Many people often forget that the NICU is an ICU—meaning that these babies are critically ill and require a high level of expertise and care. NICU nurses touch the tiniest of lives and help parents to make their worst days a little bit better.
Taking care of a sick newborn can be VERY intimidating and nerve-racking, especially if you don’t have a ton of experience working with them in the first place.
Personally, I didn’t have much experience with babies and hadn’t been around them a whole lot before I started working in the NICU. Let me tell you, I was TERRIFIED! Not only of the micro-preemies but also the full-term relatively healthy babies, too! Oh, and the parents...
However, with time and experience (and wisdom from those who had been working in the NICU for the majority of their careers)... I became comfortable and realized exactly how amazing these fragile beings truly are.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a “baby manual,” and most hospitals don’t offer a newborn basics class. But, there are a TON of educational resources available online... everything from books, peer-reviewed journals, evidence-based articles and experience-based options—all of which are very informative and helpful!
Having a tiny creature to take care of really changes your life, and I don’t think there are enough ways to prepare for it. If you’re an expecting parent, soak up all of the information you can get your hands on before your little one gets here. That way you will feel a little more prepared when your baby makes his or her grand debut into the world. Start EARLY since you may be recovering from labor/delivery and running on very little sleep! Yes, you will be waking up every 2-3 hours to feed your baby. Cue the deer in headlights!
Did your baby need NICU care? Are you a first time parent? Tell me your story!