Hello All!
What a busy past few weeks it's been!! Some have asked for posts about how Liam is doing at home- so thrilled y'all love hearing about him!! I'll do an update after his 6 week check up at the pediatrician on Wednesday, but he's great.
I have been working on editing the over 300 pictures from our stay in Pensacola and now they're finally ready to post! There are no pictures of what his tummy looked like with his intestines out. We decided we want to keep that private for him. If you're curious as to what he looked like when he was born and the first 6 days when his intestines were in the silo, just do an internet search. He looked just like the pictures (but we're told his opening was very small and his stomach, small intestine and colon were out).
More pics we've taken since we've been home will be added maybe next week. Enjoy these pics below!!! ;)))
(Contact me if you would like the link to pics)
Friday, March 11, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
"Well, I'm Going Home, Back to the Place Where I Belong"..
The Chris Daughtry song seemed appropriate enough- Sunday was our homecoming!! It was a long day getting out of there, but worth every minute of it!
Steve went up first while I let Riley pig out on Pop Tarts at the House (a treat for him since we don't keep them at home). I was dying to get the report on how Liam did over night, to find out if we were really going home today. I waited and waited and texted Steve and waited. He finally came back to the house- he had no signal up there (pooh!). He said Liam came through the night like a champ and everyone says discharge should be possible today but no doctors had rounded yet to verify.
During the morning break we took a quick trip over to the Toys R Us/ Babies R Us to get some last minute items. Now that we knew how big Liam was going to be coming home we could get the right sized diapers, nipples for bottles, and an outfit to go home in. We decided against doing a fancy outfit because who's going to see him besides just all of us right now anyway? By the sound of things we probably wouldn't get discharged till later in the day anyway- too late for any visitors (never mind needing to keep germs to a minimum). Steve picked out a Daddy's All Star baseball outfit (he IS an All-Star/ Rock Star isn't he? Liam- not Steve. :) ). We also got Riley a new Monopoly game since he loved playing the one at the House so much. Ri was such a trooper through the whole ordeal.
Steve and I went up in the afternoon and the doctor had Liam's chart and was writing his discharge summary!!! We were told this can take a few hours so we busied ourselves with last minute paperwork with the nurse and then headed back to the House to pack up and clean out our room there. We still couldn't believe it was all about the happen!! Mal and Shez entertained Riley at the House while we went back up to get our baby boy.
It felt surreal getting into the car with him. Like at any moment they would say- oh wait, there's been a mistake- bring him back. Or something would happen with him to where we'd have to turn around and take him back. But no- all was fine, we pulled up to the Ronald McDonald House for hopefully the last time (except for visits!) and Riley finally got to meet his little brother face-to-face. He was so very proud and so excited. This is the big brother I knew! We all three piled in the back of the car and Daddy drove us home. Riley commented on us now being a family of four. I couldn't stop grinning. I caught Steve looking at us in the review mirror, so happy his family was all together again and he was taking us home.
Riley gave Liam a complete run down of the neighborhood as we pulled in. He's quite the seasoned big brother already! I was half-teasing when changing Liam when I asked Ri to throw away the dirty diaper. He said- no problem mom! I know how to work the diaper pail! We then all got settled in on the couch so Riley could hold Liam for the first time. I was worried Ri would be disappointed because Liam was fussing when I handed him over, but Riley must be a baby whisperer because Liam calmed right down in his big brother's arms. He even gave Liam his bottle and looked like a pro! I think these two are going to be quite a pair!
Thanks to all of you who took this journey with us. I'll post as events happen, but probably not every day. I do owe y'all lots of pictures, so check back frequently this week as we get them all posted. We couldn't have made it through in such high spirits without every one of you supporting us along the way. We are truly thankful for everything.
Much love,
The Ripp Family of Four. :)
Steve went up first while I let Riley pig out on Pop Tarts at the House (a treat for him since we don't keep them at home). I was dying to get the report on how Liam did over night, to find out if we were really going home today. I waited and waited and texted Steve and waited. He finally came back to the house- he had no signal up there (pooh!). He said Liam came through the night like a champ and everyone says discharge should be possible today but no doctors had rounded yet to verify.
During the morning break we took a quick trip over to the Toys R Us/ Babies R Us to get some last minute items. Now that we knew how big Liam was going to be coming home we could get the right sized diapers, nipples for bottles, and an outfit to go home in. We decided against doing a fancy outfit because who's going to see him besides just all of us right now anyway? By the sound of things we probably wouldn't get discharged till later in the day anyway- too late for any visitors (never mind needing to keep germs to a minimum). Steve picked out a Daddy's All Star baseball outfit (he IS an All-Star/ Rock Star isn't he? Liam- not Steve. :) ). We also got Riley a new Monopoly game since he loved playing the one at the House so much. Ri was such a trooper through the whole ordeal.
Steve and I went up in the afternoon and the doctor had Liam's chart and was writing his discharge summary!!! We were told this can take a few hours so we busied ourselves with last minute paperwork with the nurse and then headed back to the House to pack up and clean out our room there. We still couldn't believe it was all about the happen!! Mal and Shez entertained Riley at the House while we went back up to get our baby boy.
