Coping with Christmas in the NICU
Two years ago today, I walked out of the hospital with nothing but a prescription for painkillers and the things that I had accumulated during my week of bedrest. It was Christmas Eve, and my baby was in the NICU, on a ventilator and under bili lights. I hadn’t even held her yet. If it weren’t for my three-year-old daughter at home, I think I would have stayed in the hospital forever.
Coping with having a baby in the NICU during the holidays can be extremely difficult. Family and friends are visiting, celebrating and gathering together, and each happy moment can stand as a reminder of what you don’t have.
If your baby is in the NICU this Christmas, here are a few things to remember:
- Don’t push yourself. If you don’t feel like you can make it to every holiday celebration on your calendar, then don’t. Take the time you need to rest, care for yourself and visit your baby.
- Bring some close relatives to visit your baby and have a little holiday celebration at the NICU. Find out how many people you can have at the bedside, and go open a few gifts with your baby.
- Make a few holiday memories by snapping some photos of your baby. Add a baby’s first Christmas hat or bib to the photo if you can. Use a kit or some crayola model magic clay to make an ornament with your baby’s hand or foot print.
- If you’d like to share your baby with friends over the holidays, bring or send some pictures, along with a note about their progress in the NICU. You could also start a CarePage online where you can share photos and journal entries with friends and family.
- Take advantage of any parent support services provided by your NICU. Talk with a chaplain, social worker or support group. If nothing is available, get together with other parents on the unit to share your experiences.
For those of you spending the holidays in the NICU, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your babies. For those of you who have been there before, please share any other things you did to cope in the comments.
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