Sorry it's been awhile! My days are full to say the least. =)
Our little one has made great strides in the last week. She had a few set backs - one day of experiencing 4 Brady's (where her heart rate and oxygen levels drop dramatically and she doesn't pull herself out of it without some Nurse TLC), and another day of actually losing a couple ounces (due to the amount of energy and calories burned from trying to bottle feed!). We were a little concerned and discouraged about her Brady's because she had not had one since she was only two days old. I keep telling the nurses that I need one of those monitors for when she comes home!
Since then, however, she has been doing much better - gaining weight and taking her bottle feed very well. She is now up to 4 lbs. 2 oz! She even has a teeny little double chin in the works. =) And our most exciting news is that they moved her into a regular bassinet last night! Mommy even got to bring in one of her new little preemie outfits to dress her for the first time (which was a little tricky since she still has her feeding tube, pulse monitor and heart monitors hooked up to her nose, foot and chest!).
Nursing, I will admit, has been a challenge. I've been able to attempt one breast feed a day for the past 4 or 5 days, and it's just much harder than my full term babies ever were! It's harder for her to latch on, to suck properly, and to stay awake, so that makes for 30 minutes of a whole lot of work for momma. It's been a little exhausting since now my visits are much less about just holding Brie, and much more about trying to feed - and then immediately pumping - and not getting much snuggle time in between.
The doctor will slowly increase the amount of bottle feeds she can have a day, just to make sure she's not using too much energy. And once she gets to be fully on a bottle/breast feeding, and continues to maintain her temperature -- we can bring her home!
To be honest, I am weary from my daily trips to the hospital. Feeling the effects of being gone from Will and the girls so much. Feeling the effects of very little sleep since I also have to pump around the clock. Last night I was struggling because so much of me just wanted to stay home and rest, but I also knew that I needed to go and take care of my girl. So I cried. =) And then I felt better.
Now, in the clearer light of a new day, I am remembering that this is just a season, and it won't last forever (hopefully only 2 more weeks!). And there is grace for our family to finish this leg of our journey well. I get overwhelmed when I think that it's already been nearly 4 weeks since Aubrey was born. Such a long time! But I'm grateful for each day, the good and the bad, because I know the One who has planned them all. For our good!
(I have some adorable photos of Aubrey with Daddy, but for some reason they're not down-loading... I'll try again tomorrow!)
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