Archives for December 2011

Today, Dec 9th, Sofia and I worked on our 2nd attempt at breastfeeding. Both times she latched great but she’s having trouble transferring milk. She’s trying her hardest though. She’s also been doing well with the bottle she took 3 full bottles during 3 of her feeds and then kind of stalled out the rest of the day. I took some pic today of her in some silly poses…so today is Silly Sofia day. I guess she’s showing off for her 10 Weekaversary.

Today, Dec 9th, Sofia and I worked on our 2nd attempt at breastfeeding. Both times she latched great but she’s having trouble transferring milk. She’s trying her hardest though. She’s also been doing well with the bottle she took 3 full bottles during 3 of her feeds and then kind of stalled out the rest of the day. I took some pic today of her in some silly poses…so today is Silly Sofia day. I guess she’s showing off for her 10 Weekaversary.

So it seems the last few weeks have been the hardest on our little journey. Surprising, considering Sofia has been at her strongest “medically”. She is still doing great from a respiratory stand point, she’s gaining weight consistently and her desats are more predictable and less often. She’s still just working at trying to bottle feed which has been a slow and painstaking process.

We’ve been told this is when NICUitis sets in. Now it’s just a waiting gain and only Sofia can tell us when she is ready to go home. We have a checklist that our primary nurse (the nurse who follows her everytime she’s on duty) wrote for us. Things that need to be accomplished to go home. We already have check marks next to holding her temperature, keep gaining weight and begin nipple feeding. We still need checks for losing the NG tube (feeding tube), control over reflux and passing the car seat test. Just waiting and seeing.

It’s been 67 days that we have had to leave Sofia in someone else’s care. It’s been 83 days of hospital time if you count my time on bed rest. It’s 81 days since we SHOULD have completed our move. Its been 2 first holidays with attached to machines with another one approaching. You never imagine your baby’s first Christmas without a picture with Santa. It’s emotionally exhausting. But it would have been 33 days from now till my original due date. It’s been 67 days extra that I’ve gotten to touch my baby and 67 days where I could see her tiny face and tell her I’d love her. It pails in comparison to a Mom I spoke with who was finally leaving after 105 days. It’s been a “boring” 67 days as far A’s the NICU goes and if that’s as much as Santa can give us this Christmas, that’s not too shabby a gift. But Santa, if you’re listening, we’d really love to make it home for Christmas!

So it seems the last few weeks have been the hardest on our little journey. Surprising, considering Sofia has been at her strongest “medically”. She is still doing great from a respiratory stand point, she’s gaining weight consistently and her desats are more predictable and less often. She’s still just working at trying to bottle feed which has been a slow and painstaking process.

We’ve been told this is when NICUitis sets in. Now it’s just a waiting gain and only Sofia can tell us when she is ready to go home. We have a checklist that our primary nurse (the nurse who follows her everytime she’s on duty) wrote for us. Things that need to be accomplished to go home. We already have check marks next to holding her temperature, keep gaining weight and begin nipple feeding. We still need checks for losing the NG tube (feeding tube), control over reflux and passing the car seat test. Just waiting and seeing.

It’s been 67 days that we have had to leave Sofia in someone else’s care. It’s been 83 days of hospital time if you count my time on bed rest. It’s 81 days since we SHOULD have completed our move. Its been 2 first holidays with attached to machines with another one approaching. You never imagine your baby’s first Christmas without a picture with Santa. It’s emotionally exhausting. But it would have been 33 days from now till my original due date. It’s been 67 days extra that I’ve gotten to touch my baby and 67 days where I could see her tiny face and tell her I’d love her. It pails in comparison to a Mom I spoke with who was finally leaving after 105 days. It’s been a “boring” 67 days as far A’s the NICU goes and if that’s as much as Santa can give us this Christmas, that’s not too shabby a gift. But Santa, if you’re listening, we’d really love to make it home for Christmas!

So it seems the last few weeks have been the hardest on our little journey. Surprising, considering Sofia has been at her strongest “medically”. She is still doing great from a respiratory stand point, she’s gaining weight consistently and her desats are more predictable and less often. She’s still just working at trying to bottle feed which has been a slow and painstaking process.

We’ve been told this is when NICUitis sets in. Now it’s just a waiting gain and only Sofia can tell us when she is ready to go home. We have a checklist that our primary nurse (the nurse who follows her everytime she’s on duty) wrote for us. Things that need to be accomplished to go home. We already have check marks next to holding her temperature, keep gaining weight and begin nipple feeding. We still need checks for losing the NG tube (feeding tube), control over reflux and passing the car seat test. Just waiting and seeing.

It’s been 67 days that we have had to leave Sofia in someone else’s care. It’s been 83 days of hospital time if you count my time on bed rest. It’s 81 days since we SHOULD have completed our move. Its been 2 first holidays with attached to machines with another one approaching. You never imagine your baby’s first Christmas without a picture with Santa. It’s emotionally exhausting. But it would have been 33 days from now till my original due date. It’s been 67 days extra that I’ve gotten to touch my baby and 67 days where I could see her tiny face and tell her I’d love her. It pails in comparison to a Mom I spoke with who was finally leaving after 105 days. It’s been a “boring” 67 days as far A’s the NICU goes and if that’s as much as Santa can give us this Christmas, that’s not too shabby a gift. But Santa, if you’re listening, we’d really love to make it home for Christmas!