Saturday - Monday February 11-13 - Life Has a Routine

So there really isn't a whole lot to talk about for the weekend and Monday.  Which is a great thing!  Life is starting have it's own new kind of routine.  This routine is what life in the NICU means for me.  Basically it includes activities such as pumping all the time, eating as much as I can (I just can never seem to get full!), helping with the cares that Samuel goes through (changing diapers, containing him while they take his vitals or change his CPAP from mask to prongs or vice versa), kangarooing with Samuel for at least an hour, sleeping at home, and doing it all over again the next day.

I think the hardest part of this new routine is the part that it is split in between being home and being at the NICU.  When I am home and sleeping for the night I still have to wake up to pump and I don't even have Sam home with me!  So I definitely feel like a typical tired new mother, I just don't have the baby to tote around with me...  I do take naps at the NICU, if I have time (between helping with cares, pumping, eating and having visitors my time is quite short, oh and don't forget I am trying to go walking on occasion for some exercise too!).

Some positives over the last few days:

• Samuel is taking his feedings of 24mL of milk fortified with calories very well.
• He has had fewer A/B spells (apnea-breaks in breathing, bradycardia-drops in heartrate).
• He had another head ultrasound today which is looking even better!  It will be repeated in a few weeks to make sure the ventricles are the correct size still (they sometimes have swelling when there had been bleeding).
• They are talking about changing him from the CPAP (which he's been trying to wiggle out of lately) to a vapo..... which is less intrusive to babies.  We'll see if this happens this week or not, life in the NICU goes day by day!
• He continues to be a very good pooper!  Well, he's just doing great overall!