Sunday, September 30, 2007

Saturday, September 29th, 2007




Daddy was feeling a little better today so Mommy brought him with her for a visit tonight. Mommy and Daddy gave me a sponge bath and then got me ready for my feeding. I am weighing in at just over 6 lbs 12 ozs now - getting bigger every day. In the last few nights they have started me on continuous feedings at night. So instead of getting 55 cc's every 3 hours (fed over 1 hour), I am getting 25 cc's per hour for 10 hours straight. Then I get my regular feedings during the day as well. They are supplementing Mommy's breast milk with a little formula to add some additional calories to keep me gaining weight. They say I am medically stable and my weight is the only concern they have right now.

Since I did so well last night with taking about 3-4 cc's of breast milk from a bottle, Mommy and Daddy tried it again tonight. I got around 4-5 cc's through the bottle in the first few minutes before I got sleepy and started to doze off. Because the nurses weren't sure if I would be able to suck hard enough and might dribble they had Mommy put a blankie below my chin and over my trach so I don't get milk in there. It wasn't a problem though, when I was awake enough to suck I got it right down without a problem - no dribbling! Mommy and Daddy are going to continue with the bottle feedings to give me practice building my jaw muscles and to hopefully prepare me to someday get rid of my g tube and take oral feedings like a regular baby.

Mommy and Daddy have set a tentative "rooming in" date at the hospital for next Saturday. Then, they can hopefully take my home on Sunday if all goes well. The nurse told Daddy that the room in the hospital is in the same area as the NICU. It is set up like a hotel room and that is where parents stay with their babies overnight or several nights so they can practice taking care of their babies while nurses are still close by. Mommy and Daddy have done so well with my trach care that the nurses are sure they will do just fine. It just so happens that my Aunt Kristin is coming to visit me that weekend so we'll have to see if they will let her stay as well or if she will have to stay home and take care of my furry brothers. I have changed so much since the last time she has seen me I hope she remembers me!

My Great-Grandpa Gil sends me cards he makes on his computer almost every day. Mommy has tried a few times to scan them so she could post them on the blog for you all to see but she keeps getting weird errors. I haven't even come home yet and I get mail almost every day from my Great Grandpa! Mommy tells me all about the cards and plans on putting them in my baby book so I can read them when I am older - just like her Mommy kept the poems Grandpa Gil wrote about Mommy when she was a baby!

While I was still getting my continuous feed, Daddy and Mommy put me back in my crib to watch the fishies. I love them! The mobile in my crib at home was not too interesting so Mommy found a place on the web called tinylove.com that has really cool mobiles and toys. She found a really interesting mobile that she thinks I will love just as much as the fishies if not more. Mommy already got it in the mail and it is in my crib just waiting for me to come home. I am going to be a little sad to leave all the nice nurses and doctors here at the hospital but I can't wait to go home with my parents. I am counting down the days now!

Peyton Nicole Smith

2 comments:

  1. I'm glad you're doing so well, Peyton. I bet you're really excited to go home, finally!! There are more people following your progress and growth than you even know about.

    I love the pictures and stories. Keep them coming!

    ReplyDelete
  2. hello miss peyton smith! ooh, i'd like to squeeze those cute toes of yours... I'm so glad to hear you've been taking your bottle so well and that you're gaining weight every day. your fishies sound great - my kitty would like to watch them too. I'll bet you'll be excited to be greeted by your furry brothers at home. have fun with Mom and Dad when they stay at the hospital with you and get to take you home at last! big hugs and love, Sunday

    ReplyDelete