In the beginning of September, my whole world changed when I had to have an emergency C-section at 24 weeks pregnant.
I was planning on giving birth at the end of December.
This experience has been traumatic, but also rewarding because I got to meet my daughter early. Since my daughter was born, I have spent time in the NICU every single day. The NICU has very specific temperature requirements. The central air conditioning must stay between 72-76 degrees fahrenheit. The central air conditioning requirements keep the NICU cool to prevent the spread of diseases. Premature infants are at risk for diseases because their immune systems are not fully developed yet, so maintaining air temperature is extremely important for their safety. Depending on how early neonates are born, they may be placed in an isolette which replicates the environment of the uterus. The isolette has to be certain temperatures based on the premature infant’s age and health. The temperature of the isolette is displayed digitally and alarms will go off if the temperature is too high or low. The isolette also reads the temperature of the baby. Once the baby is old enough to regulate their temperature on their own, they will be moved out of the isolette and into the crib. The temperature of the room will be maintained to support the baby’s health. I often feel cold when I am sitting in the hospital room, so I bring clothes and blankets to keep me warm. When my daughter’s isolette is opened to change her sheets, I can feel the heat radiating out of it. It is nice and warm to support her growth.