Baby Joshua's NICU Stay

Help us welcome to the world Joshua Joseph Odin Raaen
He was born on June 18th at 9:19 pm.
He weighed 4 pounds, 4 ounces and was 16.4 inches long.
They were in the hospital for 30 days.

Thank you to those who prayed for sweet Joshua and here are some words from his mama on their story:

“We were leaving our home to go to my parents to grill out after just getting back from visiting my in laws and my water broke. He arrived very fast. They were able to grant some of my pre labor wishes and delayed cord clamping and allowed for a few minutes of skin to skin before he was taken to the nicu. He was diagnosed with premature lung disease and had a large oxygen mask and had a feeding tube in his mouth. He was jaundice for a few days when he was 4 days old.

We roomed out July 5th when he was 17 days old and his temperature dropped so he was put back under a heating lamp. At this time they found he had a uti and his belly was distended because he had air in his large intestines and bowels. They inserted a picc line to treat him for the uti and give him fluids. He had to go back on oxygen and a tube was inserted down his throat to release all the air in his belly. He couldn’t eat for 30 hours until all the air was out of his belly. That was super hard on us.

His picc line and vent were removed after 6 days. He was monitored for another week where he had a really hard time holding his temperature so he was under the heating lamp up until the day before we finally got to go home. The lowest he weighed while we were in the hospital was 3 pounds 9 ounces and when we left he was 4 pounds 14 ounces. Today he is 5 pounds 12 ounces.

My due date was July 28th he was born at 34 weeks and 2 days.”

NICU stays are not easy and they all have their own traumatic moments and memories. However your story unfolds, please know that you are not alone, you are such strong and special parents and your feelings are valid. I hope that you are able to see the light shine through on the harder days and some tiny memories like this will give you some peace and a view from the outside for how strong you are from an outside perspective. My bittersweet moment was walking into the same NICU room where we were with my baby girl.

Blessings to your family, and now we can celebrate baby Joshua going home!