I called to check on Samson this morning, and finally, some good news! At his 2 am feeding, he took half his bottle - 23 ml of the 48 ml that he gets at each feeding. He was also awake and sucking on his pacifier for his 5 am tube feeding, which is a really good sign. We've been holding him a lot and giving him "kangaroo" care, so I don't know if that really helped, or he is just perking up, but whatever the reason, I am so happy this morning.
We're waiting to hear back on his bilirubin levels, they turned the lights off at 10 pm last night and are weaning him back to his crib. I bought a camera yesterday (Chad usually has ours for work), so I will get to work on some pictures for all you wonderful fans.
Now that we are starting to move forward, I am hoping our NICU sentence is only about a week longer. YAY! Such a happy way to start my morning.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Day 6
Sorry for the later than usual update. This morning Sam's nurse got pulled away for an admission, so no one came to put him back in his isolette, so we napped with him on my chest for a couple hours. It was so nice!
He had a rough night, spitting up a lot. They were fortifying his milk, but have stopped that to see if that is the issue. His 8 am feeding he had no problems, so we will see how it goes. He didn't really make an effort at eating last night (would you if you knew it would make you puke?), and this morning he only did about 15 ml. So it feels a little like we are going nowhere, and I am feeling a little discouraged today. There is really no "typical" preemie, so he could get this figured out tomorrow or he could take weeks. Big sigh. I don't want to spend my entire maternity leave in the hospital.
He lost weight, but more than likely that's because he spit up 4 of his meals yesterday. He has so far only lost about 6.8% of his birth weight - the typical "healthy" baby loses 10%, so there is really no concern there.
Thanks for checking up on us, and keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.
He had a rough night, spitting up a lot. They were fortifying his milk, but have stopped that to see if that is the issue. His 8 am feeding he had no problems, so we will see how it goes. He didn't really make an effort at eating last night (would you if you knew it would make you puke?), and this morning he only did about 15 ml. So it feels a little like we are going nowhere, and I am feeling a little discouraged today. There is really no "typical" preemie, so he could get this figured out tomorrow or he could take weeks. Big sigh. I don't want to spend my entire maternity leave in the hospital.
He lost weight, but more than likely that's because he spit up 4 of his meals yesterday. He has so far only lost about 6.8% of his birth weight - the typical "healthy" baby loses 10%, so there is really no concern there.
Thanks for checking up on us, and keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Names
Isn't it funny how names "stick"? I'm sitting in the hospital looking around at all these things that say "Samson" and can't imagine that we might have named him Princeton or Stratton - he's such a Samson already! We are having a good day, he is up to 48 ml on his feedings, and he just did 20 ml on his own. He was very awake and alert for it too! He's passed out in his isolette again, I'm hoping he perks up for when his dad visits for his 5 pm feeding. I'm also hoping he picks up on his eating soon, because his goal keeps increasing as his weight increases, so it feels like he'll never catch up if he doesn't start making some progress!
Samson Pics
These were taken the night he was born. No, he doesn't have red hair! And while I don't love that he is stuck in the hospital, I was so happy to have a baby I could hold for at least a couple minutes after he was born this time.
Baby Sips
Yesterday Sam seemed to be a little more perky than I had ever seen him during the morning, but then was conked out all afternoon. They have scaled back and are allowing him to "attempt" his own feedings every other time, and yesterday and overnight he stayed pretty consistent at 15 ml - one third of his feeding amount. I'm hoping that with the rest and his bilirubin levels continuing to come down that we will make some progress today. It's amazing how something as simple as eating is such a chore for these little babies! He did gain 10 grams when they weighed him Monday morning, he weighs almost 5 lbs, 5 oz now.
He will be staying under the lights until Wednesday evening, unless by some miracle he starts eating. Not likely, but the doctor said the lights wouldn't be the reason he doesn't go home.
They've also started fortifying his milk with extra calories and protein, so I am hoping that might give him some extra energy. He is already showing his little personality - yesterday I was feeding him and had him laying on the outside of my gown and he pitched a GIANT fit until I situated him so that he was tucked under the gown up against my skin! So at least he is not too tired to let his opinion known!
He will be staying under the lights until Wednesday evening, unless by some miracle he starts eating. Not likely, but the doctor said the lights wouldn't be the reason he doesn't go home.
