For those who don't have night nurses...

[llwilliams8]

We are planning on getting rid of night nursing on the nights my husband is off this summer. Well, last night Autumn started vomiting in the middle of the night but a nurse was here so he took care of it. I asked this morning if she desatted when she threw up and he said no....so, if I don't have night nursing how would I know if she throws up and gets sick in the middle of the night if she does not sound her alarm? Does all of your kids have a nissen? This is the first time she's ever thrown up so I really never thought of that possiblity before. I'm scared she would choke on her own vomit if we were not there to suction her out.

[Niff]

It's scary when babies vomit in their sleep or while on their backs trying to sleep because of the possibility of aspirating and choking. I think this is a fear with any baby, but when you get into a special needs child with a host of medical issues it becomes even scarier. I know there are times when Mackenzie spits and it looks like she's aspirating but she doesn't desat.

My inkling would be to not get rid of night nursing because there should really be someone watching over Autumn at all times. I know it's difficult to cope with having strangers in your house and people who are taking care of Autumn, but sometimes we genuinely need the help -- especially at this young stage. If you don't want the nurses to be there during hours when you plan to be up, I would suggest scheduling them later in the evening. You could even do an 11-6 or 11-7 shift so that you're not having to really come in contact with the nurses, but you know someone's there watching Autumn.

[Mom2TwinsPlus1]

It can be scary when a child throws up. Emma has a nissen and has never thrown up thankfully.

But I think if you don't want nursing those nights that is your right to do so. Don't let this one time of throwing you make you second guess the decision to drop it on some nights. Just keep an eye on her, if it is something that happens often then of course you will want a nurse keeping an eye on her. Summer is a ways away so you can see how she does between now and then. Just throwing up once doesnt mean it will be a chronic thing.

How about on the nights he is off, placing her to sleep on her side? Use a wedge to support her that way, that way on the off chance she does throw up it won't go right back down her throat. It won't solve it but it might help. Also make sure she always sleeps with a pulse ox on when no one is watching her, even if she is as stable as can be. I can't stress that enough, after knowing 2 kids that passsed away in their sleep with no monitoring.

Keep in mind my advice comes from a very strong ANTI nursing opinion. Long story short I felt safer with my child unwatched and sleeping peacefully with her monitor on than with nurses watching her.

[lynn]

We have a baby video monitor, and i turn it up really high- it is so loud that I can hear if Joseph rolls over. We also used to use a wedge when he was smaller, but got rid of it when he started moving around alot and sleeping upside down on it(kinda defeated the purpose)- We always have the pulse ox hooked up when he is sleeping and it usually starts beeping if he starts moving-I learned to listed for a moment and if he is rustling around alot and it stops in a second or two- it is not picking up --if it continues I go in.
Is vomitting a frequent thing? or is it just something that happened and unlikely to occur again- also, was it really alot or a small amt of spitup? I know from my experiences- the nurses would like to exaggerate the amounts - and I knew from my previous babies- what was normal and usually had to tell them to not worry about it. -- I as Lori also have a very anti nursing opinion- I felt that I was a more capable caregiver in alot of instances. (Also as another option: when we first got rid of the nursing- I slept on mattress in Josephs room on floor- so I could hear everything it was prob 2 months before I felt comfortable enough to sleep in my own room and trusted the monitor. I have learned to be a light sleeper)

[llwilliams8]

This is the first time she's ever thrown up and she's 7 months old. Shedoes have a stomach virus because she got the diarrhea thing also. She is also on a pulse ox 24/7--central apnea makes her completely unpredictable so we only take it off for baths. We also have a video monitor so I can hear her when she beeps but can't hear her vomit. Anyways, I am sick of the nurses also and want to do it more on my own but I'm also nervous. Thanks for the reassurance--I needed to hear it.

[drct1245]

We didn't have night nursing until Ayden was probably 2 yrs. Ayden threw up about 2 or 3x in the year and a half we didn't have help at home. (he does have a nissen too) Any time Ayden threw up at night, either we were up or something happened before he threw up, so if it only happens when she has a virus, more than likely you would be listening more closely or up w/ her.

Ayden also usually burps or coughs before he throws up too. It's always nerve racking, but you know your child best...

[Shylent]

We have never had nursing , day or night , and Sebastian had severe reflux which caused him to throw up all the time. He also had his pulse ox on when ever he was asleep or even just rolling around in his bed playing. Usually right before he would throw up his sats would drop and heart would rise a bit so I just set the pulse ox accordingly. If I didn't make it to him in time his trach mask protected his trach from anything getting in.

You know your child best but personally I see no reason to feel like you have to have nursing if you truly don't want it. It is a pain sometimes not having nursing , and there are days I wish I did but overall I am grateful to not have to deal with all the stuff many on here have to . I know there are tons of wonderful, caring nurses out there but in the end I don't want to have any extra people around my place.

[cherienz]

I have just read the last few anti nursing posts... i just ask can you sustain it, can your family sustain it?? we are 5 years on - more to go.. I could not have slept on the floor in my son's bedroom all this time!! AND got up and down in the night. The first 6 months at home Mitch threw up at least 2x a night, we were still up to do the vomit help, but went back to bed while he was helped back to sleep. the linen was changed by someone else etc. (still your washing in the morn!!)

It took us probably a YEAR to get the right people. That stay AWAKE, do what you ask, and know when to wake you etc. It has NOT been easy, but now we can sleep at night. The last 2 years have been the same carers.

We also used a baby monitor to listen. Mitch has a pulse ox and is vented on 02. I would never rely on machinery without "person" if you are not in the room in this situation.

Hey, maybe trache, no suctions, no vent, no 02 you might manage, my advice is if it is looking like long term don't turn down help YET!!
Regards Cherie

[Alex's mom]

There was never enough staff to fill every night of nursing so for the first year, when there wasn't a nurse we took shifts and each slept half the night in a reclining chair in Alex's room and the other half in our own bed. Our bedrooms are next to each other and eventually with all the alarms turned up and a video monitor we started sleeping in our own bed.

After Alex was about a year, the night nurse we had felt she was no longer needed. Alex slept through night most nights and we requested not to have her disturbed if she was sleeping. It's been almost two years now since we've stopped night nursing all together and it's worked really well for us.

Even though in the beginning it was invaluable to have nursing at night, it was really nice to have my house back once it stopped. It sounds like your not stopping it altogether, just dropping some days. Go with what your comfortable with. Good luck!

[llwilliams8]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I just can't get comfortable with the nurses but I also know I don't want to get rid of them completely. Glad to know it's okay to not WANT the nursing because everyone else is telling me how much I need it but I really don't think I need AS much as I am getting. We are only going to stop like 3 nights a week of nursing. I think it will work well for our family because my husband is up until 3-4am anyways and I hear every little beep. :) Honestly, if I had no other kids--I would not want nursing at all but with 2 others I know I need the help so I can have time and energy to spend with the older kids--my daughter though is a great help during the day and I'm just SO much happier when no nurses are here and it's just the family. I know my daughter's care more than any of my nurses (even my husband) so I know it will be fine without them and good to have them when I need to get out or take a break--I just have to find that balance.