NICU, day 38

32weeks gestation today!!!!
Avery is up to 4lbs even but due to gaining 100grams overnight she is back on a 2 dose order of lasix to pee out the extra. Tomorrow we are hoping to see a weight loss. They moved her feedings back 30mins from what they were. I got to try and breastfeed again tonight, and she nursed for 10min while her tube feed was going. After i was done breastfeeding and bonding with her I gave her to Phillip to hold. They are going down on the calories in her milk from 26 to 24calories. Tomorrow she *should* have her very first eye exam to see where we stand as far as her vision goes. Next week she gets her first round of vaccinations! This all seems to be going fast.

NICU, day 37

Tonight was an EPIC FAIL, it was just an all around not good combo. Avery is great and doing great, it really had nothing to do with her.
We got to the NICU really really late (at her 11pm feed instead of 8pm feed). Pretty much all of the nurses in Avery's room were busy with the little baby that is sick (they are having to intubate her). I saw the nurse a total of 2 time the entire 2hrs i was there. They started her feed 30mins late so she was tired and kept falling asleep, which made putting her to breast impossible. As soon as i did put her to breast the first time she pulled her feeding tube out. I had to hold her while they inserted a new feeding tube down her throat (and gagged as they did it) and they even had me pull the tape off her chin! It was just all over disorganized and a disaster. Avery is an amazing little girl though and the time spent with her was awesome.

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

I hope this letter gets to you in time for Christmas because this year i have a special request. My one and only request for Christmas this year is to have my baby home for her very first Christmas. I promise I will be good and not ask for anything else if you just grant my one wish, I hope it isn't too much to ask. I know you are a pretty busy guy, so thanks for listening!

Love,
Laura

Chloe

Every since Avery was born i feel like everything we do/say/think has to do with Avery and her NICU stay and I don't post nearly enough just how amazing Chloe is. Chloe is 2.5years old and smart as can be. She got her flu shot and never even cried, until mom tried to take her band-aid off later that night (after she asked me to). She weighed in at 32lbs and is 35in tall! Chloe can sing her alphabet, count to at least 10 and can even spell her name! She knows her full name, she knows Avery's full name and knows her mom and dad's first names. She is amazing, smart and special in so many ways that i just want to keep her to myself forever. I am so amazed and proud of her everyday that I still can't believe she is mine. I can't believe that Phillip and I created something so special and perfect, I love being her mommy!

NICU, day 36

THE BAD:
Some NICU mom was sick and still came to visit her baby, the baby was sick today and when they called the mom to tell her the baby is sick and being tested for RSV the mom told the nurse she (the mom) has been sick for a week. This is bad because Avery is in the same room as this baby, but luckily Avery and the other baby are both still in isolettes.
Avery's daytime nurse today did NOTHING. She didn't fortify Avery's milk, she kept her on the right side of her head all day (where she is already getting a flat spot) and she kept Avery in the same clothes she wore yesterday!

THE GOOD:
Avery is a rock star! All the nurses love her and tell me what a good baby she is. Bernie always keeps us in the know and lets us know EXACTLY what is going on. Avery is 3lbs 13.5oz now, she will be weighed again tonight (and measured too). Bernie told us when she gets Avery undressed to weigh and measure her tonight she will also get a new set of hand and foot print for us since they have grown since we got the last set! The best news of all is that I got to do recreational breastfeeding again tonight and Avery latched and nursed for a full 15mins!!!!! She never had a de-sat and did AMAZING, I am so proud of her. After she was done nursing she passed on me while her tube feed finished.

NICU, day 35

Last night there was no NICU update because we didn't get to go visit Avery until WAY late and there was really nothing to update except that she weighs *almost* 3lbs13oz.

Today/tonight was a big one for Avery, the upped her feeds to 35ml because she is doing so good with them. They also got her down to 2L of oxygen (at 30%) now which is huge because she was previously between 5-6L. Being that she is now only on 2L of o2 she is now on a 3 baby assignment which means the nurse that cares for Avery (Bernie) also has 2 other babies instead of just 1 like before. They changed her nasal cannula from a high flow one to just a regular one and they changed her feeding tube to a smaller and softer one that should be better for her. The very best part of today was that i was allowed to "recreational breastfeed" Avery!!!! I was allowed to put her to breast to get her used to breastfeeding and the fact that mommy is where her food comes from. We were not expecting much but she actually latched a couple of times and even sucked (AND SHE GOT MILK!!!). She was doing great with her suck/swallow/breathe and didn't even de-sat. Where her problem is, is that when she suck and gets milk, she gets so excited that she lets go and smiles at us! She is a total smile and happy baby, we got really lucky.

Bernie asked when we first got there if she had been put to breast yet and was SHOCKED when I told her that we have not been allowed yet. I also told her about having some nurses that wouldn't let me hold Avery and some that would let me hold but not skin to skin. So Bernie got the charge nurse to write orders, that are now firmly planted in Avery's chart, that I am allowed to put her to breast once a day (more if the nurses will let me) and that I am allowed to do skin to skin with her ANY TIME!! I am so glad that Bernie is back to being Avery's nurse and that she is willing to help me.

Tonight was nothing short of amazing, I FINALLY got to "breastfeed" my daughter, after 5 weeks and she is making leaps  to getting better. I am on a total "proud mommy high".

NICU, day 33

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Today is Avery's first Thanksgiving and as hard as hard as it  was to not have her home I think it made me appreciate what i have that much more. We got to the hospital early enough to be able to do her care (temp and diaper) and hold her through her feed. As i took her diaper off i realized that she once again was poopy, i swear she saves it for me. Once the nurse put her in my shirt for me to kangaroo care with her Avery got comfortable and was so happy to be skin to skin with me, then after a few minutes she started to get fussy and she is NEVER fussy. Well after about a minute of fussing she "motor boated" my hand (she farted repeatedly on my hand). It was so cute. I told the nurse that Avery may be in the hospital but i still got to feed her Thanksgiving dinner since i held her through her feed. She is currently 3lbs 9oz and 15in long. They started treating her for reflux by giving her Zantac and they said it seems to be helping. She seems to be VERY VERY alert these days and is awake more now. She looks like a completely different baby, more newborn-ish. In the next week or two if she is still doing good they will let me start putting her to breast just to get her used to it, i can't wait!
Anyway, i hope that everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving! Oh and if you are black Friday shopping then you are NUTS!