Leaving hospital without your premature baby

Useful information on leaving your baby in NNICU and the practical and emotional difficulties involved.

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Premature arrivals > Leaving hospital without your premature baby

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There may come a point when you will go home but have to leave your baby in the NNICU. Mothers find this very hard to do and it takes courage. If there are older children you feel torn between leaving the new little one and being glad to be with the older ones. Feelings of guilt, however unfounded, are very common.

If you are breastfeeding you will still need to express milk for your baby to have when you are not there either by naso-gastric tube or in a tiny cup or by bottle. Discuss with the midwives what is best for your baby. Whether breast or bottle fed, the naso-gastric tube will not satisfy her growing need to suck, which needs to be encouraged. She will probably need to be able to suck all her feeds before she goes home and most mothers in this situation find themselves going backwards and forwards quite a lot between home and hospital. Watch you don't get too tired and accept all the help you can get.