Explosivo!

Mama was nursing the boy this evening when a powerful force erupted from his pants. The sound was similar to his usual gassy emissions, but Mama knew this was something new as soon as she felt the warmth on her leg. These pictures tell the tale...










Along with our first blowout diaper, we also had our first real on-purpose, wide-awake smile today. We didn't catch that one on film, but we'll try to get the next one for the blog.

Yesterday was Samson's one month (adjusted age) birthday and he has now reached 10 lbs, 2 oz. Whew-hoo!

Baby's First Christmas Ornaments

Samson is excited to check out his very own tree decorations. The Santa suit at the top was a gift from his buddy Weston and the teddy bear at the bottom came from Deb and Peter in Kansas City. Thanks and happy holidays, friends!

Daddies wear babies, too

We've found that Samson enjoys being held snugly in this wrap and it's a great way to keep him calm and happy while we're able to use our hands to do whatever needs doing. Typically, he goes right to sleep in the wrap and will remain content for a couple of hours, something he rarely does when sleeping in his bassinet.

We have the Ultimate Baby Wrap, but there are several other similar wraps out there including the Moby Wrap, Maman Kangourou, Ellaroo, Sassy Wrap, Hugabub, and Cuddly Wrap. You can even make your own with instructions online here.

We prefer this kind of carrier to a pouch or ring-sling because

• it's the most versatile in the number of different holds, including an upright position that works for babies with reflux,
• it's least physically stressful for both wearer and baby,
  
• a person of any size can use it so Mama and Daddy can share one, and
  
• it allows you to wear a baby from newborn size to pre-school aged.

The downside is that it takes a little more practice to learn how to use and it can get a a little warm if you're wearing cold weather clothes underneath.

For more info on the benefits of baby wearing, check out these links:
http://www.thebabywearer.com/
http://www.wearsthebaby.com/
http://www.wearyourbaby.org/
http://www.askdrsears.com
http://www.lalecheleague.org

I love my Paw-paw

Now we're mommies.

Horseshoe Lounge, 1999(?)









Ang's Baby Shower, 12/2006

Daddy and Me

12/10/2006

Party Animal

Samson impressed everyone with his stamina on Saturday by staying content and fuss-free for an amazing 4 whole hours while we attended Angela & Scott's baby shower. We weren't sure how he'd react to the situation, but to our relief, he pretty much napped in Mama's sling the whole time except during our two trips to the upstairs nursery for his feedings.

What a confidence booster for Mama & Daddy! Now we're thinking we might venture out in public more often for something more fun than doctor's visits. It would certainly help Mama's mental health to get dressed and leave the house from time-to-time, rejoining the "real" world.

This picture shows Mama & Samson with his pal Annabelle, her Aunt Kelsey, and Mama Jen. The Webb girls have each had new babies in the past year and they shared lots of encouraging tales of their experiences with colicky newborns and baby blues. The common theme we kept hearing throughout the party was, "Yes, this time is absolutely soul-crushing, but it goes by quickly and your life will become more manageable soon. Hang in there!"

And then there was that one lady, I'm guessing she was in her mid-fifties, who talked about how her 4 kids (all full term and formula fed, of course) all slept through the night as soon as they came home from the hospital, and babies who don't sleep just need to get some solid food in their bellies. Um, thanks for sharing....

Still Growing Fast

Someday, these posts will focus on more cheerful subjects, but for now we continue our medical updates.

Friday, the family was on the road going to doctors, the pediatrician in the morning and the pediatric gastroenterologist in the afternoon. The first visit was to look at a rash that has taken over baby's face, neck, and ears; this seems to be normal newborn acne and we are relieved that it should resolve on its own. The second visit was to look at Samson's digestive problems, adjust his medications, and talk about any new strategies to minimize his reflux, cow milk protein sensitivity, and colic symptoms.

The good:

• Weight = 9 lbs 5 oz
• Feeding = all meals by breast; finally, no more bottles & round-the-clock pumping!
  
• The cow milk protein sensitivity is likely to resolve by 10 months of age, and Mama can start reintroducing some dairy (small amounts, always with other food) into her diet by April or May.
  

