naturally, I have become accustomed to my own methods on this case.
With forty-five days of anecdotes, I could continue this article of more humorous NICU displays. Including the complete absence of any doctor that didn't speak from a foreign land, complicating even further the medical jargon I don't understand. Or the intrusive cleaning lady who always seemed to find me in the private breast pumping room, ignoring the ocupado sign on the door. But, whether you are currently in your NICU stay, or see it as a memory like me, I will leave you to yourselves to laugh at your own personal idiosyncrasies observed at the NICU.
About the Author:
Haylee Landford is the mother of a premature baby, that is currently six months old. She travels with her family to write articles for Land For Sale with which she is a guest author.
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