Saturday, July 30, 2011
Bath Time is Lots of Fun
A bath may seem pretty mundane to most people, but to us it is a huge deal. Giving Maisie a bath today gave us the brief feeling of normalcy, of life outside the NICU. Other parents get to bathe their kids all they want- we had to wait for nurses and doctors and the powers that be to okay it and supervise it and watch over the whole procedure as if it were a surgery or major intervention. But all considered, both Maisie and her parents enjoyed the event and felt all clean and bubbly and warm and cozy.
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| Warm and cozy at last! |
Friday, July 29, 2011
Jumping the Gun
Thursday morning, Aunt Laura and I walked into Maisie's room to a wonderful surprise- she was in a crib!!!! This is a big step forward! And she was so much more accessible. Mama got to hold her and pick her up and touch and talk to her so much more easily. It was just wonderful!
But as the day wore on, Maisie had a hard time keeping her temperature up. As we parted for the evening, she was right at 97.8 degrees, which is on the cool side. Her nurses were going to keep a close eye on her temp through the night.
I am awake in the middle of the night tonight (I wake up every 3 hours to pump for Maisie) and worried about her. I called her nurse to see how she is doing, and sadly she kept getting colder and colder and was moved back to her isolette.
I'm bummed because she's back in a plastic cage- it really feels like a huge barrier sometimes. But I think it's also interesting that even her nurses and doctors are antsy for Maisie to move up and out. They were so excited that she maintains her temps so well in the incubator on "room air" instead of "baby-monitored" temps, that even they thought she'd be fine. But her nurse tonight was saying she's not even 3 lb 10 oz, not even 3 weeks old- it was just a little too early.
Still, here's praying and hoping she can try the crib again soon- it really felt so much better!
PS. Not much posting happened this week as we are dealing on top of all else a broken clothes washer. It needs a new water pump installed, for which we continue to wait. Who knew it would take so long?
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| Isolette or Crib? Obviously we want the crib!! |
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| Swaddled in her crib for the first time! |
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| Our Sweet Maisie |
But as the day wore on, Maisie had a hard time keeping her temperature up. As we parted for the evening, she was right at 97.8 degrees, which is on the cool side. Her nurses were going to keep a close eye on her temp through the night.
I am awake in the middle of the night tonight (I wake up every 3 hours to pump for Maisie) and worried about her. I called her nurse to see how she is doing, and sadly she kept getting colder and colder and was moved back to her isolette.
I'm bummed because she's back in a plastic cage- it really feels like a huge barrier sometimes. But I think it's also interesting that even her nurses and doctors are antsy for Maisie to move up and out. They were so excited that she maintains her temps so well in the incubator on "room air" instead of "baby-monitored" temps, that even they thought she'd be fine. But her nurse tonight was saying she's not even 3 lb 10 oz, not even 3 weeks old- it was just a little too early.
Still, here's praying and hoping she can try the crib again soon- it really felt so much better!
PS. Not much posting happened this week as we are dealing on top of all else a broken clothes washer. It needs a new water pump installed, for which we continue to wait. Who knew it would take so long?
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Amazing Maisie
Wowie! Today was GREAT!! Maisie is now weighing in at 1635 grams- steady weight gain is a definite plus in the NICU. When we arrived for the morning rounds, the docs were discussing Maisie's head ultrasound from yesterday (which is officially clean and clear). They wanted to schedule her next ultrasound, which they typically schedule between 4-6 weeks of age. The nurse practitioner wanted to schedule it for 6 weeks from her birth, since her 2 week ultrasound was so good. The neonatologist wanted it at 4 weeks- and this is the GREAT part- because, says he, "She won't be here at 6 weeks! She's probably going home very early."
YAY!!!!!!!!
We still don't know WHEN she's going home, but I can deal with any amount now that I know it will be earlier than her full gestation.
And Maisie hit another milestone tonight- she was able to eat from a bottle!!!! She tried earlier with no success, but tonight we had a FANTASTIC nurse who showed Auntie Laura and Mama a handy trick for feeding preemies, and Amazing Maisie caught on instantly- downing 12cc's of milk! This is great because it's one more step to getting home sooner! She's still mostly on her feeding tube, but it's nice to know she's getting the hang of eating on her own.