The bad:

• Reflux is still a problem, although he will probably outgrow this eventually. We have tripled his Prilosec dosing and will monitor progress for 3 weeks; if we don't see improvement, the GI doc wants to do a GI study by X-ray, which will require Samson to fast for 4 hours -- hello, misery!
• The GI upset related to the cow milk protein sensitivity will take some time to heal, and the high acid content in breast milk continues to irritate those inflamed tissues. This means that the colic is likely to continue for a while.

Tomorrow, Samson will have his first outing that isn't related to a doctor's appointment. We're attending a baby shower and Daddy & Mama will take turns being sequestered with the baby in a bedroom while the other participates in the party for a few minutes. We'll give a full report on this momentous occasion then.

One month later, we're still in Punxatawney

Monday marks Samson's first month at home since leaving the hospital. It is 2 months and 10 days since his birth, but his adjusted age is only 13 days. This means that Samson is still very much a newborn baby in his development and behavior, so our 24 hour routine still looks like that of a family with a brand new baby.

Ever see that movie (one of the best movies ever) "Groundhog Day" with Bill Murray? That's kind of how Mama and Daddy are living these days. Every day is the same, except in our case, the cycle repeats itself about every 2 hours: feed the boy, burp the boy, try to catch all of the projectile spit-up, hold the boy upright for 30 minutes (to minimize his reflux); if he falls peacefully asleep, place him in his bassinet and use the next hour to clean & ready bottles, pump breastmilk, take a nap, eat a meal, or do another chore; listen and watch for the boy's hunger cues, get another bottle ready, change his diaper, and start again. We keeping thinking, "Maybe today is the day where he sleeps for 4 hours straight," or "Maybe today is the day when he'll nurse well enough to get his whole meal from the breast," or "Maybe tonight is the night when he'll fuss for less than one hour," or "Maybe it's April, our lives have returned to something sort of normal, and we can go out to eat at a restaurant."

Samson does not sleep for more than 2 hours at a time, and usually it's more like 60 minutes. As a result, Mama and Daddy are basically insane from a month's worth of sleep deprivation. We try to trade off in shifts so that each of us can get at least 3 hours straight sleep, but it is almost impossible with the pumping, since Samson inevitably is shrieking through a colic episode when Mama needs to pump, so Daddy has to wake up & comfort him for 30 minutes until Mama is done.

The good news is that Samson seems to be doing better with his tummy trouble, and he's spending much less time screaming & contorting in pain at night. Even though we're not sleeping, it's a little bit calmer, a little less stressful time. He's also enjoying more, about two stretches of 60 minutes or so, of what we like to call "Sammy Time," when he is content to lie on his back and look around, making funny/cute sounds, and pumping his fists and feet in the air. Sammy Time is SO much better than Hammer Time.

Health Update
After 10 days on Nutramigen hypoallergenic formula, Samson still had blood in his stool (not visible to the eye, but positive on lab tests), so we decided to go ahead and return to an all breastmilk diet on Friday. By this time, most of the cow milk protein should be out of Mama's system, and the advantages of breastmilk far outweigh those of the formula. Plus, Samson is still gaining weight like a champ (8 lbs, 10 oz now), and his pediatrician says he looks healthy in every other way. We have an upcoming appointment with a pediatric GI specialist to look further to find the cause(s) and cures for Samson's bleeding.

So now we're back on the breastfeeding project. Samson's suckle power has improved dramatically over the past two weeks, but he still has trouble with his latch. This is probably because his mouth and facial muscles & nerve systems are still maturing, and also because he has been bottle feeding since he first began eating, and he has a learned to thrust his tongue forward in a way that makes his latch too shallow for nursing. Doulas Veronica and Ryka will be coaching us this week to correct this problem. Our goal is to be off the pump & bottle by the new year.

Christmas Elves
On Tuesday, some family came over to deliver a home-cooked meal and some holiday cheer. Aunt Jane, and Cousins Janice and Amanda put up our Christmas tree and got the chance to meet Samson in person for the first time. Thanks, Waltons!














And last weekend, we had visits from Uncle Kevin, Aunt Kelly, and Cousin Lauren.














Aunt Kelly first offered to stay over and take a 3 hour night shift so Mama and Daddy could get some sleep, but after experiencing a few hours of Hammer Time, she bailed and drove back to San Antonio in the middle of the night. Wuss!