It felt surreal getting into the car with him. Like at any moment they would say- oh wait, there's been a mistake- bring him back. Or something would happen with him to where we'd have to turn around and take him back. But no- all was fine, we pulled up to the Ronald McDonald House for hopefully the last time (except for visits!) and Riley finally got to meet his little brother face-to-face. He was so very proud and so excited. This is the big brother I knew! We all three piled in the back of the car and Daddy drove us home. Riley commented on us now being a family of four. I couldn't stop grinning. I caught Steve looking at us in the review mirror, so happy his family was all together again and he was taking us home.
Riley gave Liam a complete run down of the neighborhood as we pulled in. He's quite the seasoned big brother already! I was half-teasing when changing Liam when I asked Ri to throw away the dirty diaper. He said- no problem mom! I know how to work the diaper pail! We then all got settled in on the couch so Riley could hold Liam for the first time. I was worried Ri would be disappointed because Liam was fussing when I handed him over, but Riley must be a baby whisperer because Liam calmed right down in his big brother's arms. He even gave Liam his bottle and looked like a pro! I think these two are going to be quite a pair!
Thanks to all of you who took this journey with us. I'll post as events happen, but probably not every day. I do owe y'all lots of pictures, so check back frequently this week as we get them all posted. We couldn't have made it through in such high spirits without every one of you supporting us along the way. We are truly thankful for everything.
Much love,
The Ripp Family of Four. :)
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Movin' On Up (movin' on up)...
to Level 2 siiiide! We finally know when we'll say good byyyyeee.
Steve took on Daddy duty yesterday when Riley and I went back to Daphne for his basketball game. Liam's PIC line is now out!! We can see (and admire) his gorgeous, IV-free head! It's a very nice shaped head too. :) Steve was in charge of Liam all morning for he feedings, burpings, snuggles, and naps. The nurse assured me he did an excellent job.
While Riley and I were home we stopped by the house to get Liam's room straightened back up. I had been tossing last minute things in just before he was born and Riley and I had a project started in the middle of the floor we needed to put away. Word is we can probably go home Sunday as long as nothing crazy happens between now and then. Steve had hauled over the car seat Friday night, but I needed to put together a diaper bag for the ride home, take inventory of any last-minute things we still needed, and sort out what he was going to wear. We could also buy diapers now that we knew how big he was going to be coming home- yay!
Riley and I went back to Pensacola so I could swap out with Steve and get some Liam time in. The nurse in the afternoon was going over discharge information with me, I was so excited it was hard to keep paying attention. She also had a rolling bassinet for me so Liam and I could go into a private room and breastfeed instead of being out on the main floor with privacy blinds up around me. He liked the ride and I loooooved being able to get comfortable in the private breastfeeding room. I teased with his nurse saying- ok I'm just going to take my baby home now, bye! She laughed but said no, he needs to still come back. Almost though!
After that Liam got settled into his late afternoon nap and I went back to the House so Steve and I could spend some time with Riley. It was the first gorgeous day we had so far this year- temps in the mid 70s so we hit Pensacola Beach with RiBear in the middle of February. Everyone else had the same idea, it was still busy when we got down there in late afternoon. The water was still way too cold, but Riley had a good time getting his feet wet, burying himself in the sand, and finding seashells. We caught some dinner at a nearby boardwalk and headed back to the hospital because we had a very special appointment to keep.
Riley got to see Liam through the glass door! A nurse the night before said Liam was so close to going home and he was only tethered with leads now so it was fine to roll him out to see big brother. I finally saw glimmers of Riley showing interest again in his brother after being disenchanted for most of the past week. Steve got a surprise when he scrubbed in to get Liam (I stayed out in the hall w Ri)- our baby had been moved!!!
Liam graduated to Level TWO! We'd been in Level 3 since admission, which is critical care. We had only been in 3a (3c keeps the sickest babies). Level 2 is a step closer out the door!! So Steve and the nurse got Liam settled into the rolling bassinet again and brought him over to the door. I couldn't see Riley's face, but the nurse told me later he looked very excited. He spoke so sweetly to Liam, saying introducing himself as the big brother. Riley even wanted to record a message on my iPhone to play for Liam when I went into the NICU. He said he's so excited to be Liam's big brother, he loves him very much and can't wait to get him home. I was so thrilled Riley was showing interest again in the baby!! I guess the disconnect in not getting to see or talk to Liam was what was wrong.
We had been told Sunday is a real possibility to come home so I was eager to see how the evening rounds went. The night nurse at first said the doctor might not release him if Liam's still losing grams (he dropped just under an ounce from the night before). Then the rounding doctor breezed through and said Liam's doctor was ok for him to go home Sunday as long as he stayed above birth weight. He weighed just shy of a pound above so we were in the clear. YAY! Now I had to hold my breath that nothing freaky happened overnight to set us back.
Could tomorrow be the day???
Steve took on Daddy duty yesterday when Riley and I went back to Daphne for his basketball game. Liam's PIC line is now out!! We can see (and admire) his gorgeous, IV-free head! It's a very nice shaped head too. :) Steve was in charge of Liam all morning for he feedings, burpings, snuggles, and naps. The nurse assured me he did an excellent job.