She's also growing into life as a full newborn. Maisie had to get a glycerin suppository tonight for 2 days constipation, and made her way through 3 outfits, several blankets, tons of diapers and wipes. She even burped up some of her milk during her bottle feed. It may sound mundane and trivial, but it's really wonderful to experience such baby things with Maisie- sadly, not every baby in the NICU makes it this far, so we are feeling blessed even for this kind of thing.
Lots of big news today. So once again we left too early for me, but early enough that Maisie can rest from all her adventures of the day.
YAY!!!!!!!!
We still don't know WHEN she's going home, but I can deal with any amount now that I know it will be earlier than her full gestation.
And Maisie hit another milestone tonight- she was able to eat from a bottle!!!! She tried earlier with no success, but tonight we had a FANTASTIC nurse who showed Auntie Laura and Mama a handy trick for feeding preemies, and Amazing Maisie caught on instantly- downing 12cc's of milk! This is great because it's one more step to getting home sooner! She's still mostly on her feeding tube, but it's nice to know she's getting the hang of eating on her own.
She's also growing into life as a full newborn. Maisie had to get a glycerin suppository tonight for 2 days constipation, and made her way through 3 outfits, several blankets, tons of diapers and wipes. She even burped up some of her milk during her bottle feed. It may sound mundane and trivial, but it's really wonderful to experience such baby things with Maisie- sadly, not every baby in the NICU makes it this far, so we are feeling blessed even for this kind of thing.
Lots of big news today. So once again we left too early for me, but early enough that Maisie can rest from all her adventures of the day.
A Day of Firsts
Today was Maisie's first day regulating her own temperature! She was still in her incubator, but it was basically turned off and she had to keep herself warm. To help her, today was also her first day wearing clothes! She got to wear her first romper and be swaddled in warm blankets.
Today was also Maisie's first bath! Mama got to help- poor Papa had already left to go grocery shopping and missed out. He'll have to give her the next one. She flailed her limbs when she first got put in the water, but didn't seem to mind it after a few minutes. And she didn't really fuss during the ordeal at all. Afterwards, the nurse helped me redress and swaddle her, and Maisie seemed so relaxed and content! Ready for a nice sleep.
Maisie also liked being held by her Auntie Laura today- Maisie was smiling and grinning a lot at her aunt!
Maisie is also gaining weight! She is now at 1610 grams (approximately 3 lbs 8 ounces) and doing great! Her head ultrasound from this morning came back showing all positive signs of a healthy brain. Lots of good news today!
Today was also Maisie's first bath! Mama got to help- poor Papa had already left to go grocery shopping and missed out. He'll have to give her the next one. She flailed her limbs when she first got put in the water, but didn't seem to mind it after a few minutes. And she didn't really fuss during the ordeal at all. Afterwards, the nurse helped me redress and swaddle her, and Maisie seemed so relaxed and content! Ready for a nice sleep.
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| Maisie after her first bath- so happy and comfy! |
Maisie also liked being held by her Auntie Laura today- Maisie was smiling and grinning a lot at her aunt!
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| Happy Aunt, Happy Maisie |
Maisie is also gaining weight! She is now at 1610 grams (approximately 3 lbs 8 ounces) and doing great! Her head ultrasound from this morning came back showing all positive signs of a healthy brain. Lots of good news today!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Kangaroo Time
All I want to do all day long is hold Maisie- our "kangaroo care." She is so sweet and lovely and funny. She makes the cutest faces at her Mama, and I wish I could share them- especially her grin! I just love her smiles! But whenever we're cuddling, I only have my phone on me- I always forget to grab the camera before I sit down with her. So I try to take her picture with my phone camera, which is not an easy feat given my phone. Unfortunately, by the time I get the picture taken, she's no longer making the face I really wanted to capture. And the resolution is shoddy. But she is still so cute! So here is a brief glimpse of what I get to enjoy each day!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Melt Downs
First, I forgot to set up a ride to the hospital for this morning. Then I overslept anyway. I wanted to drive myself, but can't still for another week, so I had to get Ross to take me, even though he had so much to do today. Then I tripped on the cat's food bowl and sent cat food flying underneath the washing machine. I couldn't do anything to clean it up because I still can't bend over for any length of time. I couldn't help but cry.
