Big Boy

Tucker is really starting to act like a big boy. He is now up to 4 lbs 14.4 oz. He had to get another blood transfusion today because he is growing faster than his little body can keep up with producing blood.  He is now waking up hungry and wanting to eat for his feedings during the day.  He took 3 whole feedings by bottle today. The nurse told us tonight that once he can take all of his feedings by bottle for a 48 hour period we will talk about going home. It seems as if that day is getting closer and closer.

Bottle Feeding

Last night we attempted bottle feeding. Our favorite nurse, Kayla, showed us how to feed him first. He was sucking away and then she noticed that the nipple was flat, it was not working right. She took the bottle away and changed the nipple but he wouldn't have much to do with it after that. He seems to be grasping the concept and will get better at it with more practice.

4 Weeks Old

Happy 4 Week Old Birthday Tucker

It doesn't seem like it has been 4 weeks since Tucker joined us and made us a family of 3. We are so thankful for our little blessing.

It seems as if we are now out of the preemie slump, YEAH! Last night they took him off the oxygen again and he seems to be doing very well without it. Yesterday they started to introduce bottle feeding. He wasn't very interested the first feeding but he did take 10 cc's (about 1/4 of his feeding) at his feeding this morning for his nurse. Mommy and Daddy are going to get to try bottle feeding with him tonight. He hasn't been spitting up as much since being put on the Zantac but is still having tummy issues. The doctor decided to change up his formula to see if that will help.  As of his 12:00 feeding he is on half sensitive and half soy. He is still growing, he is up to 4 lbs 7 oz now. It seems as if going home won't be too far in the future.

 

 

 

Preemie Slump

Last week we reached a point called the preemie slump. Tucker had been doing great but then that started to change. On Thursday night his breathing started getting very fast and his tummy seemed to be bothering him a lot. Late that night Dr. Sparks made the call to put him back on oxygen. They did blood work and some x-rays of his tummy and everything came back looking good. Dr. Sparks decided to put him on Zantac because his tummy seems to be bothering him and he drops his oxygen level mostly when he is eating and it seems that he is refluxing. Dr. Sparks spoke with us on Friday night and said that he is acting like a typical preemie and said it is normal for this to be happening because he still needs to grow more and learn to do everything he is supposed to be doing. He said that even though this is typical he knows how hard it is on mom and dad for this to be happening because he had been doing so well. Mom and Dad have been having a very hard time with dealing with this preemie slump. Since being put on the Zantac he is not spitting up as much and it seems that his tummy isn't bothering him as much. He is still having some spells with his breathing and heart rate dropping but not as much as before.

Tucker is now up to 4 lbs 4.9 oz and 17 inches.

3 Weeks Old

Happy 3 Week Old Birthday Tucker

We celebrated his 3 week old birthday with being able to wear clothes for the first time. 

He is doing very well holding his own temperature since being taken off the warmer.

Thank you Mimi for my 3 week old birthday outfit.



1 Ounce To Go!

One of our favorite nurses, Kayla, weighed him tonight while we were there so that we could see what he had gained today.
He is up to 3 lbs 15 oz....only 1 oz to go until we are at 4 lbs. Kayla said she will probably put him in clothes tonight if the doctor gives the okay. Our little guy might be in clothes when I go see him tomorrow, YEAH!

Do you see his smile? He was smiling at mommy lots this afternoon when I went for his feeding.

19 Days Old

I am 19 days old today. Here are some updates on me.......

• I now weigh 3 lbs 13.6 oz
• I have grown a 1/4 an inch in length, up to 16 1/2 inches
• I am up to 38 cc's on my feedings
• I am still having some trouble remembering to breathe sometimes, especially when I am eating. Please be praying for me that I'll remember to breathe because until I can do that I won't be able to bottle feed and that is the last step we must accomplish before we get to go home along with keeping my oxygen and heart rate up.