You can never go home again, but you can go home the first time
Soon, hopefully.
The doctor said possibly this weekend. There are so many things that can prolong the stay that I’m very wary of getting my hopes up.
nicu
Right direction
Plan for today is just to let Rowan keep doing what Rowan is doing. Tube is still out. He managed to get full feeds yesterday without it.
Random blabbering
Just some random bits and pieces.
The nurses and doctors are all impressed at his nursing ability. One of the doctors mentioned twice that he had a latch score of ten. I just assumed she was just saying that as an expression. But evidently that is an actual scoring system. And preemies don’t usually get tens. His latch really is great. I think that his latch is better at one month (negative 3.5 weeks adjusted) that Lorelei’s was… ever. Though, I’m basing this partly on my lack of pain, and since I’m only nursing him twice a day it really isn’t a fair comparison.
tube-be-gone
After one false start, the ng tube is gone! It is possible that it will have to be put back in, but we are giving it a trial run to see how he does with ad lib feeding. So far he’s doing pretty well. But poor baby is really gassy and clearly has an upset tummy. The two aren’t related, but it is too bad his first day of all oral feeds is also a day he doesn’t feel great.
Big steps forwards, small steps back
Not much time to update, I want to get back to the hospital.
Yesterday they were on the verge of pulling the ng tube. He had gone from 36% oral feeding to 76% in just a day or two. And he was waking up starving before his scheduled feeds. So they were going to put him on ad lib feeding, which would mean pulling the tube. But the over the course of the day and night they had to gavage (feed through the tube) partial feedings several times. So we are going to go back to the every three hours schedule, with a minimum of 35ml, and me still weighing him before and after nursing. But if he wakes up between feeds starving, they will still offer him a bottle, because starving the kid is clearly not good. I think the amount he takes orally depends partially on the nurse on duty, and how much is going on. I think some nurses are more willing to try, or have more time to try. Also, breastfeeding wears him out. So he is going to be nursing and then I think the plan is to gavage the rest, so he isn’t using too many calories just to eat calories.
Milk monster
This kid loves nursing. The nurses and doctors have commented that he seems to like nursing way more than the bottle. Woo!