We almost missed rounds at the hospital by being so late, but made it just in time (luckily the doctors were late yesterday, too!). Maisie didn't gain any weight yesterday, but luckily she didn't lose any either. We tried nippling again this morning with great success- sort of. She actually ate some from Mom (even though I had just pumped and was supposed to be completely empty so she couldn't). It's good she can do it, but she didn't digest all of her food for the subsequent feedings, so we couldn't try any more. She is really getting the hang of it, though- she was looking to nuzzle at each feeding today. She had to settle for a pacifier, but it's exciting she is figuring things out.
But here came the next melt down- I'm getting so happy to see her doing so well. It's exciting she's healthy and strong. But the NICU is so stressful! I think a baby died yesterday. We had four different nurses and one went home because she couldn't stop crying. The NICU was unusually hectic and everyone seemed tense. I'm happy it wasn't my baby, and so sad I feel that way. I'm just so anxious to bring Maisie home. I cried because she has to stay there for who knows how long, even though she seems to be so close to being ready to come home. It's so frustrating!! Then I cried again tonight because I had to leave her once again. Each time I have to come home to sleep, I feel ripped apart.
Other news: we had applied to adopt a kitten about a month ago. After our Phil died, we felt another little kitty would really help Titus be less lonely.We did not expect it to take a month for her shelter to release her. At any rate, today was the day we got to bring our kitten home. The shelter named her Summer- we might choose a different name if we can think of one. I was also not ready for the stress of introducing a new cat to our home. She hisses every time she smells Titus through the door. And Titus is definitely NOT happy tonight. If I weren't so tired, I think I'd have another meltdown.
We almost missed rounds at the hospital by being so late, but made it just in time (luckily the doctors were late yesterday, too!). Maisie didn't gain any weight yesterday, but luckily she didn't lose any either. We tried nippling again this morning with great success- sort of. She actually ate some from Mom (even though I had just pumped and was supposed to be completely empty so she couldn't). It's good she can do it, but she didn't digest all of her food for the subsequent feedings, so we couldn't try any more. She is really getting the hang of it, though- she was looking to nuzzle at each feeding today. She had to settle for a pacifier, but it's exciting she is figuring things out.
But here came the next melt down- I'm getting so happy to see her doing so well. It's exciting she's healthy and strong. But the NICU is so stressful! I think a baby died yesterday. We had four different nurses and one went home because she couldn't stop crying. The NICU was unusually hectic and everyone seemed tense. I'm happy it wasn't my baby, and so sad I feel that way. I'm just so anxious to bring Maisie home. I cried because she has to stay there for who knows how long, even though she seems to be so close to being ready to come home. It's so frustrating!! Then I cried again tonight because I had to leave her once again. Each time I have to come home to sleep, I feel ripped apart.
Other news: we had applied to adopt a kitten about a month ago. After our Phil died, we felt another little kitty would really help Titus be less lonely.We did not expect it to take a month for her shelter to release her. At any rate, today was the day we got to bring our kitten home. The shelter named her Summer- we might choose a different name if we can think of one. I was also not ready for the stress of introducing a new cat to our home. She hisses every time she smells Titus through the door. And Titus is definitely NOT happy tonight. If I weren't so tired, I think I'd have another meltdown.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Day 10
Maisie weighs in at 1570 grams today, eating steadily, and doing well! The docs sped through her chart during rounds today because there was nothing really to report- an excellent place to be in a NICU ward! Her nurse tells me that I can start to bring in blankets from home and a couple of onesies because we're going to try letting her maintain her own body temp in the next few days. We also tried 2 more sessions of nippling today with stellar results! She's still a little too tiny to be able to feed totally from Mom, but she is getting closer daily. She caught on so quickly, though, that it makes me even more anxious for her to come home soon! We both get so pooped out from the efforts of the day, though, that Ross and I retired early once again so our little girl could get a restful evening- we want her fattened up and sleep will help!!
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| Our Family |
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| Like Father, Like Daughter |
The latest videos and pics from Maisie's Suite
Sorry to post all of these in one thread- it's faster for me. We took these Tuesday and Wednesday, and I want to get them out while I can. Enjoy!
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| Sporting the "Bow Hat" a lovely nurse made for Maisie |
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| Kangaroo Time gets both Maisie and Mama so relaxed, we're both OUT after! |
The Nipple Protocol
(SORRY THIS IS A LONG POST- BUT A LOT OF GREAT STUFF HAPPENED TODAY!!!)
