NICU Diaries: Week 10
Baby is 37 weeks corrected gestational age.
Read about last week: Week 9!
Day 64: Rockabye Baby
It was a very busy day at home; I didn’t eat or drink properly between all the dropping off, school meetings, dog walks and feeds and vomit cleaning, laundry, etc. I wasn’t going to see Baby Henry today, but… Sometimes I walk around making kissy noises at my phone like an idiot. It’s the baby monitor and his little chubby face. Once I saw him on the hospital camera, nothing could stop me from going to him.
I visited Baby at the hospital in the evening with Jer, who got to help weigh Baby as part of Cares. 5lbs 14oz tonight! “He is acting like a real baby!” Jer said after seeing him so awake and active. 37 weeks is full term.
I got to snuggle skin-to-skin, and Jer held him swaddled while I pumped. I had soaked my hospital gown with milk while holding him. It was the first time I got to rock him now that he’s over 37 weeks old gestational. Before then the movement for them feels like nails on a chalkboard, but now he’s developed enough to enjoy a gentle rocking. He had some periods of de-sat this morning so they decided to wait to wean his Hi-flow.
We think he looks like Fletcher now, but with Walker’s powers of observation and Lily’s hairline.
Day 65: VIP
I noticed sunlight in his live stream this morning and wondered if they had moved him from our dark little corner to somewhere with windows. Henry now has a private room in Nursery C with a view of the duck pond, and it’s so spacious it feels like a VIP room! One of the ladies up front who helps arrange where the babies go gave Henry a nice area and said he’s become a big boy and needs a nice spot. I appreciated that thoughtfulness so much!!
I really struggled with being so very tired today, so I did a night visit again- this time with L. She was over the moon grinning when she held him after I did skin-to-skin with him. He is so beautiful with his giant eyes that search all over the place and studied Sister’s face. She said she could look at him forever, and held him as long as it was allowed. Many of the nurses who have taken care of Henry, especially his Primary nurse, asked about him and wanted to peek in at him. We didn’t get home until after 10pm on a school night, but we had a lot of fun together loving on Henry.
Day 66
Day 67
Day 68
Day 69
Day 70
Check out more weeks from our NICU journey here.
