(Note from Phyllis: There is finally sound on the videos. When you first get into the blog there is a pause button on the right of your screen. This will pause the background music. (I hope) If not, I'll have Whit "fix" it when she comes back.)
Graduate NICU is a bigger floor but smaller rooms. Each room has 2-4 babies (Aedan has 2 roommates, who also moved from NICU with us). Mom and I woke at 6:45a this morning and hurried to get ready. It snowed here last night and we did not want to walk so we called the hospital security to come get us. They were really slow yesterday for mom but today they were there in just a few minutes. We arrived at 7th floor just in time for cares and feeding. Aedan is not wanting to latch to me but will suck vigorously on the bottle so I will continue to pump and bottle feed. I am not getting the milk that anyone expects but that is ok....little is better than nothing. We are going to try fenugeek (an herb to help milk production) starting as soon as I can find it and get it. The lactation specialist here at P/SL is awesome and has checked on me many times in the last two days. She thinks that my stress level is still too high for good milk production but otherwise I am doing really well. She reminded me that too much water is just as bad as not enough...so I have to monitor my intake a bit. When feeding Aedan I know he is done when he turns his head and closes his eyes....he is fast asleep just that quick! He loves to be cuddle and swaddled nice and tightly but loves to keep moving the the rocker. I am so happy to have a rocker baby since neither KaCe or Ethan liked to rock. Aedan is really easy going as long as he is swaddled tight (I may have to have a lightweight blanket on him in the carseat to keep his arms tight like he likes). When they started his feeds they gave him 5cc's. Yesterday at 11am they bumped it to 10cc's. Last night at 8pm they bumped him to 15 cc's. They hope to bump him again today to 20cc's. He is taking all the milk I pump plus they have to add formula to some feeding but I am ok with that (remember a little is better than nothing philosophy). The nurses are surprised I am as easy going and relaxed as I am. I am sure all of you understand that is how I am....I know many of you have commented on how surprised you are when I do fall apart. Here is what our schedule looks like (well until KaCe and Ethan get here on Saturday then it will have to adjust):
1am - wake to pump 4am - walk to pump 6:45am - wake for day 7:30a - call for ride and head downstairs 8am - cares and feeding with Aedan 8:45am - down to cafeteria to get Hot chocolate, Milk , and breakfast 9-10a - calls, updates, paper work to keep home life going 10a - pump 11a - cares and feeding 12-1p - Lunch and more calls if needed 1p - pump 2p - cares and feed 3-4p - down time 4p - pump 5p - cares and feed 6-7p - dinner in cafeteria (if we don't have dinner provided at RMH) 7p - pump 8p- cares and feeding 9p - Security takes us back to RMH 10p - pump
Mom and I both try to go to bed right after 10p pump but it seems we have not relaxed and shut our brains down so we usually are up on the computer, talking, and watching news or TV till 11p. We are doing good and eating well (this cafeteria is very healthy, reasonably priced, and large portions). Mom thinks she is losing weight and I am actually eating almost everything I take and finishing hers some times. OK...better go...more later! Check back for videos and pictures because that will be this afternoons task.
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