Eight Pounds

Our boy is an eating machine. He gained 9 ounces in 4 days and is consuming enough formula for a baby that weighs 3 pounds more than he does. We are working hard to convince him that he isn't hungry after eating a reasonable meal for a person his size. Oink-oink!

As the volume of his feeds comes down to a reasonable level (and the CMA problem is resolved), much of his colic symptoms (reflux and gas pains) should dissipate, meaning less discomfort for Samson and more nighttime sleep for Mama & Daddy.

Tonight, we're on our own again after having had three blissful nights with a doula, Ryka, over to take care of Samson while we got some sleep. For the past three nights, Daddy got 6 straight hours while Mama still had to get up to pump milk, so hers was broken into two blocks of three hours.

Now that we're rejuvenated, we hope we can better manage the nightly ritual we call "Hammer Time." This starts after Samson's 9pm feed, when he begins to get more and more irritated, gassy, and inconsolable, and it lasts until about 4am, with brief 15-30 minute stretches when he sleeps. Daddy and Mama take 3 hour turns comforting the wailing baby, patting and bouncing, walking and talking, singing and humming, swaddling and holding, feeding and burping, wiping and changing. When the sun finally comes up, Samson is exhausted and finally quiets down to sleep, while Mama and Daddy collapse to steal a hour or so nap between feeds & pumping, and the daily cycle begins again. Here we go...

Pictures from Two Weeks at Home

Hello, handsome!
(11/14/2006)















Sleeping Angel/Tyrant
(11/18/2006)















Happy Face
(11/18/2006)




















Hands
(11/21/2006)















Is it time for lunch yet, Mama?
(11/22/2006)

The next thing...

Well, everytime we think we're home free, something new comes up.

This week's crisis is that Samson has developed what looks like an allergy to cow's milk proteins, and that has resulted in bloody, mucusy stool, increased reflux, and severe colic. The cow milk proteins are passed to him through breastmilk after Mama has eaten her usual diet of 75% cheese & yogurt. So, starting yesterday we're back to square one on pumping milk full time and no breastfeeding. Samson will have to drink special non-dairy, hypoallergenic formula for a week or two while Mama goes on a strict non-dairy diet to detox. After that, we start again on the breast and see how it goes.

The trouble with the strict non-dairy diet is that there are hidden dairy products in lots of prepared foods, things you wouldn't imagine. Casein, whey, and anything starting with the prefix "lact-" is off limits, so any prepared foods with added protein-based thickeners are no-nos. Some foods that are labeled "non-dairy" still have some of these cow milk protein-derived additives. Also, many foods that do not have milk products in the recipe may be produced on machinery that also produces dairy-based foods, so they're off limits, too. No butter, no chocolate, no ice cream, no seasoned snack foods (bye-bye Nacho Doritos), no creamy sauces of any kind, and no fast foods, because you can't trust the restaraunts to tell you the truth about what's in their food.

The good news is that Samson has become a new baby since his switch to the gentle formula yesterday. He's crying much less and sleeping more, and we're getting to enjoy some pleasant times together. It's a relief to see him in a state other than discomfort and to get to know him when he's not in distress.

Another positive point is that most babies outgrow CMA and do just fine with dairy at 2-3 years of age. Samson may get to experience the joy of quesadillas some day...

Also adding to our relief is that our new doula, Veronica, started today. For four hours on weekdays through Christmas, we now have an extra set of hands to help with baby care and to give us some respite for a nap or a meal or chores that need doing. The doulas are experts on new baby care, breastfeeding, and special health needs like ours, so we can rest easy with Samson in their hands. This service ain't cheap (we're basically burning through our savings, or what's left before we start paying our share of the medical bills, and I don't even want to think about *that* figure...), but it is SO worth it in order to preserve what's left of our sanity. If anyone is thinking of sending a Christmas present to the family or birthday gift to Mama, please consider making a contribution to the doula fund.

Thanksgiving

Just a quick post to say: don't worry! We haven't been online in a while; too busy to type. Samson is doing great, up to 7 lbs now. He has passed his first 2 pediatrician visits with flying colors and just had his follow-up opthamology visit yesterday with no evidence of retinopathy. Yay!

We've got lots of pics to post, but just haven't had time to get them off the camera and onto the computer. This weekend, we hope...

