Conor Christopher: Three Months

Conor by month 1 // 2 //

This was by far the hardest month for all of us as it was just a month of waiting and riding the rollercoaster. And there were multiple times this month where we thought you'd be coming home - you pulled your feeding tube out and you were doing really well with taking food by mouth and then the shift changed and the nurses were coming and going and busy and your intake decreased and then you were off oxygen entirely for a day or so, but the nurses and doctors soon realized you really do need it! You were really congested this month, so everything stalled and slowed down. To be honest, it was a discouraging month for all of us, a month where my mama bear came out and we advocated hard for you and your care. And it's at the stage in the game where you really have to advocate for your babe - you were stable so you didn't get as much attention as you use to. And so began the rotation of nurses who had never had you before, which is always hard as they just aren't familiar with you. So we found ourselves talking to the charge nurse and making our voices and preferences heard. And they did all they could to at least get a nurse who had had you at least once in your 80 something days. And I think at the beginning of the month - you were in a 3 baby, 1 nurse rotation and they changed it to 2 baby, 1 nurse because you just required a little extra time with feeding. Anyhow, we advocated more for you this month than any other month, and we finally called a care meeting. And we met with your primary nurse Dani, the hospitalist, and the charge nurse to discuss a plan for you and we talked about you coming home with a feeding tube and oxygen support. In all honesty, we would have loved for you to come home without all that stuff, but once we got to the point where you were stable enough to come home, we just wanted to bring you home, feeding tube and oxygen and all. We were ready to have you in our home and under our roof and all our boys in one place...together. 

Growing // You started off the month weighing 5 lbs 7 oz and ended the month weighing 7 lbs 10 oz. 

Eating + Sleeping // You started the month eating 46 mls of fortified breastmilk over 2 hours and ended the month eating 65 mls over 60 minutes, and some of that was by mouth!! Some days were better than others with feeding, and some nurses were better than others with feeding you. You ate best for your dad and I, and one of the therapists fed you first to figure out your coordination and how you fed best, and then she had me give it a go. And you did well. You started off with really small amounts though with just like 5 ml and then 10 ml. But you'd get tired and your coordination would be off. You did a swallow study this month to determine whether you were swallowing safely and they found out that you are. So that was good! But they did cap your food intake to 20 mls by mouth and the rest by the feeding tube. But I think that lasted only a few days before your dad and I advocated for them to take the cap off and just see how you do with your intake. 

And you started using a preemie nipple and by the end of the month you were using a level 1 nipple as they realized after your swallow study that you do better with a faster flow. But they also discovered that milk gathers at the back of your throat, so we have to pace you alot with your bottles and have you suck when there's no milk in the nipple. All sorts of things we've figured out about you! 

And you've started doing some of your naps in the mamaroo!

Wearing // You are wearing newborn diapers and they have you in newborn clothes!

Loving // You are still loving those snuggles and you're just more alert and aware of those around you! But it's hard to tell what you really love right now. 

Loathing // Maybe your reflux? It's pretty bad, not that you spit up much, but it just hurts you. But it's hard to tell what you don't like. 

Milestones // They gave you caffeine to help your apnea! They decreased your oxygen from 2 liters to 1/2 liter and then they dropped it further to 1/8th of a liter and then they brought it back up to 1/2 liter because you got sick. The reality is you'll most likely be on the oxygen for awhile as they think it helps your stamina with bottle feeding. You had another hearing test and a scan of your heart! And all came back good. 

And you had a terrible episode this month that would have set you back five days if you were close to being discharged, again it's reflux related and you just hold your breath. But that was at the beginning of the month, and toward the middle of the month they started you on reflux meds and raised your bed, and by the end of the month it was pretty much managed with the meds and the wedge. The only sign you have of reflux is congestion and you do get uncomfortable when eating and after eating. 

This was the month the Drs. said we could start prepping to take you home. But you'd be coming home on oxygen and with a feeding tube! But you're old enough to go home and you haven't had any events in days. And so we began talking about the carseat trial, the training of inserting a feeding tube and how to deal with oxygen. 

And because you're so stable now, this was the month of visitors, friends and family alike. 

Jack by month 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12

Ryan by month 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12 

Ryan Alexander: Three Months

Ryan by month 1 // 2 // 

Growing // You probably weighed something around 12 lbs at the three month mark, but I weighed you yesterday, 12 days shy of four months and you weighed about 14 lbs. I wouldn't be surprised if you gained three lbs this month - you eat ALL the time!

Eating + sleeping // Mama went back to work this month, but you are taking your bottle like a champ, which is such a blessing! The beginning of your three months you gave us nearly a 6 hour stretch of sleep! Way to go bud. And you have slept for 8 hour stretches as well. You are a great sleeper...most of the time (a few weeks removed from this, and we are entering into a new realm of sleep for you - it's not quite as easy as it was a the beginning of the three month mark). Bedtime is around 8, sometimes earlier depending on when your last nap was, and I've stopped feeding you before I go to bed, and we're just letting you sleep on through. Sometimes you wake up right after I've gone to bed, and sometimes you sleep on through. We never know what we're going to get. But for the most part we know that once we feed you, you will go right back to sleep without a single peep. Having said that, we did have one moment this month where I refused to feed you...just to see what you would do and if we could get you to go back to sleep other ways. And that was an utter FAIL!! Two hours later, I finally caved, and relieved your dad of his tremendous efforts, and fed you, and guess what happened? You went RIGHT back to sleep.

Wearing // You are wearing your cloth diapers and size 1 disposables, but I did buy some size 2 diapers for when we outgrow the size 1's, which I'm imagining will be fairly soon. You are wearing 0-3 month clothes and I just recently pulled out some 6 month pjs as you were wearing the same ones over and over again.

Loving // Your new thing is sucking on your hands - you love your hands! This is really your indicator that you are starving. You love being held and you absolutely love when people hold you and smile at you and talk to you. Your whole face lights up! It's so sweet.

Loathing // Your not a huge fan of your brother getting in your face or your brother pulling on you and your clothes. But who would be right? I mean who wants a finger stuck in their mouth or in their ears right?

Milestones // You are smiling up a storm! Nothing more gratifying than that. You definitely recognize us and you are just the sweetest little person. This isn't really a milestone, but you rarely spit up - and most of your gas comes out the other end. Haha! And quite often that gas smells terrible - sometimes I get nervous people are going to think it came from me!!

Love you Ryan Alexander!! You are just the sweetest little baby. We feel so blessed to have you in our family!

  Jack by month 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12