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lollardfishToday has been a pretty good day. Edit: Stellar, not pretty good.
We slept at home for 5-6 hours or so, although Shannon had to get up to pump at 3:30 or so. She's now got a picture of Nico to look at while she does it, which makes rising a little easier. Thanks to the best godfather ever, Bruce, who printed and delivered it to our house between 7 and 11 last night.
Nico is nursing well for about 7-10 minutes at a time, on one breast. Then he coughs or burps and falls off and decides he's done. We need to extend the feedings past 10 minutes so that he can access the rich nutrients below the surface. Still, he's latching and that's a huge accomplishment for a DS kid who really likes to stick out his tongue at the world. He's also a very proficient bottle feeder, and Shannon is becoming a very proficient pumper, so we're in business as far as his nutrition. I hope he starts to put on weight. I'm not great at giving him the bottle yet, but I'm learning, and it fills me with intense joy when he burps then rests on my shoulder.
His temperature is ok. The doctor says that it's pretty hard for full-term babies to control their temp when in the isolette, and that when he's finally let out, it should be fine. It'll be a few days though because the jaundice has spiked and he's under the "grow lights." Assuming the number is down a bit tomorrow (after a day under the lights), there's nothing to worry about. It does mean we can't just sit there and cuddle for too long, though, as he needs to go back under the lights right after eating.
His heart remains great without any sign of a murmer. We've got to wait a month, though, because the post-birth heart has to deal with a non-liquid environment and new valves take on new roles. We'll do an EKG then, and until then we just have to hope everything develops fine.
Signs point towards decent eyesight because he looks at us and tracks light and voice a little. WAY too soon to tell though.
We're coming and going from the hospital. It's tiring to be here. It's stressful not to be here. Today we did the 7:00 AM feeding and will leave after the 7:00 PM feeding. Tomorrow we'll probably do the same, but might, if things are going well, try to transition to the 10-7 or 7-10 shift from time to time. We got rides yesterday and today, but tomorrow I hope to be rested enough to drive. We're thinking he'll be here for another week.
Emotionally, we spike up and down, but when we are with him it's all good. As my mother said, we (meaning everyone in Nico's life who hasn't had to deal with this type of situation) are all going to learn a lot about who we are over the next few years, and hopefully grow. I feel it happening, I see it happening in many of you, it makes me so proud of him, of Shannon, of us, and of my community of friends both near and far.
We slept at home for 5-6 hours or so, although Shannon had to get up to pump at 3:30 or so. She's now got a picture of Nico to look at while she does it, which makes rising a little easier. Thanks to the best godfather ever, Bruce, who printed and delivered it to our house between 7 and 11 last night.
Nico is nursing well for about 7-10 minutes at a time, on one breast. Then he coughs or burps and falls off and decides he's done. We need to extend the feedings past 10 minutes so that he can access the rich nutrients below the surface. Still, he's latching and that's a huge accomplishment for a DS kid who really likes to stick out his tongue at the world. He's also a very proficient bottle feeder, and Shannon is becoming a very proficient pumper, so we're in business as far as his nutrition. I hope he starts to put on weight. I'm not great at giving him the bottle yet, but I'm learning, and it fills me with intense joy when he burps then rests on my shoulder.
His temperature is ok. The doctor says that it's pretty hard for full-term babies to control their temp when in the isolette, and that when he's finally let out, it should be fine. It'll be a few days though because the jaundice has spiked and he's under the "grow lights." Assuming the number is down a bit tomorrow (after a day under the lights), there's nothing to worry about. It does mean we can't just sit there and cuddle for too long, though, as he needs to go back under the lights right after eating.
His heart remains great without any sign of a murmer. We've got to wait a month, though, because the post-birth heart has to deal with a non-liquid environment and new valves take on new roles. We'll do an EKG then, and until then we just have to hope everything develops fine.
Signs point towards decent eyesight because he looks at us and tracks light and voice a little. WAY too soon to tell though.
We're coming and going from the hospital. It's tiring to be here. It's stressful not to be here. Today we did the 7:00 AM feeding and will leave after the 7:00 PM feeding. Tomorrow we'll probably do the same, but might, if things are going well, try to transition to the 10-7 or 7-10 shift from time to time. We got rides yesterday and today, but tomorrow I hope to be rested enough to drive. We're thinking he'll be here for another week.
Emotionally, we spike up and down, but when we are with him it's all good. As my mother said, we (meaning everyone in Nico's life who hasn't had to deal with this type of situation) are all going to learn a lot about who we are over the next few years, and hopefully grow. I feel it happening, I see it happening in many of you, it makes me so proud of him, of Shannon, of us, and of my community of friends both near and far.
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Date: 2007-01-14 09:51 pm (UTC)One of the mystics, St. John of the Cross I think, said (I paraphrase), that there are three kinds of person. The first kind prays: "God, I pray that thy will be done, but if it be thy will, let me not suffer." The second kind prays: "God, may thy will be done." The third kind prays, "God, I pray that thy will be done, but if it be thy will, let me suffer."
I never understood that until we had autistic kids. With God's help, we learned a *hell* of a lot about who we are. We grew closer to one another. (A first-class therapist was helpful at points.) We grew stronger. It is never something I would have asked for, but I wouldn't change it, either.
Tell Shannon to wait a couple of days. If she's anything like me, she'll start to let down if she thinks of him . . . or of she thinks of the pump, or if somebody asks how nursing's going . . . once it happened when I was trying on a bra, and putting the nursing pads in so I wouldn't stain it; the saleswoman told me it was already padded, so I started to explain and then dripped all over the carpet!
The pumping can go faster if you buy a battery-operated pump to put on the other breast; you can do both at once that way. Check any Walgreen's.
Thank God for grow-lights and all the facilities of modern medicine!
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2007-01-14 11:06 pm (UTC)We're heading to the grocery store at some point, is there anything you'd like us to pick up and deliver? Let us know what you need if anything.
Do you have a plan for tomorrow? If you decide a ride is better let me know or if you want me to bring you lunch and or just hang out.
Let us know if there is anything you need, want etc. But you know that I think.
I'm lonesome for little Nico.
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