Last night Razvan and I got a tour of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Brigham and Women’s really prides itself on educating patients about their options, so before this tour Razvan and I actually took a class about NICU to learn more about what it’s like, and got a chance to speak with a couple of pediatricians about all the things that our baby may need if he is born prematurely. It’s comforting to know that this hospital has one of the best NICU’s in the world, and that they do everything possible to support the growth and well being of babies born as young as 23 weeks gestational age.
A really nice nurse Amanda picked me up from my room in a wheelchair and showed us around. NICU is conveniently located on the 6th floor of our building (two floors below where were are now, and one floor above the labor and delivery floor). The place actually looks much nicer and cozier than I imagined. I’ve never seen a premature baby before, so the nurse was nice enough to show us several babies that ranged in gestational age between 29 and 34 weeks. Every baby was different, and required different equipment for his or her needs. Some 29 weekers were breathing on their own; some older babies needed ventilators to help their lungs inflate and deflate. I was comforted by the fact that the facility had pretty much everything for the needs of premature babies. The babies we saw looked like tinier, skinnier versions of full term babies, and did not look scary at all. They also looked pretty comfortable and cozy sleeping in their little incubators despite all the technology around them.
The nurses and doctors all agree that for the time being our baby is better off being inside his current organic little home, than in the tech-filled NICU. I’m glad we took the tour though. It made me feel reassured about the prospect of NICU when the time comes.
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