Surviving The NICU : Week 2

As a triplet mom, I was overjoyed at the arrival of my three precious little ones, T1 (Bala), T2 (Subbu), and T3 (Kanha). However, with their premature birth came a whole host of new challenges, one of which was spending time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

In the second week after their delivery, my husband and I found ourselves in the NICU, surrounded by beeping machines and tiny, fragile babies in incubators. We were immediately struck by the importance of sanitation in this environment - before entering the NICU, we had to go through a rigorous training process to learn how to properly sanitize our hands and equipment, and were instructed to sanitize every door we touched upon entry and exit.

Once inside, we were trained in the delicate art of feeding and caring for our premature little ones. I was taught how to properly feed the babies, with the added challenge of having to deal with their tiny, underdeveloped digestive systems. My husband, on the other hand, was trained in both feeding and diaper changing, as well as the crucial importance of burping for premature babies.

We quickly learned that burping was absolutely essential for our little ones - without it, they could face serious health risks. Burping helps to release the air that babies swallow while feeding, and for premature babies, this is especially important. Without proper burping, they can suffer from severe gas and even life-threatening complications like necrotizing enterocolitis.

Our youngest baby, T3 (Kanha), was particularly delicate and required extra care. We noticed that his vomit was a concerning green and yellow color, indicating a potential issue with his digestion. It was a scary and overwhelming experience, but we knew that we had to stay strong and do everything we could to help him get better.

Feeding the babies was a complicated process as well. We were instructed to use a combination of PreNan formula and mothers milk to ensure that the babies were getting all the nutrients they needed to grow and develop. We were also trained to feed the babies using a syringe, as this allowed us to accurately measure the exact amount that each baby needed, preventing over- or under-feeding.

As the days in the NICU went on, we grew more confident in our abilities to care for our little ones. We learned how to recognize the subtle signs that indicated when the babies were hungry, tired, or in pain. We also learned how to read their body language and respond to their needs, even when they were unable to communicate with us directly.

In the end, our experience in the NICU taught us so much about the importance of sanitation, feeding, and care for premature babies. It was a challenging and emotional experience, but we are forever grateful for the incredible doctors and nurses who helped us through it all. We also learned how to rely on each other and work together as a team to care for our precious little ones.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, my advice to you would be to stay strong and stay positive. It's not easy, but with the right mindset and support, you can get through it. Remember to take things one day at a time, and to trust in the expertise of the amazing healthcare professionals who are there to help you and your little ones along the way. Note: Additionally, I would like to mention my YouTube channel, "Tanu And The Triplets," where my husband and I have shared our pregnancy journey right from day one. We have also shared vlogs of our life with triplets, including how we manage their daily routine, the challenges we face, and the moments of joy and love we experience as a family. Our channel has been a source of inspiration and support for many other parents of multiples. We hope to continue sharing our story and inspiring others to keep going and never give up, no matter how tough the journey may be.