Tomorrow, some wonderful friends will be coming by to drop-off some home-cooked Thanksgiving food for our first family holiday together. Our list of blessings is long this year, but we are most thankful for the people in our lives who have helped us during these past two long months:

• the midwife who sent us to the hospital when things didn't seem quite right;
• the doctor who read Mama's symptoms correctly and ordered the right tests to determine the source of the problem;
• the NICU staff who gave Samson the best care possible for the first 42 days of his life outside the womb;
• the loved ones who have brought an endless supply of food, baby gear, and comforting sentiments;
• the lactation consultant who saved Mama's boobs and showed us a light at the end of the "triple-feeding" tunnel
• the Daddy who has been Mama's constant support, cheerleader, and partner, and who skillfully does everything for Samson that Mama does (except for the breastfeeding);
• the Mama who never gave up on making "bestmilk" for Samson, even through spending 8 hours a day hooked up to a pump or doing the work to prepare and clean-up afterwards, and enduring repeated failed attempts to relieve the daily excruciating pain until the proper meds were prescribed to cure the bacterial mastitis; and, of course
  
• the Baby who has added an indescribable intensity to our lives, opening our hearts to possibilities that we never contemplated before, and already teaching us too many lessons to recount here.
  

What are you thankful for this year?

Single parents amaze us & RSV sucks

As I type, Samson is lying in his bassinet (thanks, PaPa and Grandma Buras!), quietly alert and making adorable grunts and sighs, between hiccups and yawns. He just had his late lunch and will soon be sleeping soundly.

So far, so good. We have survived our first 30 hours with the new baby at home, and even got about 6 hours sleep each last night (though not at the same time, and not in a consecutive block).

Being able to have Mama and Daddy both at home to share baby care duty is such a tremendous blessing. Because Mama is still pumping lots of milk until Samson gets strong enough to eat all of his calories by breast, Daddy gets to feed the baby by bottle every other 2-3 hours while Mama either sleeps, pumps, or tackles a household chore. Daddy also keeps the bottles & pump supplies cleaned & sterilized, changes diapers & soaks up spit, and keeps Mama fed & hydrated. Without a tag-team partnership, we can't imagine how all of this could possibly work. As far as Mama is concerned, Daddy is the best baby-daddy in the universe.

Samson seems to be a pretty jolly fellow. For the most part, he only cries when he's hungry or having a bout of reflux (which seems to happen about once per night and can only be soothed by holding him upright against your chest, patting his back firmly, and bouncing while saying in a sing-song voice, "I know, sweet boy. I know. Tell me about it."). After his experience living in a bus bin at the NICU for his first 6 weeks of life, he is content to relax in his crib and doesn't demand a lot of help to fall asleep. Noise and light don't bother him, either. The only downside is that he does tend to be most active at night, as the routine in the NICU dictates that most handling of the babies occurs then. We'll be working to switch his days and nights around over the next few weeks.

And the restrictions never end...

Tomorrow is Samson's first outing (since the trip home), to have his first pediatrician appointment. Beyond those and other doctor visits, he'll be in semi-isolation at home for the next 4 - 6 weeks. This is because September through May (but especially the winter) is RSV season in Austin, and preemies are particularly susceptible for their first 2 years of life. This virus can be deadly for preemies, and the best way to protect them is to keep them from contact with people (especially other children).

Visitors to the Hobbit Hole will be required to wash hands and there'll be a "no kids touching the baby" rule until Spring. Additionally, anyone who has received recent vaccinations with live viruses (such as the Flu Mist vaccine that is inhaled) can't have contact with Samson for 6 weeks past the exposure.

We hope everyone will bear with us as we do our best to protect our little guy from any more hospital stays.

Samson has left the building

Hallelujah!

Samson is home, as of 10:30a Texas time. He's already had his first trip through the Taco Shack drive-thru, his first risky diaper-change on the striped sofa, his first bottle given start to finish by Daddy, and his first nap in his Travel Lite Crib.

Woo-hoo! We are SO overjoyed that our family is finally all together.

We'll be getting adjusted over the next few days and not picking up the phone, so please don't worry if you call and we don't answer.

Set him free already...

