Friend's baby in the NICU with breathing trouble

[Dar]

I apologize if this is an intrusion into your forum - I am just so worried and I thought this was the best place to find people who might know what to do and be able to help my friend.

She had an absolutely awful pregnancy - I'm not sure the morning sickness ever stopped and I know she was hospitalized for it once and on medication for it for many months. There was a chromosome scare with the baby at one point, but it turned out to be okay. She spent the last month on bedrest and in horrible pain, and a week before he was born she had some repair surgery. The doctors told her they'd never seen a pregnancy in which so many unrelated things went wrong. She had a scheduled induction and c-section yesterday and the baby (40 weeks) seemed fine, as did she... but in the middle of the night he started having trouble breathing and now he's in the NICU.

She's terrified. No one seems to be telling her anything. She really wants to breastfeed him and can't right now, and it seems that there should be a way for her to pump at least? 

And somewhere in the back of my mind I think I remember hearing about this happening sometimes with c section babies... am I right about that? Any one know more? I would love to give her some good news.

She is just the most awesome person... 

[MeepyCat]

I am so sorry that your friend and her babe are going through this tough time! I hope they both recover well and soon.

In answer to your question about pumping, YES your friend should absolutely be able to pump for her baby. She should ask the nurses on the post partum floor, and those in the NICU for a pump, and speak to the doctors about writing her a scrip for a double electric, hospital grade unit to use at home in the event that she's released before the baby. The words "double electric, hospital grade" are important - my insurance tried to fob me off with a Medela Swing because someone wrote the scrip wrong.

Sometimes the reason no one seems to say anything is because they're waiting for information, and sometimes it's really hard to process information in these situations. The breathing difficulties could come from any number of things. Infection, issues with lung development, aspiration... the good news is that there is a lot the NICU can do to help.

[journey4]

Im so sorry to hear about your friend.  that must be so hard for her to take.  is it her first baby?

i have a friend here in phoenix with a similar story. her baby was in the NICU for 2 whole months and then went home with a tracheostomy.  she now recieves skilled nursing in her home.  she loves having the nurses there and the company is a huge help to her, but she is still depressed.  i cant even imagine going through something like that.

[TCMoulton]

Sometimes babies born via c/section do have some problems breathing because they don't have the fluids squeezed out of their lungs as they would have if they had traveled down the birth canal for a vaginal birth. Usually it is something that can be resolved with a bit of time and close watching. Hoping your friend is holding her little one very soon!!

[Dar]

Thanks for replying. :) My friend is actually home with her son now, and he's doing awesome and doesn't seem to have any remaining issues. She's still having a hard time with her own physical recovery - her c-section was the culmination of a really tough pregnancy  - but things are pretty good now, and her three year old is loving her new brother!