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I had my routine of coming into the NICU, getting my daily update from the doctors and nurses going to the pumping station and updating all friends and family on her care. That day was the very first time I got to hold my baby!
She was 6 weeks old and on a breathing machine called “The Jet”. The Jet pumps tiny breaths at a very high rate to keep the lungs open and it vibrates like crazy. The Nurse and the Respiratory Therapist helped to move her and placed her on my chest. They taped her breathing tubes to my gown I was wearing so not to have the tube slip.
The doctor wrote that I could hold her as long as I wanted but said she may not respond well and need more oxygen. If that was the case, then for me only to hold her for 30 minutes.
Well, that day I held her for over 2 hours! Not only did she do great but her need for oxygen actually decreased.
From that day I held her everyday for a minimum on 1 hour but would hold her for as long as I could. I had to pump and that was the only reason I couldn’t hold her for any longer than the 2 hours.
Without Kangaroo Care I know her stay would have been much harder. Not only did her dependence of oxygen decrease while I was holding her but I felt more like her Mom.
More like I was actually taking care of her because I was showing her that I Love Her by holding her Skin to Skin.