While Riley and I were home we stopped by the house to get Liam's room straightened back up. I had been tossing last minute things in just before he was born and Riley and I had a project started in the middle of the floor we needed to put away. Word is we can probably go home Sunday as long as nothing crazy happens between now and then. Steve had hauled over the car seat Friday night, but I needed to put together a diaper bag for the ride home, take inventory of any last-minute things we still needed, and sort out what he was going to wear. We could also buy diapers now that we knew how big he was going to be coming home- yay!
Riley and I went back to Pensacola so I could swap out with Steve and get some Liam time in. The nurse in the afternoon was going over discharge information with me, I was so excited it was hard to keep paying attention. She also had a rolling bassinet for me so Liam and I could go into a private room and breastfeed instead of being out on the main floor with privacy blinds up around me. He liked the ride and I loooooved being able to get comfortable in the private breastfeeding room. I teased with his nurse saying- ok I'm just going to take my baby home now, bye! She laughed but said no, he needs to still come back. Almost though!
After that Liam got settled into his late afternoon nap and I went back to the House so Steve and I could spend some time with Riley. It was the first gorgeous day we had so far this year- temps in the mid 70s so we hit Pensacola Beach with RiBear in the middle of February. Everyone else had the same idea, it was still busy when we got down there in late afternoon. The water was still way too cold, but Riley had a good time getting his feet wet, burying himself in the sand, and finding seashells. We caught some dinner at a nearby boardwalk and headed back to the hospital because we had a very special appointment to keep.
Riley got to see Liam through the glass door! A nurse the night before said Liam was so close to going home and he was only tethered with leads now so it was fine to roll him out to see big brother. I finally saw glimmers of Riley showing interest again in his brother after being disenchanted for most of the past week. Steve got a surprise when he scrubbed in to get Liam (I stayed out in the hall w Ri)- our baby had been moved!!!
Liam graduated to Level TWO! We'd been in Level 3 since admission, which is critical care. We had only been in 3a (3c keeps the sickest babies). Level 2 is a step closer out the door!! So Steve and the nurse got Liam settled into the rolling bassinet again and brought him over to the door. I couldn't see Riley's face, but the nurse told me later he looked very excited. He spoke so sweetly to Liam, saying introducing himself as the big brother. Riley even wanted to record a message on my iPhone to play for Liam when I went into the NICU. He said he's so excited to be Liam's big brother, he loves him very much and can't wait to get him home. I was so thrilled Riley was showing interest again in the baby!! I guess the disconnect in not getting to see or talk to Liam was what was wrong.
We had been told Sunday is a real possibility to come home so I was eager to see how the evening rounds went. The night nurse at first said the doctor might not release him if Liam's still losing grams (he dropped just under an ounce from the night before). Then the rounding doctor breezed through and said Liam's doctor was ok for him to go home Sunday as long as he stayed above birth weight. He weighed just shy of a pound above so we were in the clear. YAY! Now I had to hold my breath that nothing freaky happened overnight to set us back.
Could tomorrow be the day???
Friday, February 18, 2011
Goooo Liam Go!
Well my boy is back on track. We had a great day of breastfeeding- I think we're both learning this together. We were letting him have ala carte meals today- waiting on his cues of when to eat and how much he wanted to take. With me, he liked doing short meals around 15 mins every hour and a half to two hours. I don't plan on being at his disposal quite like that for the long-term, but I'll stick it out while we see what all his belly can do. The night nurse said he took his dinner bottle feed very well and it was a full feed. He was plenty hungry by 8 pm so his belly seems to be getting the hang of this eating thing.
Oh and for those who are keeping a tally- yes we had more poop today. :) And no major spit ups that an ordinary baby wouldn't do. Hooray!
Had girlfriends visit today- Stacey and Laurie came to town and we went to breakfast during the break. It's always great to have people from the "outside" drive all the way over to make your day. I keep thinking as I get comments about the blog, people calling to ask questions about the blog, and friends coming over, texting, FBing and emailing me- I couldn't have done this without all the support we've had. Even a simple line makes my day. Knowing people out there care about and are thinking of our family has made all of the difference. I see some people that don't appear to have that kind of support system and I wonder how do they make it through the day? Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being there in your own special way- all of it has meant so much to us.
The afternoon went well because my RileyBear has come for the weekend!!! He was in such a great mood- totally re-energized from his down day yesterday. Nana and Poppa must have done a great job!! We caught up, played some Monopoly (again!), and went out to eat. He got all snuggly with me in the spare bed in our RMH room while we watched TV until it was time for me to go up and do the night feeding with Liam. Steve stayed back and got Riley to sleep.
I passed the pediatrician in the hallway and she said Liam is looking so "rosy" he might be ready to go home Sunday or Monday. She keeps moving up the day which gets me excited and nervous. I almost don't want to say it out loud like it won't come true if I do. She said he should gain weight over the weekend. When we weighed him tonight though, Liam's lost a few more ounces since going off fluids. I kinda expected that the first few days off the IV- he'd better turn it around tomorrow though! He had an awesome feed tonight so I hope that helps!
