Our little pumpkin is growing and flourishing over here! She still has a long ways to go but she is definitely continuing on the upward climb of progress and we are so grateful! They removed her nasal cannula Sunday morning so she has been off her oxygen since then and done great overall.We are so hoping and praying that she can continue to have minimal spells and not have to go back on that. So far, so good.
In the weight department, she is gaining and growing so well. She weighed 5lb 140z last night! Considering that at her lowest point five weeks ago she was 3lb 1oz, this is a pretty significant amount amount of growing! She’s got a little double chin and her cheeks are getting rounder, which is so fun. The preemie outfits have been outgrown and this week she's wearing mostly newborn size sleepers.
Madeline has been making good progress with her bottles. Her first feeding with a bottle she only could take 11ml, and then last week she took her first full feeding in a bottle, 57ml! On Sunday she did two full bottle feedings, back to back, which was incredible! Nursing hasn’t gone well but I didn’t expect it would. Both of our boys had nursing issues (tongue/lip ties) and I am quite confidant Madeline has a tongue tie as well. Plus, she is a preemie, and from what we’ve heard, it always takes a long time for preemies to learn how to nurse anyways, other issues aside. She’ll latch and suck occasionally, and some “sessions” are better than others, but overall it isn’t anything consistent or even close to a feeding.
The times she is awake and alert are so so sweet. She still mostly sleeps but there are little bitty pockets of awake time. She has started making eye contact and sometimes wakes up in the morning when I walk into her room and start talking to her. Today she gave me her first smile and I about melted into a puddle! It was beyond precious!
The question we commonly get from people is “so how soon can she go home?” From the very beginning we have intentionally prepared ourselves for her to be here at least until her due date, September 14th. So that is what I tell myself. Technically of course it could be later or earlier. We just really don’t know. She has to go five days without any spells and then obviously she has to be taking all of her feedings on her own. Once those two things happen, we can take her home. With still having one or two spells a day and only typically doing one or two of her eight daily feedings on her own, that gives a little perspective of hurdles that are still ahead of her.
She has made a lot of progress though and we are focusing on that. We know that every day we get closer and closer to taking her home and we are grateful that she is stable and growing!
Did I mention that double chin?? 😍
She always likes to put her hands up above or beside her head when I am doing skin to skin with her, and it is the cutest thing!
Have a blessed Thursday, everyone, and thanks again for your prayers, comments, and support!
-Chels
