NICU – WHAT TO PREPARE FOR

Very few multiple pregnancies will go full term. Whether or not your babies have to spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) will mostly depend on how premature they are. “If there are no complications and the babies have reached 36 weeks, generally they should be fine and able to be discharged with their mom,” explains gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Henk Burger. “But if the pregnancy was complicated and/or premature birth is a factor, then the babies will usually be kept in NICU until they reach a weight of around two kilograms and their health stabilises. How long that will take really depends from case to case.” Cost is a big factor to consider: “The cost varies depending on the care needed for each case, but NICU can be very expensive (in private care) – it can be more than R20 000 per day,” says Dr Burger. “This is why we usually advise parents to make sure they’ve got very good medical aid cover, especially before trying fertility treatment,” says Marion Smith from the South African Multiple Birthing Association (SAMBA). There can also be medical complications in multiple babies, so expectant parents need to be aware that it may not be as simple as putting the babies into an incubator to grow. “If there are complications, find out what’s happening; don’t be afraid to ask the doctors questions,” advises Marion. “But please don’t Google! Trust the doctors you have chosen to know best.” Also be aware that you may have limited access to your babies in terms of visits and holding outside of the incubator. “It depends on the babies’ health,” says Dr Burger. It also depends on which hospital you’re at, adds Marion. “Sandton Clinic, for example, is a well-known hospital for multiples and they seem to be well equipped for parents to go in and spend time with their babies. But it varies from hospital to hospital – state hospitals are unlikely to be have as much staff to assist and therefore may not be as flexible,” she explains. The other thing to consider, she adds, is that babies may be split up if one is discharged from hospital earlier. “Plan what you will do in that event – will you go home with the one baby? And if you are breastfeeding, how will you feed both if they’re in two places? You need to think of these things in advance.”