The doctors had been telling us that at some point, it would be like a light bulb turned on in Samson's brain and suddenly he'd be an expert suckler, ravenous for nipples and able to keep going long enough to get a full meal at each try. Well, it looks like that day may be here, and it means that we're getting very close to putting him in that fancy carseat and bringing him home to the Hobbit Hole. Here are Sammy's latest stats:

Age: 5 wks, 3 days
Adjusted: -18 days
Gestational: 37 wks, 3 days
Weight: 5 lbs, 12.5 oz
Feeding: All nipple, every 3 hrs; 58 cc by bottle; ?? by breast; gavage at nurse's discretion, depending on volume consumed by nipple

Now we can go in at any of his feeding times and attempt to nurse. This is a huge relief, since it makes our schedule much more flexible and we can try to avoid the horrible gridlock during rush hours. Plus, Mama gets to spend more time holding Samson "skin-to-skin," which helps with increasing the hormones that raise milk production levels.

But enough with the details. We know you're only visiting to see the latest pics. Here you go:

Ahhh... relaxing after a long lunch














Interesting. This time, she's wearing the color of my diaper contents.













Okay, enough admiring me. Off with the shirt, woman, and give me my breakfast!

There's No Time

Sorry it's been a while since the last post. Mama and Dad are in constant motion and the blog has been on the back burner this week. Here's the latest on Sammy:

Gestational Age: 37 weeks
Weight: 5 lbs, 8 oz
Feeding: Nipple, Nipple, Gavage (meaning 2/3 of his meals are by bottle or breast now)
Meds: Prilosec for GERD (reflux); multivitamin; iron supplement

Today is Saturday, so no rush hour traffic to/from the hospital - yay! Except that it's also a home game at UT, so all streets leading to/from UT around game start/finish will be packed - boo! Gotta get going so we'll be there in plenty of time for the 4:30 nursing session.

We've got lots of stories to tell about our adventures as parent advocates this past week (let's just say that we won't be getting any holiday cards from Charge Nurse Kitty), but those will have to wait for another time. Instead, enjoy these recent shots of cuteness:

First Holiday
You can see a short video clip of this momentous occasion here.
















Proud Papa

Samson, someday after puberty you, too, may have such luxurious locks of curls. Don't worry. The coolest chicks dig the mad scientist look.














The Private Room

Now we can breastfeed in peace, regardless of time of day or night. Sometimes it pays to have a Mama who doesn't settle for arbitrary and subjective enforcement of illogical hospital policies, even if it means that we are now known as "those" demanding parents.

36 Weeks or T Minus 4 Weeks

Yesterday marked Samson's 4th week outside the womb, but in preemie-land, we say that he's "36 weeks," meaning he's reached the point at which he would have been 36 weeks gestation. For premature babies, until they're 2-3 years old, you are supposed to use their adjusted age to measure their growth and development. So, around November 25th, Samson will be 0 years old and we'll start counting up from there.

Mama and Baby Smurf




















Latest Stats:

• Weight: 4 lbs 15.5 oz
• Nipple Feeds: 4x/day (mix of bottle-fed breast milk and nursing)
  
• Feed volume: 48cc every 3 hrs
• Supplements: Multivitamin, plus liquid iron and sodium, mixed with first bottle of the day
  

And when will Samson come home? WE DON'T KNOW, okay? We hope it will be soon, but he has to get up to 8 nipple feeds/day and go for 7 days with no bradycardia or apnea episodes before he can be released. We probably have another week to 10 days in the NICU, if we're lucky. Until then, enjoy this new series of "The Many Faces of Sam-so-nite":

Sammy's Home Away from Home

This is the crib where Samson now spends most of his time. While he sleeps, the thick blanket shields his eyes from light and muffles some of the noise in the busy room. There are 7-9 more just like this in the Continuing Care nursery.

When we come to visit, our routine is:

1. Greet the nurse on duty. If she's new, learn her name and try to figure out if she's gonna be a friend or foe (we've had our share of both).

2. Open the cover and see how Samson's doing. Is he awake or asleep? Does he have spit on his collar, blanket, or around his head? Is he still swaddled, or has he managed to escape his confines? Is he positioned on his belly, back, or side? Does he look peaceful or agitated? Does he look like he wants to suck his pacifier for the next 5 minutes before he can get his milk?

3. Check his temperature. Find his digital thermometer (which gets put in a different place by almost every nurse) and unwrap his blankets. Stick the sensor in his armpit and hold his arm in place until the reading is complete (usually a LONG couple of minutes while Samson begins to get irritated). Hope the temp is at least 97.7 so the nurse won't put a negative report in his chart.