It sounds like a bad B movie, but "Nipple Protocol" is where we are today. I arrived in Maisie's room this morning to a wonderful surprise! Maisie's bilirubin lights were already gone and the window blinds were open- lots of light in her room. She was awake and happy and active. I arrived just in time for the doctors' rounds- Maisie had put on more weight and is up to 1490 grams, she is now eating 30 ccs per feeding, they can't hear her heart murmur any more and believe her PDA has closed on its own, her jaundice is gone, she may try swaddling soon instead of relying on the incubator (a step closer to a crib and freedom!!!), and she can now begin Nipple Protocol.
Not the thrilling subtitle to a Bourne or Bond-type adventure as it sounds. Apparently, this just means it's time for her to learn how to eat!!! Best of all, it also means it's time to move her feeding tube so her mouth (which looks like her dad's) is free at last. She's still on the tube- it goes down her nose now- but it seems much more comfortable for her.
Maisie did really well this morning with the tube transfer and the tape removal- she had tape all over her head from all the attempts at keeping her eye protection in place. But as the nurse worked on the tube and I helped with taking the nasty tape off, Maisie didn't even cry once. She grimaced more at the smell of the adhesive remover than anything!
So, this morning I finally got to hold my Maisie as much as I could ever want, and we got to try a bottle feeding. As the nurse and I got her ready, she was opening her mouth wide and looking around. I gave her a pacifier and she went to town sucking on it. I was excited to think she might be ready for this bottle stuff. But as soon as I had her in my arms all ready to try the bottle, she VERY stubbornly clamped her little lips shut and refused to open her mouth- silly girl! I kept laughing at her stubbornness! When I finally got her to open up, she coughed on the little drops that got in her mouth and couldn't figure out how to actually swallow it. She hated it and I could tell!
So next we tried a regular tube feeding with a twist- I got to dip her pacifier in some milk and let her taste it while she got fed and then Kangaroo with her as long as I wanted afterwards. She liked the pacifier MUCH better.
Our next step came during one of her afternoon feedings- I got to let her nuzzle on Mom while she got fed through the tube. She spent a good 20-25 minutes figuring things out with me. The lactation consultant on staff, Amy, was VERY animated throughout (she stuck around to help me and to make sure I didn't suffocate my baby!). She was amazed Maisie caught on so quickly. I think tomorrow we will try some more nuzzling instead of bottles- that was just a bit fast for Maisie, and nuzzling went SOOO much better. And I think the bottle was just too big for her little tiny mouth.
A hard decision was then made tonight. I could have stayed all night holding her- no nurses, no lights obstructing us. But she had worked very hard with all the new experiences- and working too hard can mean she LOSES weight instead of gains it. So Ross dragged me away early, allowing Maisie to get some good rest in tonight. To keep me from going totally crazy from being away from her, we then went to see Harry Potter together- probably the last free date night we'll have in a long while! :)
Lots of progress today- lots of BIG steps- and best of all, LOTS of cuddling together! Today was a VERY good day!
It sounds like a bad B movie, but "Nipple Protocol" is where we are today. I arrived in Maisie's room this morning to a wonderful surprise! Maisie's bilirubin lights were already gone and the window blinds were open- lots of light in her room. She was awake and happy and active. I arrived just in time for the doctors' rounds- Maisie had put on more weight and is up to 1490 grams, she is now eating 30 ccs per feeding, they can't hear her heart murmur any more and believe her PDA has closed on its own, her jaundice is gone, she may try swaddling soon instead of relying on the incubator (a step closer to a crib and freedom!!!), and she can now begin Nipple Protocol.
Not the thrilling subtitle to a Bourne or Bond-type adventure as it sounds. Apparently, this just means it's time for her to learn how to eat!!! Best of all, it also means it's time to move her feeding tube so her mouth (which looks like her dad's) is free at last. She's still on the tube- it goes down her nose now- but it seems much more comfortable for her.
Maisie did really well this morning with the tube transfer and the tape removal- she had tape all over her head from all the attempts at keeping her eye protection in place. But as the nurse worked on the tube and I helped with taking the nasty tape off, Maisie didn't even cry once. She grimaced more at the smell of the adhesive remover than anything!
