How Long Is a NICU Stay?
When your baby is in the neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU, it can be stressful. Most parents want to know, "How long will my baby be in NICU?" The answer depends on how early your baby was born and how well they are doing outside of the womb.
There is no set length for a NICU stay. Some babies go home in a few days. Others may stay for weeks or months. Knowing what affects the timeline can help you feel more prepared.
How Early Was Your Baby Born?
The biggest factor in how long your baby stays in the NICU is how early they were born. In general, the earlier the birth, the longer the stay.
Here are general timelines:
- Late preterm babies born between 34 and 36 weeks may only need a few days to a couple of weeks.
- Babies born between 32 and 34 weeks often stay for two to four weeks.
- Babies born before 32 weeks may need several weeks or even months of care. Very early preemies often stay until close to what would have been their due date.
These are just estimates. Every premature baby is different and some may go home sooner or later based on their health.
What Can Affect the Length of Stay?
Several things can affect how long your baby stays in the NICU. The most common ones include how well your baby can breathe on their own, whether they can feed by mouth, how well they can stay warm without help and whether they have any health issues like jaundice or an infection.
Babies who run into added health problems may need to stay longer. On the other hand, babies who hit their milestones early may go home sooner than expected.
When Is Your Baby Ready to Go Home?
Most babies are ready to leave the NICU when they can do three things on their own.
Here are the three things:
- They need to breathe without support.
- They need to breast feed or bottle feed.
- They need to keep a steady body temperature outside of a warmer.
Your Baptist Health care team will also make sure your baby is gaining weight at a steady pace before they are sent home.
What Can You Do While You Wait?
Waiting for your baby to come home can be hard. The NICU can feel stressful and the timeline can be hard to predict. But there are things you can do while you wait.
Stay involved in your baby's care. Hold your baby skin to skin when you can. This is sometimes called Kangaroo Care. Ask the NICU team questions. And take care of yourself so you are ready when it is time to go home.
If you have questions about your baby's NICU stay or what comes next, reach out to your Baptist Health Pediatrician. If you don't have one, you can find a provider using our provider directory.