Steve swapped with me and went to give Liam his nightly bath and get some bonding time in. It was Steve's first time doing the bath, I was so proud of him! He said he spoke to the pediatrician while he was up there and she might not be that fussed about the weight loss if Liam seems to be feeling well enough. We'd have to get in with his pediatrician in Daphne right away to make sure he's transitioning ok once we get home. She also told him something that blew my mind. I know that if Liam has a stomach ache as he grows up we should take it more seriously than the average kid. But she told Steve make sure whatever doctor he goes to knows immediately that Liam was a gastro baby because if, for example, his appendix is rupturing but he's complaining of pain on his left side, the doctor might blow it off as something else. There's really now way to know where all of his guts ended up when it got fed back in. They are most likely not in the usual set up the rest of us have. Wow. Mind Blown. Durrr but something I would have totally overlooked.
The Discharge Class we took yesterday had an amazing piece of advice for us NICU parents. Keep a copy of our baby's discharge papers in his diaper bag (and in a safe place at home once he's grown up). That way we always have a copy no matter where we are. The papers they give us will be a full history of everything he's been through in NICU. I'm thinking I'm gonna load ours up on Google Docs so I can access it anywhere in the world that has an Internet connection.
We're getting close! Steve has brought over the car seat to put together. I need to start making my list of questions while we can still pick the brains of the doctors and nurses before we go. Looking forward to a great weekend!! :)
Mini Post...
It's so sad when you wake up to your "neighbor" in the next room at the Ronald McDonald House bawling their eyes out. I haven't spoken to this mom before so I feel funny about knocking on her door to check on her. I had thought about going out to one of the front desk people to see if they could make sure she's ok after a while. It sounds like she's the phone so maybe she can talk it through with them. Sometimes you just need to get out all of the worries, frustration, and heartache in a good cry fest and then you can face another NICU day.
I just hope there's not another baby gone too soon...
Update:
I heard my neighbor leave around 6am and thought oh no, that's not a good sign because quiet hours are from 6-8am and there's no visiting then. I passed her as I was leaving the House at 8:30 and again thought- oh dear, she's coming back when visiting hours are going on- that's not good. But when I got to the NICU door I didn't see the "signal" that a baby had passed. They put a special signal up on the door when a tragedy has occurred so staff coming in on shift change, etc know the mood is somber in NICU for a while. I was relieved and went about my morning.
I asked at the House desk when I got back from lunch if anyone knew if my neighbor was ok as she was very upset this morning. Sad news. She did in fact lose her child and has already checked out. I felt sooo sad for her and got a chill. I had heard a mother getting the news that her baby didn't make it. How awful! I sometimes feel guilty when I hear about someone's baby taking a turn for the worse or passing. I feel bad mine is doing so well while others are not. Maybe it's like survivor's remorse or something. I know I shouldn't feel guilty, I should feel relieved and thankful. I am all of those things- it's just hard to explain the mix of emotions is all. :(
Another week- another baby gone. That's four that I know of now...
I just hope there's not another baby gone too soon...
Update:
I heard my neighbor leave around 6am and thought oh no, that's not a good sign because quiet hours are from 6-8am and there's no visiting then. I passed her as I was leaving the House at 8:30 and again thought- oh dear, she's coming back when visiting hours are going on- that's not good. But when I got to the NICU door I didn't see the "signal" that a baby had passed. They put a special signal up on the door when a tragedy has occurred so staff coming in on shift change, etc know the mood is somber in NICU for a while. I was relieved and went about my morning.
I asked at the House desk when I got back from lunch if anyone knew if my neighbor was ok as she was very upset this morning. Sad news. She did in fact lose her child and has already checked out. I felt sooo sad for her and got a chill. I had heard a mother getting the news that her baby didn't make it. How awful! I sometimes feel guilty when I hear about someone's baby taking a turn for the worse or passing. I feel bad mine is doing so well while others are not. Maybe it's like survivor's remorse or something. I know I shouldn't feel guilty, I should feel relieved and thankful. I am all of those things- it's just hard to explain the mix of emotions is all. :(
Another week- another baby gone. That's four that I know of now...
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Beginning of the End??
No proofreading again- read at your own risk!
BIG NEWS- Liam's completely off fluids!!! His IV bag and "tether" are gone! All that's left is his PIC port in his head just in case they needed to start IVs again, he doesn't have to get poked a second time. So he still looks like RoboBaby, just one less line. Another milestone!!
Also- for those DYING to know, left squeezed out a lovely dirty diaper just in time for me to change this morning.:)
So after a great day yesterday, I went beboping on up to NICU thinking Liam and I will have a great breastfeed for breakfast. He had other plans. He was totally not interested. Not with either side. Not after I cuddled him first and then tried again. He was clearly going to make me work for this, the stinker. After a good effort, we went with the bottle which he took just fine. Oh well, at least he was fed. I wondered if the overnight bottle feedings might have confused him so he wasn't ready to go back to breast. I didn't go up to NICU for the night feeds because I have to call for the hospital shuttle (runs complimentary from the House 24 hours a day!) and scrub in all to feed him for maybe 20 minutes. Just not worth the sleep deprivation at this time. I also thought, maybe I smelled too much like my Forever Sunshine soap from the shower and not like myself so maybe that put him off.
