Back in September I started volunteering in the DNCC (NICU) at OHSU (sorry, alphabet soup I know). I have been going strong every Saturday for my three hour shift since then. I went back and read this post that I wrote after my first few weeks and I realized how far I've come since then with my ease and comfort level in the Unit and with the babies.
When I get to the hospital I clock in (in the Volunteer Office), grab a locker for my purse and then head to the elevator. First I go up to the 9th floor and then walk down toward the sky bridge to the main hospital. Along this route you get such a beautiful view of the river and the city as there are huge windows all the way down the hall. It feels good getting this view every week as I'm en route to the little ones. I hit another elevator from the 9th to the 12th floor to get up to the Unit where someone sees me usually on the camera and opens the automatic doors for me to enter. After signing in and scrubbing up I get ready to scope out the scene for the day.
I make the rounds initially through all of the pods (sections of babies, usually between 4-6 per pod) to see if there are any immediate signs that a Volunteer is needed or if the previous Volunteer has a baby to pass off to me. When this happens it is usually an especially needy baby, often times very unhappy due to Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). It feels so natural now to me to just take a screaming infant like this and give them undivided attention for a few hours. It is definitely sad to see babies like this; they had absolutely no say in the matter and they don't understand why they feel so crummy. On days like these I give a lot of my energy to the little one as I feed them, move them from position to position, take the pacifier in and out, swaddle them snugly and give them reassuring, repetitive pats on the back. I feel needed and genuinely appreciated by the nurses.
Some days are slower. I may wander around just checking everyone out for awhile. I love to say Hello to all the babies. There are always a few sets of twins, sometimes triplets and generally quite a few Micro-preemies that are fighting for survival. These tiniest babies are touched as little as possible, their pods are lit dimly, voices hushed and usually covers kept over their Giraffes (really sweet incubators-photo below). They are utterly amazing to me. I look in on them, so tiny. They are like little nested baby birds with their legs squirming in the air or tucked up tightly underneath them when they are on their tummies. I say little prayers for each one that they will grow big and strong.
The babies in the Unit are there for various reasons. Some are so early, so tiny and will be there for a long time. Some are very sick. I've seen all sorts of scenarios; birth defects, dialysis, cancer where chemo is being given, lots of chronic lung disease (BPD) and of course the NAS babies. Quite a few are just a little early and underweight and need some help feeding and growing a little before they go home. I love it when the nurses offer up feedings. I feel comfortable now picking up the preemies and getting all of their cords and tubes in order. They are usually fed while keeping them on their side. This way they can have the control of how much or little they suck. They have to stop a lot to "catch up" with their breathing between munching. After I hold them up sort of in a sitting position for some gently burping. You can tell how relieving this is for them, that is if you can keep them awake for a few minutes with such a full milk tummy.
Overall my experiences so far have been very fulfilling. I am planning to continue along indefinitely. I love being able to share all of my experiences with my Mom and get her take on things as well. There are traits that all Units seem to have and others that are unique; new protocols are always being tested out so as to obtain the optimal environment for the neonates. A few folks have made comments to me about how hard it must be to do this and how they would be so sad to see these babies each week. It is so the opposite of this for me. Each week I am amazed and inspired as to the strength of these tiny humans as well as the many dedicated people who take care of them around the clock. It makes me happy to see such innocence and hope in these babies who have their lives ahead of them and know nothing of the perils of the world outside.
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