Day 5

Overall today has been a good day. He did have two minor set backs...

First set back happened early this morning. They have been monitoring his bilirubin (how jaundice he is) and noticed this morning that this number has slowly been creeping up for a couple of days now. This is to be expected per his nursing staff. Last night around midnight they drew his bilirubin levels and he was at 16. So he had to be put under photo therapy lights. It's kinda like he is in a tanning bed... sunglasses and all! Somehow these lights break down the bilirubin in his body so he can poop it out. They are going to draw his bilirubin level everyday and when he gets down to around 12 they can shut the lights off. He is not a fan of this because he has to be unwrapped in his little isolette so the lights can be on his skin. He got spoiled yesterday because he was wrapped up like a little burrito and we were holding him all day. With the lights on we can only hold him during his feeding times and for a short time after he eats. This schedule for today did allow us to go and do some errands. There is no way we can sit and watch him under the lights.... Joe and I would both get awful headaches. We got to go to Baby 'r us and get a couple of last minute things.

Here is Josh sun bathing...

Set back number two is that he had what they call a "brady" episode. A Bradycardia episode means his heart rate dipped down lower than they like it to go. He is usually around 130-140 and during the episode he went to 65. This must have happened sometime after 4am because that is when I get my middle of the night updates from his night nurse. I am up pumping anyway so why not chit chat with someone. I am more than willing to take phone calls at 4am if anyone is up! Anyways...good news is that this episode was a quick one and his heart rate came back up on his own...without the nurses having to do anything. What makes this a set back is that he has to go 5 days straight without an episode. So if he goes without any more episodes from this point forward his earliest discharge date is Tuesday. But if he did not have the episode last night he could have possibly been discharged sooner.

Good news today though...Josh started to breast feed. He is pretty lazy about it because he really hasn't had to work for his food up until this point. He latched on for a couple of sucks. The nurse we had today was very encouraging and said this is a great start! The rest of his feeds went down his NG tube. This is the tube that goes up his nose and down to his belly. He doesn't really seemed bothered by it.

Josh after his first real meal.....

One other thing about today was he spit up on JOE!!! I loved every minute of it. I don't think Joe did! hahaha He quickly cleaned his shirt! Well that's the latest on the home front...