Home oxygen weaning (1702)

Key points below


Why does my baby still need oxygen?

Your baby has a chronic lung disease from their premature birth.  It is called bronchopulmonary dysplasia or BPD. Infants with chronic lung disease or (BPD) often need oxygen at home.  How long your baby needs oxygen will depend on how much their lungs need to develop and heal. 

How will my baby get off oxygen?

The process of coming off oxygen is called weaning.  The amount of time your baby is off oxygen will be increased slowly.  When your baby is not using oxygen, it is called “being in room air.” Our goal is to get your baby off of oxygen as quickly and safely as possible. We do this is by getting your baby off of oxygen a little at a time, instead of all at once. 

When it is safe for your baby to start weaning oxygen, this may start in the NICU. This way you can learn how to do it and feel more comfortable when you go home.

Your baby will be taken off their oxygen every day for a set amount of time. The lung doctors (pulmonologists) will decide how much time to start weaning. Your baby’s nurse will watch them closely while in room air. The nurse is watching to see if:

If your baby does well in room air, the doctor will add to the amount of time they are not using the oxygen. This will happen 1 to 2 times a week. 

What happens when my baby goes home?

When you go home, you will be the one to watch your baby and increase the time off of oxygen.  You may also hear this called “home oxygen sprints.”  If your baby is doing well in room air at home, you will increase the amount of time they are not using the oxygen. Ask the BPD clinic team how often you should give your baby more time in room air. When your baby is in room air for a whole day, the BPD clinic team will check to make sure your baby is ready to be done with home oxygen.  

What if I have questions?

Please ask questions! We want to make sure you are comfortable with this process. Before you and baby go home, you will meet with a member of the pulmonology team. 

ALERT

Contact your baby’s doctor with any questions or concerns. In the NICU, this should be the neonatology team. After your baby goes home, this should be the pulmonology team, who are the lung doctors taking care of your baby’s home oxygen.