4. Change his diaper, which is 99% likely to be full of green cottage cheese poop. Get some gauze squares and take to the sink to moisten with warm water; baby wipes aren't used in the NICU, since any resulting contact dermatitus (that a rash to you and me) could be confused with a more serious infection. Unwrap the burrito boy, place the new diaper underneath his bottom, quickly but carefully open the old diaper, and race as fast as possible to wipe off the sticky poop and close the new diaper before a new poop-pee combo shoots out the respective spouts. If the clothes are damp or dirty, change those, too, but hurry before the baby erupts in protest.

5. Prepare for nursing session. Close the curtains around Samson's bay and bring in chairs for Mama (and Dad, if he's there). Get out the camera (to capture those cute smiles once the belly is full), the My BrestFriend (yep, that's how they spell it) wrap-around pillow, the silicone nipple shield (so baby can get his tiny mouth around Mama's massive nipple), a burp cloth, a few extra blankets, a wrap to cover Mama's skin, and the contraband beverage bottle (so that Mama's milk doesn't turn to cream cheese from dehydration; drinks for non-babies are forbidden in the NICU - "infection hazard" - so we have to sneak in something for Mama's thirst). Ask the nurse to warm up a small bottle of previously pumped breast milk, so Sammy doesn't go away hungry if he gets too tired on the breast (it takes preemies a while to build up the strength to get all of their nourishment through nursing). Note the time - he only gets 30 minutes to feed, so each session is a race against the clock.

6. Pick up the baby. Make sure he has on a hat & plenty of cover so he doesn't get too cold. Grab his four sensor wires in one hand (so they don't become tangled & disconnected) and then pick up the boy. While holding the wires & baby in your right hand, wrap the nursing pillow around your waist and secure with velcro. Wedge yourself back into the chair, place a blanket between the wipeable pillow and the baby, and rest the baby on his side, facing you, head near the breast to be nursed. Hold the baby with one hand while removing all the layers of clothing between breast and boy, keeping his backside & limbs well covered. Apply the nipple shield, get the baby in a correct hold, and tempt him to latch-on. Laugh at his growls and grunts as he attacks his target.

7. Feed the baby. If he seems too sleepy or rests too long between suckles, caress his scalp, stretch out his arm, or wiggle the nipple in his mouth to get his attention. If he's still too sleepy, sit him up and pat his back, open up some of his covers, and/or change to a different nursing position. If Dad's here, grab the chart and see what they're saying about Samson today; hurry before the nurse comes in a gets defensive about you seeing the chart. Nurse for 30 minutes (or longer if the RN gets too busy to interrupt), and then switch to the faster flowing bottle. Let him eat as long as he is interested or until the nurse insists that "It's time for him to go back to bed, as he is burning too many calories and won't gain any weight if we let him suck for too long."

8. Burp the baby. Sit him up with a burp cloth underneath his chin and firmly pat his back. This may need to happen a few times during the feed, or only at the end. Sometimes, there is no burp; sometimes there is one big, loud burp. Sometimes there is a silent, wet spit-up burp. Sometimes, there is a huge spit-up and we worry that he just lost half his lunch. Wonder if you should tell the nurse about the state of the burp (or lack thereof), and which type results in a negative report in his chart.

9. Hold the baby. He may be sound asleep, quietly alert, or screaming for mercy (or more milk). Enjoy the precious time feeling the weight of the boy in your arms and having him gaze into your eyes. Wonder when he will finally come home.

10. Return the baby to his crib after the nurse reminds you, "Isn't it time for you to go pump?" Re-swaddle him tightly and place his bendy-bumpers and Freddy-frog barriers around him so that he feels secure. Place some gauze or a burp cloth under his chin in case he spits in his sleep. If it's a good day, he continues to sleep soundly and doesn't notice you leaving. If it's a bad day, he shrieks uncontrollably as if to say, "How can you leave me again in this terrible place? Come back!"

11. After pumping milk and turning it in to the nurse on duty, shuffle out to the car and cry a little. Remind yourself that this won't last forever. He's your son and he's gonna be with you as soon as he is strong enough to come home.

