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Intermediate Intensive Care Unit |
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| The intermediate intensive care unit is much less intense
and more family oriented than the NICU. When Alex Ryan and Nicole
arrived they still needed to be in an isolette which helps then keep
warm. As they grew and got some body fat they were able to keep
themselves warm. First Ryan got an open crib, then Alex joined him in
the same crib the next day. A couple days later Nicole was also in the
crib with them.
The next step for them was the ability to get all the necessary food by nursing or bottle without wearing themselves out. Ryan was first to take everything by bottle, Alex was a taking almost all of his by bottle, but Nicole refused any more than a few swallows by bottle. Then one morning we came in and the nurse said she is taking everything by bottle. In one night she went from the baby we were most worried about to the one furthest along. The last step for everyone is remembering to keep breathing. They all had apnea and bradycardia from the beginning, which is normal for a premie. They just outgrow it when they get closer to the date they should have been born. Ryan was supposed to come home Friday but was delayed due to a couple bradycardias in his sleep. Now it looks like Nicole will come home first, but it could just as easily be Alex or Ryan. All three are racing to get home first. We have already created sibling rivalry between them. It takes most parent a couple years to create this kind of competition, but we have managed to do it in 3 weeks. |
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| Family
Pictures
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Alex
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| Ryan
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Nicole
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