NICU Diaries: Week 6
Updates as we progress in the hospital.
Read about last week: Week 5!
Day 36: Lab Report + Pumping
It was lab day for Baby when he gets all his tests done. His chest x-rays are good, head looks good. Sodium was down, so they are putting him back on it. Sometimes decreasing the fluid helps to lessen overall swelling, so they will try increasing his added calories from 26 to 28 and then lowering the volume to make a more calorie-dense formula for him.
As a preventative measure for BPD (chronic lung disease), they will give inhaled medication to him starting at 34 weeks (possibly even a day or 2 prior). The inhaled medication is steroids and maybe albuterol to help continue to open lungs. Doctor said the chronic lung disease sounds scary, but it’s not; it just means he’s needed lung support since birth—normal and very common for babies born at 28 weeks.
The lactation consultant says my milk production is only half of where it’s supposed to be. I put so much effort into pumping (it’s like the majority of my day), but so far only enough to maintain, and that realization was discouraging. I’m already so tired, I don’t feel I have any more to give. My supply is still increasing in an upward trend, so we’re going to give it another week or 2 of trying to eat well, pumping at the bedside right after doing skin-to-skin with baby, and getting at least 4 sessions in during the day.
After 2.5 hours of skin-to-skin, I added an hour to my visit with all the pumping and getting something to eat. Breast milk is so powerful in keeping baby healthy and growing that it’s worth it.
Day 37: Open Isolette
Henry graduated to an isolette with an open top (I think it’s called a Radiant Warmer?).
His provider Miriam said he’s in the 3rd percentile for head and length, but 44th percentile for body—“short and squatty”, with a smile. I’m not worried since we’re a whole family of shorties. Then she said she hates the charts that don’t account for different people, including the BMI. “I’m strong, and the BMI doesn’t know that!” 😆
Baby’s face keeps swelling, but we will continue watching him for changes. I pumped at his bedside before/after holding skin-to-skin. During his feed while on my chest, he spit up and the feeding tube popped out. Nurse Tori had to clean us up, pop the tube back in his mouth while he made gagging noises, remove the old tape from his face using this strong-smelling stuff, and then re-tape the other side of his sweet face. My chest has little scratches from where his sharp growing baby nails have been while practicing opening and closing his fists.
Day 38: Swollen
Henry’s eyes and groin area are “slightly” swollen; I was changing his diaper and it felt like rocks 😢 Nurse Annie agreed, so Dr Jenn checked and decided to give him a one-time dose of Lasix (a diuretic) to help remove the excess fluid. It’s normal for them to use it, but it strips a little of the calcium in his bones amongst other nutrients so they don’t give it all the time. They will probably give him other medicine to counteract the loss of electrolytes. This is very mild swelling compared to what they’ve seen for others, but gosh he looked so uncomfortable and in pain unable to open his eyes and flinching at any touch in the swollen areas.
We were behind schedule by 1.5 hours with everyone busy from many births today. I held Baby for less than an hour, and he was so upset having the prongs in his nose that we had a hard time getting him to settle. We finally found a position he liked, so I did my best not to move and just gazed at his face and held his hand.
Tonight Nurse Eliza said he’s looking a lot more comfortable after the Lasix. The livestream camera is still down (for the 3rd or so time), so I’ll just have to see him in person. She gave him a lovely swaddle bath, which he loves and gets so relaxed afterwards. He gained 70g—total now is 4lbs 7oz, she called him “massive!!” 😆
Day 39: Feisty
His eyes look so much better! Not completely free of swelling, but a big improvement. This little goober has been a spicy feisty fella today 😆 Here he is looking like he’s trying to escape even though he’s all swaddled and with a weighted log on him…
He had a new nurse, respiratory therapist, and nurse practitioner today who all laughed and said he might be having a bit of a tough day, I believe because he’s been angry since they started. We went through like 4 different positions and 6 outbursts during skin to skin, but got to snuggle for most of it.
