calikak Posted September 14, 2007 #1 Share Posted September 14, 2007 I am planning a cruise with my preemie son, who is now 3 1/2 months old. We're planning to cruise in May, so after flu season, and he'll be 11 months old then (8 months corrected age). It's a two-night sailing and we'll be driving to the ship (NCL Pearl). We're doing this sailing so we can see how it goes before going on a longer cruise we have planned for when he's 17 months old (14 months corrected age). Does anyone have any tips specific to cruising with preemies? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty9 Posted September 14, 2007 #2 Share Posted September 14, 2007 My BEST advice is to speak with your child's doctor. Only he/she can give you the best advice on this. And BTW, flu knows no season on cruise ships, so cruising in May doesn't mean there won't be germs or viruses on board. Viruses are always present. As an example, Celebrity just had a huge outbreak of Norovirus on their ship last month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paleochick Posted September 15, 2007 #3 Share Posted September 15, 2007 I am planning a cruise with my preemie son, who is now 3 1/2 months old. We're planning to cruise in May, so after flu season, and he'll be 11 months old then (8 months corrected age). It's a two-night sailing and we'll be driving to the ship (NCL Pearl). We're doing this sailing so we can see how it goes before going on a longer cruise we have planned for when he's 17 months old (14 months corrected age). Does anyone have any tips specific to cruising with preemies? Only your pediatrician should give the go-ahead for this one. If s/he he gives the okay, I'd be SO careful about germs...I mean REALLY careful. On cruise ships the big concern isn't really flu, it's norovirus. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandy toes Posted September 15, 2007 #4 Share Posted September 15, 2007 After you speak with your doc make sure to visit the ship doc just to let them know you are traveling with a premmie. That way, if something should be needed from the medical team they will have had a heads up and be more prepared. It is always a good idea to have a health summary typed that you can present if needed when away from your own doc/hospital. Good hand washing goes a long way toward keeping viruses at bay. Another thought, having traveled with a 10 mo old, it seems everyone wants to touch the baby at some point. It is tough to keep hands off but your baby is not their toy and they should not be allowed to touch or pick up UNLESS you give an OK. I don't know why some many people want to tickle, touch and hold babies on ship but it seems so many more than at home (like when out shopping). Just be forewarned. I smiled alot and said I wanted her to learn not to go to strangers. That seemed to work well and not tick too many people off. Hope you have a great cruise. I know the one at 17mo will be a good time for you all. Babies are so much fun then, even with your age adjustment in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Roz Posted September 15, 2007 #5 Share Posted September 15, 2007 The ship's clinic may not be equipped to handle the types of medical emergencies a preemie might experience. For example, they may not stock infant breathing tubes and IVs. Is there a particular reason you have to cruise at this time? I'd be concerned about having the baby around a lot crowds, whether it was at the mall or on a ship. Like others said, check with your pediatrician. Roz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandy toes Posted September 16, 2007 #6 Share Posted September 16, 2007 As a routine, I visit the medical facilities whenever I cruise. I do alot of evals on land and I like to check what is routine for the seas. The staff is always very kind and several times I have written letters to assist them in obtaining something they felt would better serve the population on their ship. The OP stated the infant would be 11mo/8mo corrected age when sailing. The ship HAS equipment for that size infant. They must carry ETT of the size of the guests they allow on board. Carnival allows infant at 4mo...so their child will certainly have the equipment needed to tube IF something unforeseen should occur. The ship follows the guidelines of the American College of Emergency Physicians and the International Council of Cruise Lines. All the docs are either Family Practice or ER. There should be nothing they could not deal with, get the client stable and fly out if needed. Relax. Have a good cruise. They are well trained. The baby will be 8mo adjusted age and a lot of 6+mo infants cruise every day. Just remember to pack the special lovie, formula and DIAPERS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calikak Posted September 16, 2007 Author #7 Share Posted September 16, 2007 Thanks to everyone for the tips. Yes, our pediatrician has approved the trip, but I wouldn't have thought to stop by the ship's medical facilities to say hi when we get onboard. That is a good idea. Our pediatrician's take on it is that we should treat him like a normal kid as much as possible, so normal handwashing precautions you'd take for any baby, but no need to be too paranoid and keep him locked up in the house forever. The attending doc in the NICU told us "When the cousins have green snot candles hanging off their noses, maybe that's not a good