The stay in Fegia

The structure of Pagya and its conduct

Preemies in Israel usually consist of several rooms. Premature babies whose condition is more critical are treated in the intensive care unit, and the treatment of the larger or more stable premature babies is done in the follow-up rooms. In intensive care there should be a relatively small number of premature babies under the supervision of each nurse, due to the need for close monitoring. There will be times when you will be asked to leave the room due to receiving a new premature baby, caring for your premature baby or caring for one of his roommates. Please obey the staff's instructions and do not be a burden in these difficult moments. If you feel the desire and need to stay by your child's side during any treatment, it is your right and your ability to convey the message to the treatment team in a pleasant - but clear - way.

In the follow-up rooms, there are more premature babies under the responsibility of each nurse, since the treatment is generally less demanding and urgent. This room is another stop towards your release. Try to look at your child and not at the monitor. Sometimes the monitor does not measure correctly for various reasons (the child moves, the electrode moves, etc.), and clinging to the monitor causes pressure that may be unnecessary. The medical staff knows how to "filter" the voices and beeps, and react accordingly. All you have to do is see if the child's skin color is normal, and if he is behaving normally.

The parent in Pagya

The puerperal period puts the parent in front of a difficult confrontation, full of feelings of guilt, repression and crying. However, each person reacts differently to the situation and experiences it with one severity or another. If you feel that you are unable to cope, need support or reinforcement, don't hesitate to talk about it with the social worker at Fegia or with a psychologist. There is no doubt that you are going through one of the most difficult times in your life, therefore, do not be ashamed of the need to talk, share and tell.

Some have compared staying in Fegia to riding a roller coaster, sometimes it's up and sometimes it's down and there's no way to predict the next turn in advance. Always try to stay optimistic. This will help both the pregnant woman and the medical team. Remember, even though the stay in Fegia is not easy, look around you. You are surrounded by a team of doctors, nurses and nursing who give their soul and heart. It's always worth finding the time to read those thank you letters that usually hang in the hallways of Pagya. Through them you will find that many parents have had difficult experiences and that in the light of time, all the effort and difficult moments you go through pay off!

Try to get information from everyone: from the parents of older premature babies, from the medical staff, from the medical file, the monitoring page, from the hotline, the support groups on the Internet ("Parents of premature babies, the official group | Amotat Lehab" on Facebook, the page "Amotat Lehab - for premature babies in Israel" on Facebook) and also from the association's website. The more you know, the more you will understand. There are fixed sentences that the environment tends to say following a premature birth. Don't forget that the situation is also difficult for those around you and they don't know exactly how to help and what to say. Do not judge them harshly for things they say, but it is advisable to keep a certain distance from people who create negative feelings for you at a time like this. The most important thing right now is premature, everything else can be postponed until later.

Premature birth is a traumatic event for the soul, and often for the body as well. The physical condition of a mother who has suffered from severe preeclampsia or who has been lying down for a long time while maintaining the pregnancy is different from the physical condition of a normal mother. Strictly filter out visitors, and try to keep your strength for the rest of the exhausting journey, which involves many tests, follow-ups and special vaccinations (you can read about all of these in the following chapters). If the mother is unable to reach the delivery (due to infection, pain, etc.), it is possible and appropriate to ask the partner or the staff to take pictures of the baby.

Don't be surprised and don't be ashamed if you don't immediately fall in love with Feggy. These are feelings that may also accompany a normal birth when the baby weighs three kilograms, and they are certainly natural when the baby is so small and connected to many devices, and certainly if there is a danger to his life. This feeling is expected to come later, but it is possible and should be discussed with professionals if you feel the need to do so.

You should prepare a "Piagia bag". It is desirable that it be a large bag that will contain everything you will need during your stay in Fegia - feminine hygiene equipment (after childbirth), pumping accessories, dish soap if necessary, food and drink and reading material for pumping time.

In the government hospitals, parents of premature babies are entitled to a full exemption from paying for parking. Additional hospitals may also allow special parking arrangements. Clarify this with the treating staff who will refer you to the appropriate person at the hospital.

The medical staff and you

During your stay at Fegia, you are exposed to doctors and nurses who work under a huge load and save lives. In light of the sensitive situation that has arisen, we have put together some advice for you in order to facilitate your interaction with the medical and nursing staff:

Despite the rush, when a question about your baby comes to your mind, try to get an answer from the medical and nursing staff. If the staff is busy, accept this with understanding, write down the question if necessary and contact them when they become available.

Keep in mind that it will not be possible to understand all the data and facts without a medical background in general and a background in premature medicine (naontology) in particular.

Please remember that getting to know your baby is very important. Despite the abundance of information available to the attending doctor and/or nurse, there are details that only you will know or remember about your baby and sometimes these details are very important; For example, the doctor knew the amount of food your baby received in the last meal, but did not always know when the amount was increased for the last time.

If there is unusual behavior or an unusual phenomenon that you notice in your baby, it is better to inform the medical staff than to keep the information to yourself.

It is recommended to read your baby's medical information, which is grouped into two files:

The medical file (on which the doctors trust).

The nursing file (on it the nurses' beliefs).

Please note: the medical information is accessible to you by virtue of the Patient's Rights Law, 5566 1996. Sometimes, the review is only possible in the presence of the medical staff, usually in order to get clarifications on things that are not clear to you and to prevent misunderstandings and unnecessary problems. Therefore, we recommend that you find out what the Pagina procedures are regarding the manner of examining the files.