I wasn't discouraged though. I knew he could do it, I just had to recreate what I did yesterday that worked so well. I went back to the House so I could pump (since he took a bottle) and waiting for the next visiting session to try again.
Lunchtime still presented problems. He was almost downright fussy, pushing me away. Then I started to worry a bit. I tried to recall everything the lactation consultant said yesterday to be sure I had cuing and positioning correct. I made sure I relaxed so he didn't feel me tense. I made sure to calm him down so he wasn't worked up. Nothing helped. I gave up for the second time and got him a bottle. We had gotten the all clear from his pediatrician to go up to max feeds if he wanted to take that much. So we tried it with the bottle to see how much he would take if given the opportunity. He must have been hungry because it took it all. Then he was happy and ready for a cuddle before visiting was over. I do believe I even saw some smirks when he knew he won by getting the bottle. Bottle feeding is much easier for babies then breastfeeding because they don't have to use as many muscles and as much effort when bottle feeding. So this kid was already learning how to work the system?? I'm in trouble.
His day nurse and I decided it was time to bring in reinforcements and get the lactation consultant back up to see what I can do differently. When I went back up for his mid-afternoon feed at 3pm he was still very sleepy and was even spitting up some of his lunch. We tapped on his lips and held his hand up to his mouth to see if he'd "fist" it (a sign he's ready to eat). We got nothing. He was still snoozing and obviously full from lunch still. So I waited. And waited. An hour later he was still snug as a bug. It was decided that at 4:30p it would be time to get him up and try again. I gave him a bath and we got his vitals just to be sure he was good and awake. After he got a fresh diaper and jammies on we gave breastfeeding another go. I held my breath, so nervous we would fail again.
The boy ate! Hopped right on like it was no big deal and did beautifully. He got a full feed and a nice burp out. Sweet relief!! I was so excited! He wasn't confused by switching, he was just telling us what he wanted (or didn't want as the case were). Steve had arrived about the same time and I claimed that Liam knew his daddy was there and he better shape up. Steve came over earlier than usual because we had to attend our Discharge Class. Our what?? You read that right- our Discharge Class. The past two days we've been hearing Liam might go home sometime next week. Now we're hearing more toward the start of next week, there's so much to do!! The Discharge Class is required for parents of NICU babies before they can be released. It was a great class with a superb instructor (in my professional opinion- grin) that went over the basics of baby care and some extra things we need to be mindful of with NICU babies. It was a great refresher for me since it's been so long since I've done this. And it was great for Steve since this was his first baby verses the toddler I had when we first met. We're going to try to do a CPR class on Monday if we can as well.
Ya- so discharge!! When I first heard people buzzing about it, I kinda blew it off as that would be nice to go home next week, but I'm not going to get my hopes up yet. Then when more of his doctors were saying it, I was thinking- wow, this is a real possibility! Today the pediatrician said once Liam's doing full feeds consistently and gaining weight he should be set to go- Monday or Tuesday if things stay on track. The surgeon (Dr Lewis) came by and looked at his belly and discussed his progress with me. She also threw out the Monday or Tuesday time frame. Oh my gosh, was this really going to happen so soon?? Liam was just 3 weeks old today (today was his due date by the way!). Could we really be out of here in just under a month. It's what I thought might be possible, but I didn't want to get let down. It seems surreal and yet very do-able all at the same time. I need to straighten up his room, buy diapers (had no idea what size he'd be coming home so I had put that off), we need to hook up the monitor and put together the car seat. So much to do!!
And it couldn't come a moment too soon. Riley is officially over all of this mess. He's said a few times this week he didn't want to come to the Ronald McDonald House, but Shez and Mal managed to coax him over Monday. Then we went home Tuesday and Wednesday, but Riley was not at all interested in coming over today. Which is a shame because he had a half day and it would have been fun to get a movie or go find something to do in town. He said he wanted to stay at his house, with his toys and not go anywhere. Can't blame the kid after getting carted back and forth for the past three weeks. He did great, it was a good run, but I think Riley has hit his wall. Shez said she thought Riley wanted to be in control of something so they let him choose whatever he wanted to do after school. It sounds like they had a blast outside in the gorgeous weather. Steve's parents were also glad to get in some good Riley-time where they had him all to themselves. They really hadn't gotten that opportunity since they've been over. They've mainly been Riley's driver!
I was sad I didn't get to see my other "baby" as he lights up my day. I was also sad that he's feeling the strain of the situation, no kid should have to go through this. I hate too that he missed out on saying goodbye to Ms Grace, his most favorite volunteer at the House. Her last day was today (she's going to Officer Training School for the Navy) and they had big plans to make a cake and frost it. I didn't even get back to the house to tell her why he wasn't there and to say goodbye because we had to do the Discharge Class tonight during dinner break. I hope to get her details from the staff here so we can give her a proper goodbye. She was a lifesaver with Riley and one of the biggest reasons he loved coming over. It made the transition easier for us. She'd play with him on the playground, she made Rice Krispie treats with him for the Super Bowl party, and was just always checking up on how his day was. He adored her so that's how I knew Riley was just over everything. Hopefully, he'll want to come stay the weekend and then we'll be home for good in a few short days.
