Parenting is stressful. You’re responsible for a tiny human who can’t fully communicate for the first 2-3 years of their lives. You’re always wondering if you’re doing things right. Are they eating enough? Are they sleeping enough? Is that bump harmless or a problem? A few hours after having my daughter the nurses took her aside to do all her testing. She passed everything with flying colors except her body wasn’t processing sugars like it should have. The nurse informed us that they had to take her to the NICU provided by CHOP Newborn Care at Pennsylvania Hospital for monitoring, where they would test her blood sugar every hour.
I was not happy. It seemed like we had just settled down into being a family of three after the chaos of an emergency c-section. I had to let my little precious human who had lived under my heart for 10 months go floors away to be taken care of by strangers. I couldn’t even go down with her as I hadn’t been cleared to get out of bed yet.My husband split his time between being with me and sitting with her. The very moment I was cleared to leave bed he wheeled me down to see her. She was comfy laying under the heating lamps adjusting to life on the outside. The atmosphere of the NICU was calm and the nurses were very friendly. After 24 hours of monitoring she was processing sugar regularly and was returned to our room. I feel blessed that she wasn’t being treated for a more serious cause, but I was comforted to feel like she was under the care of good people.
I always thought CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) only provided care to very sick children but they offer a wide variety of services throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey: CHOP Primary Care provides convenient access to primary health and wellness services for children close to home. CHOP Specialty Care and Surgery Center provides the area the services of renowned Children’s Hospital surgeons who have the same training as those at the Main Campus without having to travel into the city. After-Hours Urgent Care offers fast, convenient care for children ranging from infants to adolescents when your doctor’s office is closed and your child needs to be seen right away but it isn’t a true emergency. Home Care provides a multidisciplinary team who coordinate home visits for children who are recovering from illness or coping with chronic conditions because they understand home can be the best environment for recovery. If you are in the Southeastern Pennsylvania or New Jersey areas I highly recommend you check out all the services provided by The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Care Network. Disclaimer: Many thanks to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for sponsoring this post and helping to keep children healthy.
I am WORKING MOTHERHOOD. I am a wife, mother, content creator marketer and actor in the Philadelphia area. I am also an Editor here on Autisable.
