As a parent in the NICU, you want to stay healthy so you can spend time with your baby and move towards discharge day. During the fall and winter, do all that you can to protect yourself from the seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu. (H1N1 flu is sometimes called swine flu.)  Here’s what you can do.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Family from Getting and Spreading the Flu

• Do not go to the NICU if you are sick.
• Wash your hands with soap and water often. You also can use alcohol-based hand cleaners.
• Try not to touch your eyes, nose and mouth. Flu germs spread easily when a person touches something that has the germs on it and then touches his eyes, nose or mouth.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Throw the tissue away after use.
• Try to stay away from people who have cold or flu symptoms.
• Get the seasonal flu shot as soon as possible if:
  • You live with or care for infants younger than 6 months. (This includes NICU parents.)
  • You’re a child between 6 months and 18 years of age (including NICU siblings).
  • You are pregnant.
  • You are a health care provider.
  • You have a chronic health condition, like asthma, diabetes, heart disease or lung disease.
  • You are 50 or older.
  • You live in a long-term care facility.
• Get the H1N1 flu shot as soon as possible if:
  • You live with or care for infants younger than 6 months. (This includes NICU parents.)
  • You are a child between 6 months and 24 years of age (including NICU siblings).
  • You are pregnant.
  • You are a health care provider.
  • You are 25 to 64 years old and living with a chronic medical condition, like asthma, diabetes, heart disease or lung disease.

If You Get the Seasonal Flu or H1N1 Flu

• Call your health care provider if you have any of these symptoms:
  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Body aches
  • Headache
  • Chills
  • Fatigue
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
• Take any medicine prescribed or recommended by your health care provider.
• Drink lots of fluids, but not drinks that have a lot of sugar in them.
• Stay home. Don’t go to the NICU. Stay away from people as much as possible until your provider tells you that you’re no longer contagious.
• Keep your children home if they get sick. Don’t send them to school or to day care.

For more information, talk to your health care provider, visit http://www.flu.gov/ or read about the flu on the March of Dimes Web site.