Week 10: March 24th - 30th

Day 66: Monday, March 24th
Landon nursed for about 4 minutes today without breaking the latch.  He probably got about 2 mL of milk, and then he just fell asleep nuzzling me.  He weighed 1480 grams -- 3lb 4oz -- was 16 1/4 inches long, and his head was 29 cm around.  He is just growing so fast!  When I held him again at 7:00 pm, he was much more tired and slept almost the whole time.  His oxygen flow is still at 2.5 LPM, his concentration is at 37%.

Another of Landon's cute nurses

Day 67: Tuesday, March 25th
Landon had another eye appointment today.  The opthalmologist said there were still no signs of ROP, but his eyes are still immature so he will have another appointment in two weeks.  His eyes are between zones two and three now, so they have matured slightly so far without problems.  He could still develop problems though, especially while he is on oxygen.  He had to have another IV in his head for nutrition because he has to be NPO for the exam due to the eye drops causing upset tummies.  By 7:00 pm, his feedings were up to full again at 26 mL every 3 hours.

I gave him a sponge bath and held him at four o'clock.  He was wide awake and looking around for about 30 minutes, then he fell asleep.  At seven o'clock I tried breastfeeding, but he only latched for about 30 seconds before falling asleep.  He just uses so much energy to breathe and grow, that he doesn't have much left over for eating.

Day 68: Thursday, March 27th
Landon's oxygen flow was down to 2 LPM today, and his concentration was in the 30's and low 40's.  He's not wearing a temperature probe anymore because he is getting big enough to regulate his own body temperature now.  He weighed 1516 grams tonight, so 3lb 5oz.  I got to help with his bath and then try to nurse him.  He ate for about two minutes before falling asleep.

Day 70: Saturday, March 29th
When I nursed Landon today, he stayed latched for about 25 minutes and sucked for about 6 of those minutes before falling asleep.  They withheld 8mL of his now 28mL feeding to account for what he ate while nursing.  He had a swaddled tub bath at 4pm which he loved, then I held him skin-to-skin while he slept on my chest.  His respiratory rate and heart rate stay really even and steady when I hold him skin-to-skin.  It helps babies regulate these patterns.  His flow was down to 1 LPM today and his concentration was in the 40's and 50's.  He weighed 3lb 8oz -- he is getting so big!

This boy loves his binky!