Micro-preemie parents, how did you handle work?
My son was born at 24 weeks via C-section. I took the 8 weeks disability time off but saving the 12 weeks parental leave for when he comes home. I've been back to work for a month and I'm feeling like I'm at my wits end.
I work on a hybrid schedule, 3 days in the office and 2 days at home. I've been skipping days since going back to work because on the days I go into the office (typically Tuesday-thursday) it's sometimes too much rushing to catch 6pm care or if I go to 9pm care instead I'm watching the clock because I want to be able to get back home, do my final pump for the night (I don't pump overnight), and prepare and get some sleep for work the next morning.
I want to start back going everyday because 1. He's starting to catch up with me in terms of the milk I pump and what he's consuming, 2. He had PT and they suggested he would benefit from more skin to skin and holding in general, and biggest of all, 3. I just miss him!
He's now 38 weeks and still on the CPAP with a pressure of 8 and has been pretty stagnant with little progress made the last few weeks. Maybe more skin to skin will help him make more progress. Might be wishful thinking but I'd like to think something I'm doing will help.
How did other micro-preemie parents handle work with the NICU?