Baby is OBSESSED with sucking on his pacifier, and will often fuss or work himself into a rage with high heart rate if it falls out. He hasn’t yet learned how to keep it in and it makes that popping noise as it falls out. When his nurses need to do something other than serve as his paci-holder, they get creative! Some tried teaching him how to use his hand to secure it, swaddled him tightly with his hand up to hold it in, or laid him on his tummy with his head in the exact angle to reach his binky.
Today Nurse Krissa (??) used one of the weighted bean bags to keep his pacifier in his mouth. I just thought it was so funny because great minds think alike!
Day 40: In For It
They are weaning Baby from the NIPPV machine from 15 down to 10 today. Tomorrow the plan is to go down to 5, and then eventually “back to Bubble CPAP”.
Last night they gave him a different diuretic (to help with swelling) that pees out less potassium so he doesn’t lose too many electrolytes.
Baby’s Doctor today has a French accent, and pronounces his name “awn-ree” like the word “ornery” 😆 which fits him sometimes. The charge nurse Steff told me, “Henry was probably just over it yesterday.” His new nurse Brenda was making predictions. “He’s feisty!! But I like that because we want a fighter, don’t we? Oh you’re really in for it… but I think you know that. He’s going to be a handful especially when he starts walking and getting into his Terrible Twos, but he will be so much fun!” She said it so wistfully and longingly, as it turns out to be one of her favorite ages. Her parting words to me: “You better get lots of sleep before his toddler years.” 🫠
To do skin-to-skin, it took Respiratory therapist Camry and Nurse Brenda a bit to get Baby comfortable on me, but we did it! 💪 He settled in a position with his arms underneath him, but the nurse was worried his arms would go numb and shifted him shortly after. Of course RT Camry had to get a photo before that because we all thought he was just too cute.
Both said he’s such a tense little guy, so they put him on the waitlist for a Therapist to give him a “baby massage”. I didn’t know that massaging the babies was one of the NICU treatments, but of course the babies love it!
Day 41: Family Visit + Baby Bath
It’s been a few weeks since the kids visited Baby, so we all piled in the car at 6am. We got moved to a new private room! They all held Baby’s hands or feet while his face and bum got cleaned. I didn’t get any pics because I waited for them in the parent room (only 4 people allowed at the bedside).
Jer reveled in quality skin-to-skin time with Henry. He only gets to see Baby on the weekends. I’m starting to suspect that Baby likes Daddy better than me! He showed off how strong he is with lifting his whole body basically.
I loved seeing his beautiful open eyes ❤️❤️❤️ Such intense eye contact and staring, a serious expression and furrowed brows, visually exploring his surroundings. I think he got overstimulated as Jer repositioned him, though. Baby had hiccups, hand splaying, and finally tuckered out before having an explosion in his diaper.
Later That Night
Jer gave Baby a bath for the first time! I got to catch Baby in warm towels after, and it felt so good to hold my sweet baby who had nothing on him, not even a diaper.
Day 42: Sister Time
Happy 34 Weeks, Henry!
Last night Nurse BritLee said my freezer space for breast milk is overflowing, and they will call me if my hospital supply gets low. Pumping at 3am I used my first milk storage bag to freeze some at home. I’m working hard to pump consistently and get my milk supply up.
Lily visited Baby with me after General Conference. She did his Cares, and while I pumped she held his hand or his foot and made sure he was happy with his binky. She is such a loving and caring big sister!
Dr weaned his PEEP on the NIPPV breathing machine from 10 down to 9, and glycerin enemas again as needed since his tummy seemed really full and needing help with moving nutrients. He’s lost weight for the past 2 nights, and that’s concerning to me.
For the first time I held Baby in my arms like a big boy briefly while Nurse Lauren changed his linens. I wanted to cry from being so happy looking into his face. I knew he was happy, too, because he was screaming until the moment he came into my arms. We belong together.
Read about next week: Week 7!
Check out more weeks from our NICU journey here.