I'm almost too scared to believe it could happen....
BIG NEWS- Liam's completely off fluids!!! His IV bag and "tether" are gone! All that's left is his PIC port in his head just in case they needed to start IVs again, he doesn't have to get poked a second time. So he still looks like RoboBaby, just one less line. Another milestone!!
Also- for those DYING to know, left squeezed out a lovely dirty diaper just in time for me to change this morning.:)
So after a great day yesterday, I went beboping on up to NICU thinking Liam and I will have a great breastfeed for breakfast. He had other plans. He was totally not interested. Not with either side. Not after I cuddled him first and then tried again. He was clearly going to make me work for this, the stinker. After a good effort, we went with the bottle which he took just fine. Oh well, at least he was fed. I wondered if the overnight bottle feedings might have confused him so he wasn't ready to go back to breast. I didn't go up to NICU for the night feeds because I have to call for the hospital shuttle (runs complimentary from the House 24 hours a day!) and scrub in all to feed him for maybe 20 minutes. Just not worth the sleep deprivation at this time. I also thought, maybe I smelled too much like my Forever Sunshine soap from the shower and not like myself so maybe that put him off.
I wasn't discouraged though. I knew he could do it, I just had to recreate what I did yesterday that worked so well. I went back to the House so I could pump (since he took a bottle) and waiting for the next visiting session to try again.
Lunchtime still presented problems. He was almost downright fussy, pushing me away. Then I started to worry a bit. I tried to recall everything the lactation consultant said yesterday to be sure I had cuing and positioning correct. I made sure I relaxed so he didn't feel me tense. I made sure to calm him down so he wasn't worked up. Nothing helped. I gave up for the second time and got him a bottle. We had gotten the all clear from his pediatrician to go up to max feeds if he wanted to take that much. So we tried it with the bottle to see how much he would take if given the opportunity. He must have been hungry because it took it all. Then he was happy and ready for a cuddle before visiting was over. I do believe I even saw some smirks when he knew he won by getting the bottle. Bottle feeding is much easier for babies then breastfeeding because they don't have to use as many muscles and as much effort when bottle feeding. So this kid was already learning how to work the system?? I'm in trouble.
His day nurse and I decided it was time to bring in reinforcements and get the lactation consultant back up to see what I can do differently. When I went back up for his mid-afternoon feed at 3pm he was still very sleepy and was even spitting up some of his lunch. We tapped on his lips and held his hand up to his mouth to see if he'd "fist" it (a sign he's ready to eat). We got nothing. He was still snoozing and obviously full from lunch still. So I waited. And waited. An hour later he was still snug as a bug. It was decided that at 4:30p it would be time to get him up and try again. I gave him a bath and we got his vitals just to be sure he was good and awake. After he got a fresh diaper and jammies on we gave breastfeeding another go. I held my breath, so nervous we would fail again.
The boy ate! Hopped right on like it was no big deal and did beautifully. He got a full feed and a nice burp out. Sweet relief!! I was so excited! He wasn't confused by switching, he was just telling us what he wanted (or didn't want as the case were). Steve had arrived about the same time and I claimed that Liam knew his daddy was there and he better shape up. Steve came over earlier than usual because we had to attend our Discharge Class. Our what?? You read that right- our Discharge Class. The past two days we've been hearing Liam might go home sometime next week. Now we're hearing more toward the start of next week, there's so much to do!! The Discharge Class is required for parents of NICU babies before they can be released. It was a great class with a superb instructor (in my professional opinion- grin) that went over the basics of baby care and some extra things we need to be mindful of with NICU babies. It was a great refresher for me since it's been so long since I've done this. And it was great for Steve since this was his first baby verses the toddler I had when we first met. We're going to try to do a CPR class on Monday if we can as well.
Ya- so discharge!! When I first heard people buzzing about it, I kinda blew it off as that would be nice to go home next week, but I'm not going to get my hopes up yet. Then when more of his doctors were saying it, I was thinking- wow, this is a real possibility! Today the pediatrician said once Liam's doing full feeds consistently and gaining weight he should be set to go- Monday or Tuesday if things stay on track. The surgeon (Dr Lewis) came by and looked at his belly and discussed his progress with me. She also threw out the Monday or Tuesday time frame. Oh my gosh, was this really going to happen so soon?? Liam was just 3 weeks old today (today was his due date by the way!). Could we really be out of here in just under a month. It's what I thought might be possible, but I didn't want to get let down. It seems surreal and yet very do-able all at the same time. I need to straighten up his room, buy diapers (had no idea what size he'd be coming home so I had put that off), we need to hook up the monitor and put together the car seat. So much to do!!
And it couldn't come a moment too soon. Riley is officially over all of this mess. He's said a few times this week he didn't want to come to the Ronald McDonald House, but Shez and Mal managed to coax him over Monday. Then we went home Tuesday and Wednesday, but Riley was not at all interested in coming over today. Which is a shame because he had a half day and it would have been fun to get a movie or go find something to do in town. He said he wanted to stay at his house, with his toys and not go anywhere. Can't blame the kid after getting carted back and forth for the past three weeks. He did great, it was a good run, but I think Riley has hit his wall. Shez said she thought Riley wanted to be in control of something so they let him choose whatever he wanted to do after school. It sounds like they had a blast outside in the gorgeous weather. Steve's parents were also glad to get in some good Riley-time where they had him all to themselves. They really hadn't gotten that opportunity since they've been over. They've mainly been Riley's driver!