So, this morning I finally got to hold my Maisie as much as I could ever want, and we got to try a bottle feeding. As the nurse and I got her ready, she was opening her mouth wide and looking around. I gave her a pacifier and she went to town sucking on it. I was excited to think she might be ready for this bottle stuff. But as soon as I had her in my arms all ready to try the bottle, she VERY stubbornly clamped her little lips shut and refused to open her mouth- silly girl! I kept laughing at her stubbornness! When I finally got her to open up, she coughed on the little drops that got in her mouth and couldn't figure out how to actually swallow it. She hated it and I could tell!
So next we tried a regular tube feeding with a twist- I got to dip her pacifier in some milk and let her taste it while she got fed and then Kangaroo with her as long as I wanted afterwards. She liked the pacifier MUCH better.
Our next step came during one of her afternoon feedings- I got to let her nuzzle on Mom while she got fed through the tube. She spent a good 20-25 minutes figuring things out with me. The lactation consultant on staff, Amy, was VERY animated throughout (she stuck around to help me and to make sure I didn't suffocate my baby!). She was amazed Maisie caught on so quickly. I think tomorrow we will try some more nuzzling instead of bottles- that was just a bit fast for Maisie, and nuzzling went SOOO much better. And I think the bottle was just too big for her little tiny mouth.
A hard decision was then made tonight. I could have stayed all night holding her- no nurses, no lights obstructing us. But she had worked very hard with all the new experiences- and working too hard can mean she LOSES weight instead of gains it. So Ross dragged me away early, allowing Maisie to get some good rest in tonight. To keep me from going totally crazy from being away from her, we then went to see Harry Potter together- probably the last free date night we'll have in a long while! :)
Lots of progress today- lots of BIG steps- and best of all, LOTS of cuddling together! Today was a VERY good day!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Daily Progress Report
Today Maisie is up to 26ccs per feeding! This is great news that she's able to tolerate more and more food each day. I spent almost the whole day watching her today, and was really excited to see her get fidgety and active around her feeding times- fussy but without crying. Good babies get hungry when it's time to eat so we're excited to see Maisie growing into hunger!! Also, we're trying out nuzzling some when Kangarooing, and I was so excited that she actually tried to suck a little bit. (The docs said one huge hurdle for preemies is learning how to eat- I think Maisie's gonna be just fine!!)
She had to spend the day again under the bilirubin lights, but her counts were down this morning and we're hoping they continue to drop so she can put the jaundice bout behind her. It will be SOOO nice to be able to hold her for longer periods of time and more frequently. The silly lights just make Mommy impatient!
We continue to feel all the prayers and faith sent our way- thanks everybody! Please keep it up!
She had to spend the day again under the bilirubin lights, but her counts were down this morning and we're hoping they continue to drop so she can put the jaundice bout behind her. It will be SOOO nice to be able to hold her for longer periods of time and more frequently. The silly lights just make Mommy impatient!
We continue to feel all the prayers and faith sent our way- thanks everybody! Please keep it up!
One Week Old!!!
I can't believe it's already been one whole week that Maisie has been blessing our lives! And for only one week on earth as a premature baby, Maisie is doing remarkably well. Today her feedings were bumped up to 22 ccs each and her IV was removed!!!!! YAY!!!! (The nurses kept having to move her IV around and it was so painful and uncomfortable for our little girl- being IV free is so good on many levels!)
She is jaundiced again and had to go back under the bilirubin lights. This was hardest on Mama, who doesn't get to hold Maisie as often or for as long as she would like now- I only get to hold her for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. SO NOT FAIR!!! I try to remind myself it's for Maisie's best and will keep her healthy and help her come home faster, but it's a difficult sell psychologically for a new mom that is craving constant contact with baby!
We have been trying to leave our camera in her room to take more pics and videos and will post as much as we can!
She is jaundiced again and had to go back under the bilirubin lights. This was hardest on Mama, who doesn't get to hold Maisie as often or for as long as she would like now- I only get to hold her for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. SO NOT FAIR!!! I try to remind myself it's for Maisie's best and will keep her healthy and help her come home faster, but it's a difficult sell psychologically for a new mom that is craving constant contact with baby!
We have been trying to leave our camera in her room to take more pics and videos and will post as much as we can!