Quick Status Report - Day 25

Weight: 4 lbs, 11 oz
Feeding: 44 cc every 3 hours, 3 breastfeeding sessions and 1 bottle feed; additional nipple feeds added as tolerated
Meds: None! Stopped caffeine on Monday.
Bed: Open bassinet

Did I mention that Samson moved to the Continuing Care Nursery (aka Level II) section of the NICU on Saturday night? This place is SO much more comfortable than the Level III section, as the babies are more stable and the noise & activity level is much lower. There are about 10 babies there and 3-5 babies per nurse. Our stress level (and surely Sammy's) has fallen a few notches with this move. Now it's all about sleeping, eating, & growing. No more needle sticks, no more terrible treatments. It won't be long now....

Horns 22, Huskers 20

A Date on Friday Night

Mama and Daddy had a romantic dinner for two at the DQ drive-through on the way to the NICU last night. We were in a hurry to get there on time for one of our favorite shared activities: bathing the boy. You can view some pre-bath action video here. See Daddy clean-up spit just before being sprayed by pee-pee from precious progeny - priceless.

Here is Samson, post-bath, wrapped in his Swaddle Me. The nurses call this the "Burrito Baby" look. It's very fashionable in the NICU.

Day 20 Status Report:
- Weight: 4.5 lbs
- IV removed! Now only 4 wires attached, all painless sensors to monitor heart rate, temp, blood oxygen saturation, and... I forget the other one.
- Antibiotics complete. Now only receiving caffeine for apnea, and this will be weaned before he comes home.
- Feeding: 40 cc every 3 hours, still 2 nipple feeds/day. Breast milk is fortified with some additional calories and vitamins to help with weight gain.
- Officially entering "feeder/grower" status at 21 days post-delivery (35 weeks gestational age). This means that his job is to eat well and get fatter (how can I get that gig?)

There's a great deal of jargon in the preemie/NICU world. If we ever use a term here that doesn't make sense, dear reader, check out this glossary from the Tiny Miracles Foundation.

Cutest Smile in the World

Quick Status Report - Day 18

Weight: 4 lbs, 6 oz
IV: no fluids, only a lock to load the twice daily antibiotics until 10/21
Breathing: Nasal cannula is gone! No A/B episodes today.
Meds: Caffeine, Vancomycin
Labs: Stool still negative for blood
Routine Cranial Ultrasound: no evidence of bleeding
Feeding: 38cc every 3 hours, 2 nursing sessions/day, 1 bottle/day (the rest by gavage); if continuing to tolerate well, up feeds by 5 cc every 4th feed
Other notables: Umbilical stump fell off today! Excellent nursing sessions at 10:30am and pm with the aid of the nipple shield (which makes the nipple more noticable in the mouth, encouraging the baby to suckle more effectively).

Tonight's nurse was Dina, someone we met in the first few days when Samson first moved to Bay 1. She, too, had a 32-weeker by emergency c-section after developing HELLP syndrome. Her story gives us much hope, as her daughter is now 8 years old and about to achieve a black belt in karate.

Our first homespun gift, a blanket knitted by Aunt Zaney:

It Takes a Village

We have a most wonderful group of friends. They gave us a party to welcome Samson into the world and remind us of the community that will support us through this rough patch and the peaks and valleys to come. Here are some of the scenes from the day:

Best cake ever


Some of Mama's side of the family















A fraction of the loot


Beaumont Aunties J, M, & K

Like Father, Like Son

Comments?

Samson is pleased that so many of his friends and relatives have discovered the internet as a result of their desire to hear regular news of his adventures through this online journal (aka "blog," Papaw W). A few of his fans have asked, "How can I leave comments?" Here is a link to instructions on that. More news, shower pics, & baby pics later today. Peace - out.

P.S. This is the AWESOME reward that Daddy gave Mama for all her pain & suffering & the almost dying stuff:
Meet Bevo, the Sony Vaio TX-770P. Note the ultraportable package. Like our other new baby, he's compact but very powerful and adored by all who behold him. All LeftyMama entries are being posted from this machine, which travels effortlessly from bedroom to den to car to hospital to cafeteria and beyond in the diaper bag containing all supplies Mama needs for a day in the NICU (snacks, pumping accessories, spiral notebook, cell phone, nursing wrap, clean preemie clothes, bottle of water, etc.).