I was sad I didn't get to see my other "baby" as he lights up my day. I was also sad that he's feeling the strain of the situation, no kid should have to go through this. I hate too that he missed out on saying goodbye to Ms Grace, his most favorite volunteer at the House. Her last day was today (she's going to Officer Training School for the Navy) and they had big plans to make a cake and frost it. I didn't even get back to the house to tell her why he wasn't there and to say goodbye because we had to do the Discharge Class tonight during dinner break. I hope to get her details from the staff here so we can give her a proper goodbye. She was a lifesaver with Riley and one of the biggest reasons he loved coming over. It made the transition easier for us. She'd play with him on the playground, she made Rice Krispie treats with him for the Super Bowl party, and was just always checking up on how his day was. He adored her so that's how I knew Riley was just over everything. Hopefully, he'll want to come stay the weekend and then we'll be home for good in a few short days.
I'm almost too scared to believe it could happen....
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Get Ready to Have Your Mind Blown, Part 2
I'll try to remember as much as I can from yesterday- everything's blending together because it's moving so fast!! Again, a lot to write so I'm not proofing the below- good luck! Hope it makes sense...
WEDNESDAY
Today was the big day- trying breastfeeding!! He did the 8:30am bottle feed as normal because we wanted to make sure he had ramped up enough in amount to handle a feed from me (where we can't really tell how much he's getting). I got a great report from the pediatrician- Liam has done well tolerating his feeds increasing, he's not spitting up any unusual amounts or colors, he's pooping regularly, and his belly has remained soft (a hard belly would indicate back up from an obstruction). He will have his TPN (nutrition that he's been getting through the IV in his head that feeds directly into his bloodstream via a tiny line that runs down a blood vessel to just above his heart) discontinued later that night so we can see if he'll gain weight with just the milk on his own (which he has to do to be discharged). He had a little swelling in his legs, but they think it's the extra fluids so yet another reason to discontinue the TPN.
Liam and I had a lunch date scheduled for 11am with the lactation consultant (and my mom who was back visiting before heading home). The lactation consultant was a HUGE help. Even though I breastfed Riley with ease, it was also over 6 years ago and he breastfed as soon as he was pulled out. Liam was just learning how to feed period and now we were working backwards from bottle to breast. He also has the leads and the IV line to work around too which can make things cumbersome. There was so much to remember- I was working hard!
There are many ways to get him to latch on, but we started with a belly-to-belly approach where he lays across my lap on the Boppy (a C-shaped pillow awesome for breastfeeding) with his tummy against mine and one of my arms going up his back so my hand is on the back of his head. This way I can control his head position and provide him support from the back so he feels secure. The other hand was guiding "lunch" into his mouth until he got a good hold on what he should be doing. Once he got latched on well, the consultant pointed out things to look for to make sure he was getting a good feed (head, ear, and shoulder alignment, checking his bottom lip for a good seal, making sure his nose, cheeks, and chin were right up against me so he was getting a good position, and finally listening and looking for a swallow to make sure he was getting food in him and not just treating me like a pacifier). I told you it was a lot of information!! Liam was a champ- he had no "nipple confusion" as they call it, I think he was just happy he was still getting fed he didn't care what packaging it came in!
The feed was a success and I was elated! Breastfeeding was so important to accomplish, especially for him, because my body will produce more milk if I breastfeed vs pumping (weird how it can tell a difference). It definitely saves me time because I don't spend my free moments pumping- I can do other things! Either way, I need to try to produce for him as long as I can for the first year (even if we do bottle after teething starts) because my body will specially formulate the milk to help aid his intestine repair (crazy how the body just KNOWS). You might recall the statistic the GI surgeon gave us during the consult- gastro babies that aren't fed with breast milk have a 50% higher chance of their intestines becoming necrotic (dying) and needing them cut out. Talk about pressure to keep the meals coming! Let's not forget the bonding between mother and baby when they're sharing that time nursing either. I still recall how much I loved nursing Riley, even those middle of the night feeds. Nothing better then seeing a fat baby with a milk drool all happy and sleepy after a good feed. You don't get those moments for long so I try to enjoy them while I can.
Off I went to celebrate our success with lunch with my mom, aunt, and Steve's parents. Everyone got a full update on the morning and Liam's hard work. Liam's afternoon feed was just as good so I was thrilled it wasn't a fluke. Then Shez and Mal drove me back to Daphne so I could take Riley to his basketball practice. Riley's needed some extra attention this week as he's quickly growing tired of the new arrangement. He was so psyched about going to practice so I just had to go home! It was good to be home for the second day in a row, even if it was for just a few hours. It was a gorgeous nearly-spring day and I was feeling good so Riley and I played around in the backyard for a while enjoying the fresh air and each other. He had a great night at practice and has really learned a lot in the short season. You can tell he's really trying to master the new skills- his coach is pretty great with the kids.
