Can you see the difference?

Look closely at the first and second pictures....can you see the difference?



Picture 1

Picture 2

Did you figure it out?

No more nasal canual which means he is no longer on any oxygen. They took him off at 3:00 today and he seems to be doing just fine without it.

And Mommy's favorite part of the day, getting to do the kangaroo hold with Tucker, who now weighs 3 lbs 3.1 oz.

One Week Old

Tucker is One Week Old

He has gone up in his weight again...he is now 3lbs 2.1 oz

He is up to 30 cc's (1 oz) for his feedings.

He is on 30% oxygen and on only 1% of his nasal canual.

There is talk that he will be moved out of his private "suite" because he is doing so well. The nurse told us that they put him in there because they thought he'd need more help being so early but he didn't, Praise the Lord! She said they like to keep one private room open in case their is a very critical baby that comes in, she said not to be suprised if it happens within the next few days.

Last night when we went to visit him for his one week birthday he had no AB spells. 

This made for a very happy mommy.

I'm one week old!

In the NICU

our son is known as the Super Star as told to us by the NICU doctor, Dr. Sparks, because he is doing so amazingly well for being 10 weeks early.

We talked with the doctor about how his heart rate keeps dropping (apnea bradycardia) and he basically said that it is common with all preemies because they think they should still be inside mommy and she should be doing all the work for them, it isn't a concern because it is something that he should grow out of when he gets a little bigger.

Every Ounce Counts

Tucker has gained 2.3 ounces since he was born.

He is up to 3 lbs 1.3 oz.

Daddy holding Tucker for one of his feedings.

First Bath

Tucker had his first bath today. Mommy assisted the nurse with picking him up during certain times but was a little apprehensive of washing him herself.

He loved having a bath, he was very calm throughout the whole thing.

My little guy has already grown 1/2 in. in 5 days. We are up to 15 1/2 inches!

If all goes well today he will be taken off his nasal canual. The IV in is belly button was removed this afternoon because he is doing so well with his feedings and doesn't need to be feed through an IV anymore. By his 6:00 feeding tonight he will have reached his feeding goal already of 27 cc's.

We are thanking God for him doing so well, He most certainly is in control.  We've got at least 4 more weeks there so he can grow and be able to bottle feed before we go home. We are very thankful that he has made so much progress in the 5 days he has been here.

A Big Day

Day 4 was a very big day for us. Tucker is no longer on the CPAP machine. He is on a nasal canual that helps with breathing and is oxygen was lowered to 32%. He is also over halfway to his goal for his feedings. Since he got taken off of the CPAP machine Mommy got to hold him for the first time. I can't even explain the joy I had holding my son for the first time. We left him at the hospital which was probably the hardest thing we've ever had to do.

A Little Scare

Tucker gave Mommy and Daddy a little scare last night. When Mommy was in the room with him by herself his heart rate dropped to 46. The nurse came in right away and stimulated him to get his heart rate to go up again. She said that he is having trouble with remembering to breathe while he is eating. Daddy went to check on him later and he had done the same thing several times again. The NICU doctor decided to put him on a heart medicine that basically acts like caffeine to remind him that he needs to keep his heart beating. The nurse said that this is very common with little guys who are so small and that they usually grow out of it but need some help when they are still so new. Mommy and Mimi went to check on him at his 3 am feeding and he was doing so much better after being put on the medicine. The nurse said that he is like a whole new baby now.

A few other updates....

• He is up to 14 cc's on his feedings.
• His CPAP machine was lowered to a 3 and there is talk that he will be removed from it today which means Mommy will get to hold him in the very near future.
• He is now only receiving 36% oxygen down from 40%.

I'm 3 days old!

He had his eyes open when Mommy and Mimi were talking to him.