34 weeks gestation

Easier but harder

 

This past week has been a hard one for this mamma. They tell you bottle/nipple feeding is the hardest part about the NICU. You never realize how hard things are till you have to experience it for yourself. We are still on the rollercoaster ride but its not as up and down as it was at first. Our bumps are smaller but longer for sure.

Blakelyn gets to nipple feed 2 times a day still. The hardest part about it is that as soon as she conquers it she can go home. Its different each time she takes a bottle. One time she takes 25cc like a champ, no problems at all. The next time she is only taking 5cc and choking and desating the whole time. Then every once and awhile she will take the full bottle but never has it been for mommy or daddy only the nurses. I need to keep reminding myself that developmentally her brain/body don't fully understand the suck, swallow, breath for another week. She has been doing really good with nippling overall. Some is better then none is what we keep hearing.

This week we have reached another fun milestone.... She is now in a big girl open crib. No more isolate or port holes. Changing diapers and swaddling her is much easier now. But we were becoming pros with the isolate if I do say so myself. The hardest thing about an open crib is for her to maintain a good temperature herself with out help. The first day out she was good but on the colder side. We just wrapped her in 2 blankets, and put her in warmer clothes. That has been doing the trick and working like a charm.

She is starting to get fatter and fatter she is almost to big for the preemie clothes. It makes me sad but super happy. Its a good thing, the extra weight will help make everything in her life easier. But it is kind of sad. I am so use to this tiny 1, 2, 3 pound baby which is all I have know as a mom. I am so proud of her though all of all the progress she has made in the last 9weeks of her life. Blakelyn is now weighing 4lb 8.5oz   2,017 gr. She is a chunk hahahaha

Very first outfit!

Second outfit ever!

Her oxygen levels have been doing amazing she is now on .1 LT of flow and sitting at room air 21% oxygen. Our next step with oxygen is for it to be off and her be breathing and oxygenating on her very own. Today she has been doing amazing and breathing like a normal 40weeker. She might be fully off the oxygen and all that is left is eating on her own. That will be such a blessing to not have to take her home on monitors and oxygen. I have always assumed that would probably be the case but it will be once again another miracle.

First time in an open crib

First bath in a tub

I know everyone wants to know when she is coming home. I want to know when that day is too. Its been a hard week for this mamma knowing she can come home at anytime but she isn't ready just yet. I am so ready for that day to come. I want this phase of the NICU experience to be over so we can check the final thing off our list. But it is what it is and that day will come eventually!!!!

Thank you for all the love and support you are all still giving us. I will keep everyone updated on when coming home is getting closer.



Getting weighed like a big girl