Welcome Home, Layla!

We were able to take Layla home last night!! A nurse had called around 11am and asked if we knew that our daughter was being discharged that day...we had not known! The doctor had called us the day before and had said that if she continued to take her feedings in full, she'd probably be able to go home in the next couple of days. We had tried to not get our hopes up--especially when she had to have 5 mL tube fed at her 3pm feeding on Wednesday. So we had some idea that her release would be soon, but we weren't positive.

It was a busy day yesterday compared to normal doing all the final discharge activities. The "Transition to Home" class was yesterday (only offered a couple of times a month, so I had signed up awhile ago) which was good timing, I also had to meet with the discharge nurse, the doctor had to do a final evulation, Layla had to pass her car seat test (the car seat is officially for babies 5 lbs and above, but they are safer than car beds, so they want babies about 4 1/2 lbs and above to use a car seat), she had to get her hospital pic taken, and we had to have someone help us properly put in our car seat base (oh, and a final stop at the cafeteria for ice cream and cookies:-) ). So after that we are home and getting adjusted to life with Layla!

The nursery was ready for her...

Taking her car seat "test" (she just had to sit in it and still be able to breath okay)

This was taken while they were doing her hospital picture--hopefully the hospital pic turns out a bit better!!

Almost time to leave!

I'm ready for my ride home!

Last pic at the hospital!

Home at last and the first time Layla gets to meet big brother, Elvis...

3 Weeks Old!

Layla was 3 weeks old already yesterday! She got moved to yet another room! They opened a new neonatal nursery in a different part of the hospital for babies that are low maintenance (like her--just working on feeding or temperature issues). Last winter the Neonatal Unit was very full so they hope that this new nursery will help open up some space in the regular Neonatal Unit for in the future when their baby count is high again (the past few months have been much slower than normal for them). On her 3 week birthday she weighed 4 lbs 7 oz--an entire pound more than her lowest weight!

Her new room...

We are getting anxious to get her home! Her new nursery is even more crowded than the old one and kind of a pain because it is kind of far away from the Neonatal Unit. I'm a little concerned about how we'll be at waking up with her every few hours. I've been pumping every 3 hours--even during the night--well, we've had issues with Joe setting the alarm to PM instead of AM or Joe just turning off the alarm in his sleep (and I sleep so sound that I never hear it). A couple of nights ago when the alarm went off, Joe told me it was time to go pump and I apparently told him that I already had pumped! I must have been dreaming about pumping:). Hopefully I wake up for Layla a little bit better than that!!

Little Squeeker

Layla always got the hiccups when I was pregnant with her at least 2 - 3 times per day. Well, now she still seems to get them a few times each day. We think her little squeeks are quite cute. The other day in her nursery her and her neighbor boy both had them at the same time and they kept going back and forth squeeking. Here she is during one of her many times with hiccups...



Layla weighed in tonight at 4 lbs 6 oz, so one more oz and she'll be an entire pound more than what she was at her lowest weight! She is also now 17" long (born at 16" inches). She is growing so quickly!!

Progress

Layla is still doing well. She is still making progress on her feedings by taking some through a tube and some through a bottle and it sill gaining weight. She now weighs 4 lbs 2 oz. It is a bit crowded now in her new room as the room is very tiny and she has two roomates.

Being on the intermediate side now we have seen lots of babies come and go so it gets us excited for when it will get to be us going home! It has been quite busy going back and forth to the hospital, so we can't wait to have her at home! They still can't tell us when she'll be coming home, but as long as she keeps making progress it hopefully won't be too much longer. Monday she will be 34 weeks gestational age and they had told us that they never send babies home before 34 weeks, so at least we have now made it to that point. Now she just needs to be able to increase the amount of feedings she takes through a bottle and then be able to maintain that for a bit! She also needs to continue to maintain a warm temperature outside of her isolet. Thanks again to everyone for all the cards, thoughts and prayers:-)

2 Weeks Old!

Layla is now 2 weeks old!! In the last 2 weeks she's experienced quite a few changes. She has gone from eating 6 mL per feeding to now 35 mL. She no longer needs an IV or to have her oxygen monitored...she has weighed as low as 3 lbs 7 oz and now weighs 3 lbs 15 oz. She is now in her 3rd room. She moved today from a large room in NIM (Neonatal Intermediate Care) to a smaller room with only 2 roomates. She also moved today out of her isolet and into a plastic "crib". If she can stay warm enough, she'll remain in the crib. If not, she will be moved back to her isolet.

She didn't know what to make of being in her new bed...


Her new room...

She likes her new outfit with "slippers" :-)

Bathing Beauty

Layla had her first bath today! It went better than we thought--she actually seemed to enjoy it! She has also gained some more weight--she's now 3 lbs 13 oz. Her bottle drinking has been about the same and she is still off her billi lights. Today they also started testing her to see if she can maintain a warm temperature on her own. Once she successfully can, she will move out of her isolet and into a plastic "crib" (more like a plastic tub). We noticed today that her eye was very mattery so she now has drops to hopefully fix her infection.

Bath time fun...

All warm and snuggly after bath time!

Back to Birth Weight!!!

First off ... sorry it has been a little bit since we last blogged.

Secondly (and most important) Layla's update.

Since our last blog Layla has continued to make progress. Her feedings are now up to 32mL and she has been nippling around 15-20mL every other feeding. Of course this depends on how sleepy she is. But overall her suck, swallow, breath pattern is continuing to develop very nicely. She now weighs 1700 grams (born at 1696)!!!! For those of you who don't speak grams ... it is 3lbs 11.8oz which was her birth weight. We are very proud of our little heavy weight!! She also lost her umbilical cord the other night making her belly look extra beautiful.

Her breathing has remained consistent except for a few forgetful moments when it drops sending off alarms. This really makes Mom and Dad's hearts race. She is still in her isolette to regulate her tempature and we think she may have to be Zorro again to get her pesky bilirubin to come down again. Oh well, whatever it takes to get her home.

These last 11 days have been a rollercoaster of emotions. It is truly amazing how immediately your life changes when you have a child. Your whole outlook revovles around them. However, today is Father's Day and I am going to enjoy my first Father's Day by her bedside ... the best gift ever!!!

Her a few pics:

Sleeping all snuggled up

Burp time