**WARNING!!! THIS POST MAY CONTAIN OFFENSIVE BREAST FEEDING LANGUAGE**
This morning we arrived at the hospital quite early hoping to make it in time for rounds. When we arrived, we learned that they had already done the rounds and they decided to take her off C-PAP!!! She was on her nasal cannula. WE GOT TO SEE HER WHOLE FACE!!! ALL AT ONCE!!! We couldn't believe it. Since she was only on the regular cannula and not the high flow, our nurse (Jami- one of our primaries) said that we could do skin-to-skin. This is also known as kanga care or kangaroo care. Basically, you take off all your clothes from the waist up and then the baby gets set on your chest wearing nothing but a diaper.
I had to pump, so we did that first. Then I got to do skin-to-skin with her. Since I had pumped, we thought we would try non-nutritive sucking. It teaches the baby to suck without drowning/choking them. This is generally difficult for some babies to learn, and since they have had a lot of negative oral stimulation they don't like it. We were optimistic because of her current love affair with the binky. When we tried it, she latched without a problem. She sucked for a quite a while before she fell asleep. She actually sucked 1 ml of milk. Then I got to cuddle with her for an hour while she slept. She had a great time and her numbers were great the whole time.
Amaree did so well that we talked about the breast feeding protocol. Right now there are several things that she has to do before she can come home. She is able to do almost all of them. The two things that she still needs to do is breathe and eat on her own. Since she did so well with the non-nutritive, we will probably begin teaching her how to eat next weekend. Once she learns how to eat she gets to come home!!! (Assuming that there are no other major problems) We are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel more clearly now.
I forgot to mention that Amaree has a great little cry. She is learning that when she cries she gets attention.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
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3 comments:
Thank you so much for all your updates! We have loved reading them all. We continue to pray for you all. I told Kerron a couple of weeks ago when times were quite a challenge for you the one thing that I remind myself of "He never said it would be easy, He only said it would be worth it!" There is nothing more precious than a baby! Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Love, Noel and Hazel Aranas and family.
SO, SO EXCITING!!! Soon she'll be coming home! YEAH!!! I agree her response to the binky should make learning to breastfeed easier. Her caregivers have been so good at including you and looking to the future in her care. Keep up the good work. Do you need preemie clothes? Sometimes doll clothes work. Please let us know. Love you guys.
That is so great! I am glad to hear that she is doing so good. Keeping my fingers crossed for you that it all continues to go uphill.
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