Heidi-Rae: NICU Day 7 & HOME!

I got to the hospital at 9am today. I wanted to spend as much time with my girl as I could. She nursed so well for her 9am feeding! I found out that her last antibiotic was at 1pm! I thought it was 11pm and the earliest we would be able to go home was thursday morning! However, upon talking to the Nurse Practitioner, she told me after Heidi's 1pm antibiotic, she could go HOME!

Oh my goodness, I was so relieved!! I stayed for her 12pm feeding and headed home to clean and pick Bobby and the 4Runner up! We couldn't drive the baby home in the TRUCK!

It was such a great day! The kids were elated to meet "Their baby."Thank you Ruwe's and small group for taking care of the kids while we picked up our baby girl!

Heidi-Rae: NICU Day 5 & 6

Day 5

I have excellent news today! Heidi is breathing all on her own! Not even being assisted with oxygen! She is also eating on her own! She is not receiving IV fluids, she is only drinking Mama's milk! We nursed a few times today! Not ALL of her feeding but a good amount. She is required to eat 51cc (About 1.5oz) of milk, she is nursing about 30cc. Thank you God for hearing our prayers! She only has one IV for her antibiotics! If she keeps her feedings up and continues gaining weight we just may be able to bring her home Thursday! Yea!

She has stolen my heart!

I got to give her a bath tonight! 

Precious girl!

Haha! I love to watch all her faces! 

Family Update:
The kids are having a hard time! I usually go to the hospital around 9am, stay all day and come home after dinner. I spend the evening with the kids and put them to bed. Today, I stayed home through lunch, put them down for nap and came home late. Capri want me to hold her all morning, cried when I put her down. Jeremy and I took a trip to Target. It was so nice to have time with just him. We talked the whole way there. When it was nap time, Jeremy had a really hard time. he cried and cried. He said he didn't want me to leave and he doesn't want to share me with the baby. It breaks my heart. I know the best place for me right now is with Heidi-Rae but it's so hard to leave them crying.

Day 6

Daddy came to visit today!! Thank you Moerer family for watching Jerermy and Capri so he could come have some bonding time with Heidi. We went out to dinner during shift change. It was much needed time together! 

We picked them up kinda late!
Look how cute they are!! 

Nothing but good reports for this little girl! She continues to eat well and gain weight! She finished her antibiotics Wednesday around 11pm. They are talking about sending her home late Wednesday night or Thursday morning!! YEA!! The light is SO bright at the end of the tunnel! We are struggling nursing a little. She is a lazy eater! Even with the bottle. She would rather sleep, which is an issue with premies. Although she is borderline premie, she bass that characteristic. At this point, I'm letting her be lazy and not want to latch. I'm letting her take the easy way out and giving her the bottle, so we can go home. When we get there, I will work with her on latching. The good news it, I am pumping enough to sustain her feedings. In fact, they said I can start freezing what I pump at home because they have so much in their fridge!

 I just fall more in love with her every day! 

He is falling in love with her too! 

I can't thank everyone enough for all the support, love, prayers, meals, help with the kids, sweet texts and phone calls. It's amazing to have such a great support system! Thank you!! 

XOXO

Heidi Rae: NICU Day 2

Daddy talking to his girl! He did snuggle with her today but I didn't get a picture! Darn!

We got confirmation that Heidi-Rae has pneumonia based on her blood tests and chest X-ray. That means, at least, 7 days in the hospital. They will re-evualuate each day.

We still have not been able to try to nurse. With the CPAP machine they are worried she will aspirate milk. They moved her to a level 4, which is not much higher then a nasal canulla. If she tolerates it well, tomorrow they will take the machine off and switch to a nasal canulla, a clear tube in her nose that only gives her oxygen. And she will be able to nurse. In the meantime, pumping has picked up a scooch. Iam  filling the very bottom of the bottle, in my 20 minute, every 3 hour pump sessions. Every drop counts. Did you know my milk is making specific antibodies HER body needs to fight whatever she has going on?? God truely is amazing! I started taking fenugreek and blessed thistle to help increase my supply. I want to be ahead of the game. I asked the nurse to put in her chart that I don't want her to recieve ANY formula. So, When the time comes to start feeding her, if there isn't enough of my pumped milk, they will supplement with IV fluids. She is getting fluids through her IV right now, they are called TPN and. . . Oh no I forgot the other one. . . It's to help her keep weight on. This evening at 9pm she weighted 6lb, 6oz. It's normal for newborns to lose 10% of her body weight! We'll keep an eye to make sure she doesn't loose more then 10%.

Look at that tiny foot!

I was discharged today. There is something about leaving your baby at the hospital that isn't right. Babies and mommies belong together. The feeling is all too real, remembering Jeremy's 15 day hospital stay. But, I have to find rest and peace in that Heidi-Rae is in the BEST neonatal hospital we could ask for. That's why we choose to deliver at Loma Linda, in case something goes wrong. God is watching her and there are SO many people praying for her!

That being said, I came home to two bouncy, loving enterjetic children! They were so happy to see us! Thanks mom for taking such good care of them the past few days. They needed some time with us. I decided to stay home for the evening, have dinner and put them to bed. I'll go to see Heidi in the morning. A good night's rest, in my bed should do me good!

I'll be up early to go see my little girl and get in some good skin to skin time! 

It took us so long to figure out a name! And . . . we crossed it out a few times! But, we are so happy with our final decision!