- you think it's normal for complete strangers to walk in on you when you breastfeeding or pumping
- your baby brady's and you look up and say "oh she’s fine".
- when you go home and hear bells ringing in your head.
- when you can high-five the night security guard because he's your homie now
- when you can recognize the other long-term babies by their cries
- when you know how to "hide" the good rockers for your next shift
- when you could probably do the entire admitting procedure for a new NICU baby.
- when bath night is the most exciting thing on your schedule!
- when you start introducing yourself to new long-term parents and let them know it's all going to be okay...
- when you sanitize your hands even at home after touching anything
- when they don't even ask for your name before buzzing you in
- when the only time you realize there IS an outside is when you leave with your car at night and realized it rained that day
- when your hands are cracked, raw & bleeding from hand washing
- a 6lb baby looks HUGE
-when you know the fastest way to get to the NICU
- when you drive to and from the hospital without even remembering getting into the car.
- when you get on to other people for not washing their hands long enough
-when you don't have to look at the clock to tell when 3 minutes of scrubbing time is up.
- when you know EXACTLY how many cc’s your baby bottled
- when you know which scales are calibrated differently to make sure the weight is accurate...every little gram counts!
- Having your favorite nurses and getting all excited when it is their turn to care for your baby
- when you actually enjoy the smell of Purell because it reminds you of your baby.
- when several of your facebook friends are nurses at the NICU.
- when you begin to write time as 1430 instead of 2:30 pm.
- when you cry because your favorite nurse has been on vacation for 6 days in a row and you don't know when she's coming back
- when you refer to your baby's age in gestational weeks and wonder why everybody outside the hospital looks confused
- when you covet the grimy, smelly hospital bracelet from day zero that will go in your daughter's babybook
- when anything that touches the floor, even for one second, automatically goes in the garbage
- when you go to weigh your baby your heart is beating fast
-when the Doctor rounds on your baby, you talk in their language
- when you call the NICU at 3am and the desk clerk addresses you by name and puts you right to the nurse without you saying anything more than hello
- when you think nothing of a doctor bill for over $200,000.00, actually you think that is low!
- when you have a favorite parking spot
- when you cheer when the lab work comes back normal
- when your life revolves around 3 hour segments
- when you feel more comfortable changing a baby's diaper with them lying horizontal to you instead of vertical!
- when you begin to care about and get updates on the babies who are next to yours
- when you think you need a sound track of the beeps and dings for when your baby goes home so he can sleep.
- when poop is a good thing.
- when you know every single nurse by name, whether they have taken care of your baby or not
- when your baby has an entire wardrobe in his hospital room, his own bedding, soap, shampoo, baby wipes, towels, and washcloths from home -- just to give you some control over your baby's environment
- when you get angry when you come in one morning and find that they have moved your baby from "your spot" and sit there and cry about it.
- when you write Q24 instead of every 24hours for their meds
- when new parents mistake you for an employee
- when it's the main visiting time and the line is long to wash up, that you know where the other sinks are hidden.
- when you have so much pumped breast milk in your freezer that you no longer have room for food
- when the answer to the question "how old is your baby?" is two minutes long
- when you honestly forget that you can go out in public with your baby
- when you involuntarily cringe every time someone touches your baby
- when you have the strong desire to wipe down anyone that comes near your baby with hand sanitizer
- when you the guest service people at the hospital stop asking "how can we help you?" and instead ask "when are you leaving?"
- when you know your way around the hospital so well you direct people in the elevator
- when "Kangaroo" is a verb and "feed" is a noun in your vocabulary
- when you know what CPAP, NG, OG, PICC, UAC, UVC, CBC, and TPN mean and can use them in a sentence
- when you deep down think that if it's not how the NICU does it, than it must be wrong
- when you get new pictures of your baby, they go in the mail to grandparents, friends, and the NICU.
-when you randomly cry at the sight of your baby
- when being able to hold your baby whenever you want is one of life's biggest thrills.
- when you can put together and use a breast pump in the dark
-when you wait for a timer to go off when you wash your hands
-when your box of baby mementos includes a blood pressure cuff that fits around your finger, a preemie size diaper, and a pair of billi shades
-when your baby has a longer medical history than you do
- when NICU nurses=heroes
- when you can think of more things to add to this list.
Josh blew on her belly and it terrified her! He does it often but this particular time she wanted no part of it. Sad baby! She cried huge crocodile tears :(