time for them to be holding the baby. But they can come in your house and look at the baby, and their mom can hold the baby. If you keep him in a bubble, he'll just get sicker as soon as you let him out of the bubble." So, since RSV season ends in April, we figured a May cruise would be a good idea, plus there's a short cruise where we won't have to fly to the port. All the stars seemed to come together for this to be a good idea for us. We've been quite lucky that our son hasn't had a lot of the problems a preemie can have--his lungs are strong and he's growing like a weed, and he hasn't had any infections at all, so he's not medically fragile like many preemies are, especially ones born at his gestational age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas80 Posted September 16, 2007 #8 Share Posted September 16, 2007 ....when do you stop adjusting a child's age if this is the situation....? Hi, this is Amy and this is my son, jon, he's 15 years old, 14 years and 9 months, actually...... :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calikak Posted September 17, 2007 Author #9 Share Posted September 17, 2007 ....when do you stop adjusting a child's age if this is the situation....? Hi, this is Amy and this is my son, jon, he's 15 years old, 14 years and 9 months, actually...... :D :D They say by about 2-3 years old. The idea is that the difference developmentally between a 9 month old and a 12 month old is a lot, but the difference between a 2 1/2 year old and a 2 3/4 year old isn't that much. By then they're usually pretty much caught up with their peers in terms of size and developmental milestones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calikak Posted September 17, 2007 Author #10 Share Posted September 17, 2007 Forgot to mention, the reason you need to worry about flu season for preemies is because they tend to be more prone to problems with respiratory infections...norovirus isn't any bigger of a risk for a preemie than for a regular baby, since it's a stomach virus, not a respiratory virus. At least, that's what I've read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenSDCA Posted September 17, 2007 #11 Share Posted September 17, 2007 Beth, have 2 preemies myself, and we took the firstborn on a 20 hour flight to Istanbul for 1 month when he was 15 months. In his case, by that time you had no clue he was a preemie, no leftover health issues or anything. And thank goodness, because over there everyone smokes and everyone wanted to hold him. Had some tummy woes toward the end, but that was all. If the doc says okay and you as his parents feel it's okay, well there you go! Just be good with the hand washing (and pack the Purell!), just as you would with any kid. Glad yours is doing allright, and before you know it you'll have forgotten all about the "corrected age" thing - man, that was so important to us for the first 6 months or so! Have a fun trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandy toes Posted September 17, 2007 #12 Share Posted September 17, 2007 Please, know we all want you and your family to have a wonderful cruise. We hope this short one will be the first of many for you and your little one. ENJOY!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted September 17, 2007 #13 Share Posted September 17, 2007 I am going to say, go ahead BUT proceed with STRONG caution. As you know, preemies are susceptable to RSV. I have an online moms group and some of the preeemies there did get RSV and it's not pretty. I took my HEALTHY 8 month old on a cruise and she caught a virus, stopped breathing, seized for 40 minutes and had to spend 2 days in the ship's hospital before being medically evacuated to Port Canbaveral Medical Center. :eek: So I have been there. :( We were the worst case scenario. No I didn't let her go to the kid's nursery. No she didn't have a babysitter. She wasn't held by any strangers. She wasn't crawling around the ship. And I am a germaphobe so I constantly washed my hands, yet my youngest still caught something. So just be superviligant. I would be getting the RSV shot before he goes. And of course, check with the ped. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karysa Posted September 21, 2007 #14 Share Posted September 21, 2007 Your son will be much easier to contain at 11 mths (8 corrected) then at 17 mths that is for sure. If you mention your concerns to your cabin steward I am sure that they will take extra care. You need something to look forward to, so I say, set things in motion, be proactive but relax and enjoy your vacation. I bet your boy will be a strapping lad by that time. The little ones seem to grow like weeds. My former 29 weekers are pretty close to being the tallest kids in their class. Karysa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calikak Posted September 21, 2007 Author #15 Share Posted September 21, 2007 Thanks, everyone! Yes, Jim will be getting his RSV shots all winter (thank goodness for insurance, they're like $1000 per shot and he has to have one every month through the winter). They encourage all preemies to get them during flu season, but they stop giving them once flu season is over (around early April), since the chance of getting RSV after that is pretty slim. Karysa, glad to hear your kids are doing well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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