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| Mama's Kangaroo Care Time |
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| Tanning Under the Blue Lights |
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| Maisie gets comfy |
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Update Day 7
We spoke for a bit with Maisie's NPN and one of the neo docs while they were making rounds this afternoon. Maisie is up 5 grams from yesterday!! (She was born at 1474 grams, dropped and is back up to 1430.) She is also eating more! First they had her eating 10 cc's of milk at a time, then 15, and today they bumped it up to 18. The goal is to bump up her milk intake, reduce her IV fluids, and get her ready to just eat on her own, so this is all very good progress she is making!
She is also doing just fine as far as billirubin counts go- no more jaundice! Also, the nurse did NOT hear her heart murmur today- yay!!! But Maisie has had a lot of "Brady's" lately- those episodes where her heart rate drops really low and she forgets to breathe. If she doesn't improve, they may try to medicate her to help her stabilize more. I think it's funny the meds they would give her is just plain old caffeine! :)
I asked about when she might be discharged- what they look for, when they think she could go home. The NPN said usually all preemies stay until they are gestationally 40 weeks old (so closer to her actual due date). She said they can progress a whole bunch and seem perfectly normal, but still have to stay in the NICU until they are ready to be full babies. They have to be stable, eat well on their own, and that last part- learning to eat is what takes the longest. She can gain weight, get off the tubes and all, but still have to wait until she can eat on her own. So pray hard that she gets stable and learns how to eat FAST!!!
I did get to hold her a bit this morning and am hoping for more "Maisie Time" this afternoon! I LOVE that skin-to-skin time with Mom and Dad are a big part of her care! Ross and I keep forgetting our camera at home, but we're bringing it back with us to her room today and will make sure to leave it there so we can take LOTS of lovely pics!
She is also doing just fine as far as billirubin counts go- no more jaundice! Also, the nurse did NOT hear her heart murmur today- yay!!! But Maisie has had a lot of "Brady's" lately- those episodes where her heart rate drops really low and she forgets to breathe. If she doesn't improve, they may try to medicate her to help her stabilize more. I think it's funny the meds they would give her is just plain old caffeine! :)
I asked about when she might be discharged- what they look for, when they think she could go home. The NPN said usually all preemies stay until they are gestationally 40 weeks old (so closer to her actual due date). She said they can progress a whole bunch and seem perfectly normal, but still have to stay in the NICU until they are ready to be full babies. They have to be stable, eat well on their own, and that last part- learning to eat is what takes the longest. She can gain weight, get off the tubes and all, but still have to wait until she can eat on her own. So pray hard that she gets stable and learns how to eat FAST!!!
I did get to hold her a bit this morning and am hoping for more "Maisie Time" this afternoon! I LOVE that skin-to-skin time with Mom and Dad are a big part of her care! Ross and I keep forgetting our camera at home, but we're bringing it back with us to her room today and will make sure to leave it there so we can take LOTS of lovely pics!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Our Beautiful Angel
She has tape on her face so the nurses can attach little "sunglasses" when she has to be under the photo-therapy lights for her jaundice. Even with the tape, she is the most beautiful thing either Ross or I have ever seen!
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| She can't keep her eyes open long, but this face tells us she's still listening and attentive |
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| She likes to sleep with her hands by her face. |
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| A happy Maisie resting on Mama, holding Papa's finger. |
Maisie Update - Day 6
Ever since I was released from my C-section, all I have wanted to do is spend my whole day with Maisie! I'm jealous of all the other parents of newborns who get to hold their babies round the clock. They probably get tired of it, but when you CAN'T hold your baby, it drives a new parent crazy!!!! We only get to hold her for a little bit at a time, and only for a couple of hours total per day- and Ross and I have to share our limited time taking turns. So not fair!!
Medically, Maisie is doing very well under her circumstances. So many complications are possible when babies are born this early, but she seems so healthy thus far! She does have a heart murmur, and an EKG showed the docs that this was caused by an open pulmonary alveolar duct. (Here's a very thorough site explaining the whole thing) Apparently it bypasses blood past the lungs in the womb and then closes when the baby is born, allowing blood to flow into the lungs when they’re actually needed. In preemies, sometimes it doesn’t close, and that’s the case with Maisie. Luckily for her it is small right now, so the plan is to watch it and see if it closes on its own. If not, next week the docs will assess if she needs some intervention- they can give meds to help, and final resort would be surgery- scary!!! So pray that it will close (and STAY closed since they can often reopen) on its own quickly!!!