Again, the day ended all too soon and Steve and I were back on the road to Pensacola to see Liam for the evening. Riley didn't lose it when we left, but he was also nonchalant. It was probably better to not make a big production of us going. I still get sad when we start driving back to Florida. I'm ready to be living in my house again and not just visiting. I'm ready for all of my family to be under one roof. I'm ready for Riley to meet his brother.
The report Steve and I got when we made it up to NICU was that Liam had a great dinner-time feed from a bottle. Switching back and forth has been ok so far! Liam and I got to show off to daddy what we had worked so hard on that day- our night time feeding. Steve was impressed with how great Liam did breastfeeding. Another milestone passed! Now we just need to make sure this is a consistent thing- go Liam, go!
WEDNESDAY
Today was the big day- trying breastfeeding!! He did the 8:30am bottle feed as normal because we wanted to make sure he had ramped up enough in amount to handle a feed from me (where we can't really tell how much he's getting). I got a great report from the pediatrician- Liam has done well tolerating his feeds increasing, he's not spitting up any unusual amounts or colors, he's pooping regularly, and his belly has remained soft (a hard belly would indicate back up from an obstruction). He will have his TPN (nutrition that he's been getting through the IV in his head that feeds directly into his bloodstream via a tiny line that runs down a blood vessel to just above his heart) discontinued later that night so we can see if he'll gain weight with just the milk on his own (which he has to do to be discharged). He had a little swelling in his legs, but they think it's the extra fluids so yet another reason to discontinue the TPN.
Liam and I had a lunch date scheduled for 11am with the lactation consultant (and my mom who was back visiting before heading home). The lactation consultant was a HUGE help. Even though I breastfed Riley with ease, it was also over 6 years ago and he breastfed as soon as he was pulled out. Liam was just learning how to feed period and now we were working backwards from bottle to breast. He also has the leads and the IV line to work around too which can make things cumbersome. There was so much to remember- I was working hard!
There are many ways to get him to latch on, but we started with a belly-to-belly approach where he lays across my lap on the Boppy (a C-shaped pillow awesome for breastfeeding) with his tummy against mine and one of my arms going up his back so my hand is on the back of his head. This way I can control his head position and provide him support from the back so he feels secure. The other hand was guiding "lunch" into his mouth until he got a good hold on what he should be doing. Once he got latched on well, the consultant pointed out things to look for to make sure he was getting a good feed (head, ear, and shoulder alignment, checking his bottom lip for a good seal, making sure his nose, cheeks, and chin were right up against me so he was getting a good position, and finally listening and looking for a swallow to make sure he was getting food in him and not just treating me like a pacifier). I told you it was a lot of information!! Liam was a champ- he had no "nipple confusion" as they call it, I think he was just happy he was still getting fed he didn't care what packaging it came in!
The feed was a success and I was elated! Breastfeeding was so important to accomplish, especially for him, because my body will produce more milk if I breastfeed vs pumping (weird how it can tell a difference). It definitely saves me time because I don't spend my free moments pumping- I can do other things! Either way, I need to try to produce for him as long as I can for the first year (even if we do bottle after teething starts) because my body will specially formulate the milk to help aid his intestine repair (crazy how the body just KNOWS). You might recall the statistic the GI surgeon gave us during the consult- gastro babies that aren't fed with breast milk have a 50% higher chance of their intestines becoming necrotic (dying) and needing them cut out. Talk about pressure to keep the meals coming! Let's not forget the bonding between mother and baby when they're sharing that time nursing either. I still recall how much I loved nursing Riley, even those middle of the night feeds. Nothing better then seeing a fat baby with a milk drool all happy and sleepy after a good feed. You don't get those moments for long so I try to enjoy them while I can.
Off I went to celebrate our success with lunch with my mom, aunt, and Steve's parents. Everyone got a full update on the morning and Liam's hard work. Liam's afternoon feed was just as good so I was thrilled it wasn't a fluke. Then Shez and Mal drove me back to Daphne so I could take Riley to his basketball practice. Riley's needed some extra attention this week as he's quickly growing tired of the new arrangement. He was so psyched about going to practice so I just had to go home! It was good to be home for the second day in a row, even if it was for just a few hours. It was a gorgeous nearly-spring day and I was feeling good so Riley and I played around in the backyard for a while enjoying the fresh air and each other. He had a great night at practice and has really learned a lot in the short season. You can tell he's really trying to master the new skills- his coach is pretty great with the kids.
Again, the day ended all too soon and Steve and I were back on the road to Pensacola to see Liam for the evening. Riley didn't lose it when we left, but he was also nonchalant. It was probably better to not make a big production of us going. I still get sad when we start driving back to Florida. I'm ready to be living in my house again and not just visiting. I'm ready for all of my family to be under one roof. I'm ready for Riley to meet his brother.
The report Steve and I got when we made it up to NICU was that Liam had a great dinner-time feed from a bottle. Switching back and forth has been ok so far! Liam and I got to show off to daddy what we had worked so hard on that day- our night time feeding. Steve was impressed with how great Liam did breastfeeding. Another milestone passed! Now we just need to make sure this is a consistent thing- go Liam, go!
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