Friday morning

Here's our little baby sleeping in her first onesie! Sure, she is figuratively swimming in it, but still...

Sarah gained a whopping 75 grams last night! Erika said, "that can't be right, that's too much!" Sure enough, Sarah had a big 40 gram poop shortly after being weighed. Nurse Shelly weighed Sarah again, and Sarah had lost 30 grams or so. She now weighs 2 pounds, 12 ounces. Big girl!

Happy 36 weeks gestation, too! You're doing so well!

Happy 10 Week Birthday!

Sarah really has filled out and she looks almost normal-sized next to Nurse Rochelle, who is one of Sarah's regular night nurses.

Sarah lost a little weight last night, but it was another big day yesterday. She was having a little poop trouble, so Nurse Heidi gave her something to help, and Sarah had some explosions over night for Nurse Shelly. Good fun!

Sarah's feedings have increased to 28 mL, and the time of each feeding has decreased to an hour and a half. So, she taking more food over less time, which means she has a greater opportunity to digest and rest between feedings. And that's a good thing.

And happy birthday, girl! You're ten weeks old today!

Wednesday morning

Well, despite all the goings-on yesterday, Sarah still managed to put on a little weight. Only 5 grams, but we'll take it.

This morning Sarah was all bundled up for me just as I walked in the NICU and Nurse Rochelle handed her right to me. She slept the entire time I held her (Sarah, not Rochelle), and didn't make a peep.

And apparently someone forgot to tell Nurse Rochelle and Nurse Arlene about Sarah's website, and the two of them couldn't get enough of it. Even though they get to see Sarah every day. It's funny how everyone reading the blog wants to visit Sarah, and the nurses that get to see her regularly want even more of her from the blog!

Momma is still sick, unfortunately. Hopefully she'll get better in time to visit Sarah this weekend. Daddy is doing his best to fight off the germs.

One of Sarah's busiest days, lunch report

So, baby Sarah has no shortage of news today:

• She graduated from an oral feeding tube to a nasal feeding tube. This makes it easier to nipple feed her with the bottle because the oral tube always got in the way. Also, she finally has nothing in her mouth and can freely explore it with her little fingers!

• She graduated to big(ger) diapers. I noticed this morning that her diaper was a little tight, and apparently the nurse noticed it, too.
  


• She is no longer on the vapotherm breathing apparatus. She's just using the nasal canula (sp?) with low-flo support. This is HUGE! It is the last, least support that she'll need for breathing. If she has to, she could come home with this. (But we hope she won't need any support, right girl?)

• Her feedings are now up to 26 mL. At lunch today she took 14 mL in the bottle and the rest was fed through her nasal tube. I think she's still only taking the bottle once a day, but that will steadily increase as she gets more used to the whole suck, swallow, breathe exercise.

• Daddy got to hold Sarah at lunch today. I don't usually do that due to time constraints, but the physical therapist (Astri) already had Sarah out, and basically did a nice little hand-off, which I couldn't say no to.

• And, because momma can't see Sarah, we'll post a bunch of pictures tonight, for her benefit and for everyone else out there supporting little Sarah.

Tuesday morning

Sarah was so fussy this morning! She was crying when I came in and just wouldn't stop. So I held her, and she calmed down a little, but started crying again after 15-20 minutes. Poor baby! We checked the diaper and no poo-poo, so it's a mystery. (She had just had a change-the-bedding-sized poop at 0500.)

Sarah gained 35 grams last night, and is now 1215 grams. Over 1200, way to go! Almost 2 lbs. 11 oz.!

And Sarah wants to wish a happy birthday to Grandma Rees, who turns ____ today. Happy ____ Birthday, grandma!

Monday morning report

Sarah weekend was a little nicer that her last two weekends. Having the cast on held her back, and now that it is off, she needs much less support. She stays happy with much less oxygen, and hopefully soon she will be able to breathe all by herself.

After several days of good weight gains, Sarah lost ten grams last night. Her weight is now 1180 grams, or 2 pounds 9.5 ounces. She's so big!

A little bad news - momma is sick and can't go see baby Sarah! We don't want to risk bringing anything into the NICU to get Sarah, or any of the other littles ones, sick. I'm still feeling fine and will be making my usual trips to see Sarah, and I'll be taking over Mom's evening holding duties. Fine with me! Get well soon, honey, and don't get me sick, too!

Weekend Update

Sarah had her first bottle feeding on Friday! She ate 16 of 24 cc's of milk on her very first try.
Then today Roger and I went to watch her bottle feeding for the second time. She did almost as well eating 12 of 24, but we attribute it to her being tired. Sarah was wide awake from 7-9am, and fell asleep right when it was time to come out to be fed. Here are some pictures of the physical therapist feeding her today. For now she will be getting one bottle a day to be fed by the medical staff since preemies are a little difficult to feed. The look on her face when she actually tastes the milk is priceless! Thanks for the new hat Grandma!

Oh and Sarah weighed in at 1190 grams or 2 lbs 10 ounces last night. Way to go Sarah!