NICU4U — Research Artifacts
The System I Built
Before NICU4U existed, I built this tracking system manually in Excel during my daughter's 100-day NICU stay. Each column represents a distinct information problem I was trying to solve in real time.
Medical Progress
Growth
Weight tracking vs. gestational percentile curves
Growth
Length & head circumference over time
Prediction
Custom forecast models vs. actual progress
Feeding System
Feedings
Individual feeding times and volumes, every session
Pumping
Caregiver output per session with daily goals
Balance
Production vs. intake vs. reserve over time
Questions Being Answered
Anxiety
Is she growing appropriately for her gestational age?
Reassurance
Are we producing enough milk?
Orientation
What changed this week? What should we ask at rounds?
10
tracking sheets
100
days of data
578
individual feedings logged
3+
forecasting models built
Weight Trajectory — 100 Days
Actual weight plotted against clinical percentile curves and three custom forecast models I built to track expected progress. All values normalized — no personal measurements are shown. Prediction models begin at day 22 when sufficient data existed to forecast.
Milk Production vs. Feeding Intake — Daily
Caregiver milk production tracked against my daughter's daily feeding intake. The gap between lines is accumulating reserve. Values normalized — no personal measurements shown. Tracking this gave us evidence, not just reassurance, that supply was sufficient.