3 WEEKS OLD...36 weeks gestational age

Gunner is the man. He has decided he, like his big brother was, is a boob man. I have been struggling with the bottle feeding with him as it is supposed to be easier for the babies and as a result, he may get to go home earlier. However, we tried breastfeeding today; great latch,
perfect suck, swallow, breathe..he did amazingly well. It didn't even wear him out. He was alert and looking up at me, grabbing my shirt the whole time. However, he didn't get much in terms of volume, but technique was perfect. I am EPing to supply him with milk, so there wasn't enough to make a huge weight difference. We measure it all, so he gets weighed before and after. He only gained 4 grams so that means he took 4cc's.

He was still awake and alert and eager to eat, so I fed him a bottle and he successfully ate 37cc's. Which means he only tubed 7cc's. Awesome...

Everyone asks when we have heard he might come home. I tell them what I keep hearing..by his due date, although it will most likely be sooner than that. He has to learn to eat. Everything else is perfect. That is why I was so excited about today. I am going to try to be there for at least 3 feedings each day this weekend. What they want is for him to wake up before his feeding, eat and then sleep. He hasn't been doing that...but I see it in the future. The dr had been hearing such good things about his progress, she thought he might be going home this weekend. However, when she saw the tube still there, she said it might be sometime next week. All pending him eating.

He is, however, gaining weight. He has zero aspirate, all digested. He has officially hit the 5lb mark today! So freaking excited!

Getting bigger...

The progress continues...Little Gunner is not so little any more. He is now a whopping 4lb 13oz and growing and gaining each day. I am proud of his amazing growth. Not only is he growing, but the increased his feeds, he is now eating almost 2 oz at each sitting and taking most of them in a bottle instead of his feeding tube. Yesterday, he took 77% of his feeds in the bottle! This is the only thing holding him at the hospital, so needless to say, I am beyond excited.

We have a video...

Little Gunner just steals my heart every time I go up there. He took his first tub bath with me assisting yesterday. He is doing so well. He is taking about 50% of his feeds orally now, which is a huge accomplishment. He is also waking for almost every feeding now. He is up to 4lb 10.3oz and he really looks like he is filling out. This video is more fun to watch than reading my blab about him....

Unsung Hero...on his day

Today is father's day....on this day, I thought I might reflect on how very amazed I am at the way Brian has handled this whole situation. I have learned that traumatic situations (which seriously have been life or death situations for Gunner and me both) bring out the best and or worst of people and you very quickly learn who you can count on. It reinforced my thoughts that I made the best, right, and only choice for my husband.

Brian has stepped in and did whatever needed to be done. When I was in the hospital he handled a busy busy now 3 year old. He visited me almost daily driving an hour and a half or 25 minutes, without blinking. When Gunner was born, he was in the NICU literally getting his hands dirty, jumping in for diaper changes and just being there the whole time that they made sure he was stablized.

So, on his day, even without both of the boys home, we celebrate the best Daddy in the world.

TWO WEEKS OLD...35 weeks gestational age

Gunner is doing amazingly well. We met with OT yesterday and she is impressed with his strength in all areas, minus eating. He needs a little jaw support to keep it in. But he is soo strong. He can pick his head up and he actually tries to lift his entire body off the bed, balancing on his toes.


He is now up to 4 lbs 8oz!! That is over a 1/2 lb since birth and normal newborn weight loss in the first week. His head circumference is 30 cm (12 ish in) and he is up to almost 18 in. in length. He is a growing boy!

As of yesterday, he took 33% of his feeds by mouth, when he hits 75% they are upping feeds and considering removing the feeding tube. The doc said learning to eat is the only thing keeping him in the hospital.

Yesterday, when I visited him he spent 1 1/2 houra wide eyed alert and awake. I just loved seeing him that way. He ate well over 1/2 of his bottle and burped like a champ. Speaking of bodily functions, he has the reputation of a "good pooper" he can fill a size 1 diaper, which I actually had questioned why they were putting them on him...lol!

Day 9 Updates

I got to spend some good quality time with my little man today. The 2pm feeding seems to be the best in terms of him being alert and receptive to feeding, without the feeding tube that is. He usually wakes up about 10 minutes before care time and is wide-eyed and alert. He will stay awake for almost an hour just looking up at me, so I always make sure to make it for this care time.

Today, he did what I expected him to, woke up started searching for his hands, but didn't really want them when he found them. I was waiting for the nurse to bring his bottle so we can try that instead of just breastfeeding. So while he was waiting, I offered him the paci, and he just went to town. Strong sucking reflex!

In the past, he hadn't been interested in the bottle. But today, he successfully took 5 cc's (I know...not much, but it's the first time) without spitting up or loosing any. He seemed like that was enough, so we didn't push it.

Hopefully they will be successful another time on the next shift, as this is key for him being ready to come home. His little girlfriend, who was a week ahead gestationally, but a day before in terms of when she was born, went home today. She has always been about a day ahead of Gunner...so he may be getting ready to go home before too long. That is if he continues eating progress.

He is also gaining weight, he is now up to 4lb 3.6oz....all is good!

Day 8 Updates

Gunner has left the NICU....he is now on the 3rd floor, step-down NICU or intermediate care nursery. He is doing well, but the feeding tube in his nose (in my opinion) sucks. It is to help him transfer to oral feeding, but he is getting really stuffed up and spitting up more with it in. His first day in clothes below...

Greyson came to see his baby today, although he told us he wanted a "sister" for his birthday...good luck with that kid. Two boys is all we want and can handle. Here is Greyson loving on his baby....

He is done with phototherapy for now...and in an open air crib, they will be monitoring if he can control his own temperature through the night. But here is a pic of him on the beach (aka bililiytes) it looks like I did some fun photoshopping, but this is just how the pic turned out.

I was finally able to load up the pics on my camera and I found the last belly pic that I took, ironically 2 days before my water broke, taken at 28.4 weeks.