If it is a long-term hospitalization for a premature baby, it is recommended to ask to speak with a physiotherapist and an occupational therapist from the department during the hospitalization as well as before discharge, in order to consult about the correct way to lift the premature baby and lay him down. As for staying outside of Pagia, it is recommended to consult whether it is possible to use a carrier, and if so, which carrier, all this depending on the medical condition of your baby.

You can call Pagia at all hours of the day and night (except during doctor visits). It is possible that the time you called is the time to receive a new peg or first aid, so be patient and if your call is not answered, try to call again later and show understanding.

If you take part in the care of your baby, such as changing a diaper, please make sure with the nurse that she is aware that you are taking care of him and that there is no obstacle to doing so. For example, you want to change a diaper, but at that exact moment she was going to do blood tests. It is important that you are coordinated.

If you are interested in holding your baby using the "kangaroo" method (see details below), please make sure that the medical and nursing staff agree to this. Do everything in coordination with him.

You and the medical team share a lot of time together, we remind you that the team will always be happy to hear that you appreciate the dedicated care your baby receives, if that is how you feel.

When you are asked to leave a break, whatever the reason, try to be understanding. Each preemie has its own procedures regarding cases in which the parents are asked to leave: such as when receiving a new preemie or inserting a breathing tube (intubation) into another preemie. Behind every procedure is a logical consideration designed to facilitate the team's functioning and bring about its success or to maintain the modesty of the individual. Even if at that moment you really want to stay with your baby, please leave as soon as you are asked and do not delay.

For the most part, there is a lot of stress in preemies. Even if crowded and unpleasant, please show understanding towards the medical and nursing staff. When you are asked to move slightly to allow a staff member access to your baby or the neighbor's preemie, cooperate.

Hygiene and privacy

Premature babies are extremely vulnerable and can easily contract diseases and infections. Therefore, the preemies are particularly careful about the rules of hygiene, visiting and privacy, in order to expose the preemies to the necessary minimum of people, diseases and infections that may come from the outside. Check what the Pagia procedures are regarding visits and adhere to them. The procedures were determined out of logic and after thought, mainly due to the risk of contracting infectious diseases that your premature baby and other premature babies face.

Try to adhere to the established visiting procedures and over time it may be possible for a wider circle of family members to visit. All this, in coordination with the team of course. Please protect the privacy and hygiene of other premature babies, as you would want them to protect yours. Avoid stopping and talking near an incubator, as it is recommended not to touch or pass diapers or other personal accessories between you.

When you are in the hospital, wash and disinfect your hands according to the department's procedures at every opportunity. Infection is one of the biggest enemies of premature babies, and by washing/disinfecting our hands we lower the risk of infection. Keep the environment as clean as possible around the incubator.

Keep it clean! Lives depend on it!

Your care of the baby

According to the premature baby's condition, at some point, the team will be interested in sharing with you his routine care (bathing, temperature measurement, diaper change, feeding, etc.). This is also a necessary condition for release. Make sure that you are sure that you are doing things correctly, do not be afraid to ask for guidance, direction and additional assistance in these actions. Even if you have not yet been guided, if you feel ready, you can offer to help the team in taking care of your children. In most cases, the staff will evaluate your desire, and will give you more and more roles according to your willingness, in combination with the assessment of your ability and your child's medical condition.

Everything you do for your children is the beginning of his care: holding the syringe from which he eats, building the bed on which he lies, taking care of a drawer full of necessary equipment, sterilizing the pacifier - these actions can usually be done already in the first days in the nursery.

Share with the team your willingness to perform these actions. Pegia is like an internship for parents, especially if this is your first child. Obtain information about performing treatment actions and experience it as much as possible. This way, you will arrive at the time of discharge safer and more relaxed in your functioning at home with the baby.

Parents of twins and triplets

You're not alone! For some of you this is the first parenting experience. Not only is it an exciting and amazing experience in itself to be parents, for you it is double and maybe even triple! And here you are taking your first steps as parents of twins or triplets, but you are at a crossroads.

This is definitely not a simple situation and we have several ideas for you to make your stay and your babies' stay easier:

Try not to compare your babies. Each twin or son/daughter of the trio has his own medical data and there is no place to start comparing them.

Be sure to wash your hands and change the robe when you move from one baby to another (or to the third...). It is very important to wash your hands and change your gown, in order to prevent infections.

It is recommended to sing to your babies. If they already sing, then let both / all three of them enjoy...

Your babies will not always stay in the same space or in the same room in the nursery. It's definitely not easy. At the same time, show understanding and try to divide the time of your stay in the way that seems most appropriate to you. It's natural to feel guilty in these moments, and if you feel the need, consult the social worker in Fegia or a psychologist.

Try to ensure that during part of the time you stay at Pagia, another family member will stay with you in accordance with the policy of bringing family members into Pagia (check whether grandparents are allowed to enter). The presence of your partner or family member may make it much easier to feel that you are not alone with the twins/triplets.

To the mother who pumps milk for twins / triplets: First, well done! Second, if you feel a shortage in the amount of milk, consult with Pagya's lactation consultant regarding extracts to enrich the milk. Taking them (after consulting a doctor, of course) may improve milk production and make it easier for you. If necessary, check with the medical staff or on the association's website whether one or more of your children meets the criteria for receiving a breast milk donation from the National Milk Bank.

For any question or problem, you can always contact the hotline support number: 03-9533935.