They've also started fortifying his milk with extra calories and protein, so I am hoping that might give him some extra energy. He is already showing his little personality - yesterday I was feeding him and had him laying on the outside of my gown and he pitched a GIANT fit until I situated him so that he was tucked under the gown up against my skin! So at least he is not too tired to let his opinion known!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Hunger Strike
Samson is apparently on a hunger strike, which is frustrating after he started off so well. Part of the issue may be his bilirubin levels, as babies with jaundice tend to be lethargic and not want to eat. We tried a new bottle, and that didn't seem to help any
= (
His bilirubin count did go down from 11 to 7 this morning and the nurse said he is looking a lot better, so hopefully as the day goes on, he will perk up a little more and start eating.
Gavin is being such a good kid, I was a little worried when he was acting up on Sat when they picked me up, but he has been such a good kid since then, a little sad because he just wants to see his baby, and he can't be in the NICU until he is 5. He's also slept in his own bed the last two nights!
His bilirubin count did go down from 11 to 7 this morning and the nurse said he is looking a lot better, so hopefully as the day goes on, he will perk up a little more and start eating.
Gavin is being such a good kid, I was a little worried when he was acting up on Sat when they picked me up, but he has been such a good kid since then, a little sad because he just wants to see his baby, and he can't be in the NICU until he is 5. He's also slept in his own bed the last two nights!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Welcome to the World Samson Joseph Sellers!
After I was admitted to the hospital on Monday with pre-term labor, Samson Joseph was born Thursday, January 29th a 7:58 pm. We were lucky to be able to get 2 doses of steroids to take effect before he was born, and he was breathing on his own right away. He weighed in at 5 lbs, 10 ozs and was 18 1/2 inches long. Very big for his almost 34 weeks!
He started off doing extremely well. He continues to do well, but as the case with preemies, we've started to hit a couple small hurdles. Somehow it is still difficult, even though we have been through this before and know what to expect.
His breathing is still perfect, so now we just need to get him feeding the amount that the doctors want to see out of him. Yesterday he did great as they continued to increase his feedings every 8 hours. In the middle of the night he was up to an ounce and that was kind of his breaking point. They did have to put in a feeding tube - they feed him by mouth as much as he will take, and then "top him off" so to speak with the tube. He is currently at 30 ml (one ounce) and they will increase by 5 ml after 3 successful feedings at the current amount. His goal before he can go home is 45 ml, and without the tube.
The good news is that he is no longer on IV fluids. He's also under a bili light today as his bilirubin count was high this morning, but that was also expected. They have new lights that work very quickly, so we are hoping he can be out from under those tomorrow. Unfortunately he had just gotten weaned out of an isolette and into a crib over night, but now he's back in the isolette until he doesn't need the lights. The other bad part about the lights is that well, he needs to be under them, so we can't hold him as often.
We'll try to keep updating this site, although I won't be so good with pics, etc until he gets home, as I'll be at the hospital all day during the day when Chad is working and Gav is at school. I am hoping he can be home by the end of the week. Now that I am ahead on pumping, I am hoping that he will tolerate the feedings better with milk - he was on formula most of last night, which is a high-cal formula and a lot heavier. I'm hoping if we can avoid the formula from here on out, it will be more successful.
Oh, and I should mention Samson looks nothing like Gavin, but is equally adorable. He must look just like Chad because he sure doesn't look like me!
He started off doing extremely well. He continues to do well, but as the case with preemies, we've started to hit a couple small hurdles. Somehow it is still difficult, even though we have been through this before and know what to expect.
His breathing is still perfect, so now we just need to get him feeding the amount that the doctors want to see out of him. Yesterday he did great as they continued to increase his feedings every 8 hours. In the middle of the night he was up to an ounce and that was kind of his breaking point. They did have to put in a feeding tube - they feed him by mouth as much as he will take, and then "top him off" so to speak with the tube. He is currently at 30 ml (one ounce) and they will increase by 5 ml after 3 successful feedings at the current amount. His goal before he can go home is 45 ml, and without the tube.
The good news is that he is no longer on IV fluids. He's also under a bili light today as his bilirubin count was high this morning, but that was also expected. They have new lights that work very quickly, so we are hoping he can be out from under those tomorrow. Unfortunately he had just gotten weaned out of an isolette and into a crib over night, but now he's back in the isolette until he doesn't need the lights. The other bad part about the lights is that well, he needs to be under them, so we can't hold him as often.
We'll try to keep updating this site, although I won't be so good with pics, etc until he gets home, as I'll be at the hospital all day during the day when Chad is working and Gav is at school. I am hoping he can be home by the end of the week. Now that I am ahead on pumping, I am hoping that he will tolerate the feedings better with milk - he was on formula most of last night, which is a high-cal formula and a lot heavier. I'm hoping if we can avoid the formula from here on out, it will be more successful.
Oh, and I should mention Samson looks nothing like Gavin, but is equally adorable. He must look just like Chad because he sure doesn't look like me!
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