She continues to have what the nurses call “Brady’s”- little bradycardia episodes or arrhythmia of the heart rate. She’ll be resting so snug, her heart rate will drop. Sometimes she brings it back up on her own, sometimes she needs rubbed on the back and reminded to breathe. The nurses say this isn’t really related to her PDA, just another complication of being born so early.
When Maisie first arrived at the NICU, they tried feeding her every 3 hours and she didn't react well. They slowed her down to feedings every 6 hours, and she did well so they started feeding her every 4. Now she is back up to eating every 3 hours. In addition, the amount of milk she gets at each feeding is also increasing. They tried her on formula to start and she hated it! She seems to be liking her Mama’s milk much better and it's helping her grow so fast!!! She has already outgrown her first tiny diapers and is up a size! She is still too little to eat on her own and has to get fed through a tube for now. The goal is eventually to be a fully nursing baby- I can't wait because in the meantime we have to deal with a nasty feeding tube down her throat (which she is fond of pulling out!)
She has excellent nurses, docs, and people watching her round the clock- she is in excellent hands (minus the snippy nurse that made a fuss over letting me hold her!) Ross and I are feeling SOOO blessed!!
Medically, Maisie is doing very well under her circumstances. So many complications are possible when babies are born this early, but she seems so healthy thus far! She does have a heart murmur, and an EKG showed the docs that this was caused by an open pulmonary alveolar duct. (Here's a very thorough site explaining the whole thing) Apparently it bypasses blood past the lungs in the womb and then closes when the baby is born, allowing blood to flow into the lungs when they’re actually needed. In preemies, sometimes it doesn’t close, and that’s the case with Maisie. Luckily for her it is small right now, so the plan is to watch it and see if it closes on its own. If not, next week the docs will assess if she needs some intervention- they can give meds to help, and final resort would be surgery- scary!!! So pray that it will close (and STAY closed since they can often reopen) on its own quickly!!!
She continues to have what the nurses call “Brady’s”- little bradycardia episodes or arrhythmia of the heart rate. She’ll be resting so snug, her heart rate will drop. Sometimes she brings it back up on her own, sometimes she needs rubbed on the back and reminded to breathe. The nurses say this isn’t really related to her PDA, just another complication of being born so early.
When Maisie first arrived at the NICU, they tried feeding her every 3 hours and she didn't react well. They slowed her down to feedings every 6 hours, and she did well so they started feeding her every 4. Now she is back up to eating every 3 hours. In addition, the amount of milk she gets at each feeding is also increasing. They tried her on formula to start and she hated it! She seems to be liking her Mama’s milk much better and it's helping her grow so fast!!! She has already outgrown her first tiny diapers and is up a size! She is still too little to eat on her own and has to get fed through a tube for now. The goal is eventually to be a fully nursing baby- I can't wait because in the meantime we have to deal with a nasty feeding tube down her throat (which she is fond of pulling out!)
She has excellent nurses, docs, and people watching her round the clock- she is in excellent hands (minus the snippy nurse that made a fuss over letting me hold her!) Ross and I are feeling SOOO blessed!!
Friday, July 15, 2011
Meeting Maisie
I finally got to meet my little girl yesterday!!!! I can't express how beautiful she is, how wonderful it was to hold her, and how I dreamed of it over and over all night- having to say good-bye for the night was probably the worst experience yet!!!! Ross and I are in love with her, and she is truly AMAZING!!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Nursery Time
I finally picked out the fabric I'm going to use for our nursery. Beatrix Potter is still the theme, but My Goodness-there are so many different Beatrix Potter prints out there to choose from! No pre-made sets, but tons of fabric. I had a hard time figuring out a plan of attack.
I've ordered a ton of this fabric:
And I plan to create something like the following (but using this Peter Rabbit print instead of the toile, obviously):
I'm excited! We'll still have plenty of other stuff in the "nursery room"- my piano, a guest bed, storage stuff, etc. But hopefully a crib with cute bedding and matching curtains will go a long way to make it feel more like a baby's room!
I've ordered a ton of this fabric:
And I plan to create something like the following (but using this Peter Rabbit print instead of the toile, obviously):
I'm excited! We'll still have plenty of other stuff in the "nursery room"- my piano, a guest bed, storage stuff, etc. But hopefully a crib with cute bedding and matching curtains will go a long way to make it feel more like a baby's room!
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