December 26

Katen is looking good today. Her jaundice is better so she's no longer under the lights. They finally put some clothes on her and she just looks like such a little lady. She remembered to breathe all night last night after an episode during the day so there's one good one in the books. We just need 4 more good nights. She also figured out that sucking on a nipple is good news so there's another hurdle down. (She's smart like Daddy) My husband fed her from a bottle tonight and she ate her ounce of milk like a champ. This is a vast change from even yesterday when she'd forget to swallow or get too tired to suck any longer half way through the bottle. She's still on IV but we're increasing breast milk and lowering IV levels each day. They've also moved it back to her head. Katen was fairly alert today and was moving her head toward Daddy's voice when he talked to her. All in all it was a very encouraging day. One step ahead and one step closer to coming home. Those prayers are working!

Christmas 2007

Katen is still under the lights today with her cool little shades. She's still having Apnea and bradycardia episodes where she'll stop breathing, her heart rate dips under 100, and nurses have to be stimulate her to get her to breathe. Although she was born at 36 weeks and at a good weight, she's responding like a younger preemie with regard to feeding and lung function. Our NICU nurse explained that Katen needs to be episode free for 5 consecutive days before she can come home so best case scenario - she'll come home in 5 days provided that the infection clears and she begins feeding better. Her neonatologist gave Katen a supository today and she was able to have a bowel movement. She's still regurging her milk but they're increasing her feedings.
It was difficult going to Christmas celebrations today without our little one. It felt strange traveling out of town and not being near her. Our wonderful NICU nurse did let us hold her though today even though Katen was not supposed to be removed from the billy lights. That meant a lot and Brianna is a very special nurse to us for that.
We're so ready for our baby to come home. We're also glad that the NICU is taking good care of her and making sure that she's stable before sending her home. It breaks my heart to hear reports that she's stopped breathing and it kills Mike to hear it too. We both hate to see her struggle.

Christmas Eve

We ran to babies r us last night to get the rest of the baby basics we needed. We also picked up a few tiny preemie outfits that will fit her better than the newborn outfits we'd bought for her.
Katen is under the billyreubin lights today. She is jaundiced and she hasn't had a bowel movement yet. She has been taken off of oxygen and her numbers are looking good so she'll be allowed to breathe room air now. One less tube - yay! Antibiotics will continue for now. Katen is having trouble taking in food. She hasn't developed her sucking reflex yet and is regurgitating most of the breast milk she's given. She does still have a feeding tube though. They've moved her IV from her head to her arm as you can see here.

December 23

I'm being released from the hospital today. It's so hard to go home and leave Katen at the hospital. I'll be pumping at home and delivering my milk to the hospital for feedings. Katen is looking better today. Her color is better. She's looking more pink. I hope we can bring her home for Christmas.

Here's a quick picture of the new family.

December 22

I visited Katen in the NICU this morning. Usually a very strong person emotionally, I broke down sobbing in tears when I saw my tiny baby hooked up to a million tubes and struggling to breathe. I feel like such a failure as a parent already. Poor Katen must be so uncomfortable. There's a feeding tube in her nose along with a breathing tube, an IV in her head, and oxygen, body temperature, and breathing sensors all over her. I got to finally hold her and do some Kangaroo care. (Kangaroo Care is skin to skin bonding which is beneficial to preemies and mothers for health and bonding purposes.) Daddy also got to hold Katen while I went to pump breast milk. Unfortunatley her nurses in the NICU left for lunch and daddy was very upset and panicky when Katen's vital alarms started going off and he couldn't get anyone to help him. These are not the kinds of first moments with your child that you dream about.

We had many visitors today despite the horrible blizzard that is occurring. Unfortunately we couldn't show Katen off because of the "no visitors" policy in the NICU but it was nice to see close family.