Week 9: March 17th - 23rd

Day 59: Monday, March 17th
They started Landon on Lasix today to help with his swelling and to help some of the fluid in his lungs so that he can come down on his oxygen needs on the vapotherm.  He is still at 4 LPM of flow but was down in the 30's and 40's on concentration while I was there.  He weighed 1313 grams, so he's still 2lb 14oz.  He was 15 3/4 inches in length, and his head was 28 cm in circumference.

When I got there at 4:00, Shelly was just getting into his isolette and I could see the poop coming through his clothes from the doorway!  He had a huge blowout down both legs, up his back, and in front of the diaper, and he had thwon up all over the top of his outfit!  His diaper weighed a whopping 46 grams!  He had to have a sponge bath to clean it all off of him.

I held him until about 7:30 after Mike got there.  Mike had to hold Landon's binky in his mouth for about ten minutes until he fell asleep because he kept crying every time it fell out.  Shelly said that last night she heard a loud noise coming from Landon's station and went over to check his vapotherm, only to find him with his entire hand in his mouth sucking it extremely loudly.  What a funny little guy.

Day 60: Tuesday, March 18th
I can't believe Landon was born two months ago today!  What a great two-month birthday surprise when I got to the hospital to see a note in the check-in binder that Landon had moved to Room 2.  Then I walked into Room 2 to find my little man on 3 LPM of flow and down to 41% oxygen concentration.  He is breathing so well!

Landon's new station in Rm 2

They are changing his feedings to every 3 hours to see if he is getting grumpy from being hungry or because he needs sedation.  They are also fortifying my milk with calories and protein to help him gain weight.  When I held him skin-to-skin tonight, he was rooting around on my chest and sticking his tongue out and sucking on my skin.  Erin says that we can start non-nutritive "feedings" soon.  This means I would pump at the bedside until empty and then let Landon practice latching on and getting comfortable without being overwhelmed by milk. 

Day 61: Wednesday, March 19th
Landon's flow was turned down to 2.5 LPM today with his concentration in the 30's and 40's.  He weighed 1363 grams -- an entire 3lbs!  The doctor discontinued his caffeine because his heart rate has been high and he is getting old enough to safely discontinue it.  The developmental therapist says that Landon is doing very well for how little and sick he was.  She said that his reflexes and muscle tone look very good.

Poor little guy had his two-month vaccines today in his leg.  He got some numbing cream on his skin first, but he was still pretty grumpy when I moved his legs to change his diaper.  I was able to try non-nutritive latching tonight.  He did great!

Day 63: Friday, March 21st
I have been doing more non-nutritive feeding with Landon.  The NICU lactation specialist helped me during the day, and he did much better today with her help.  He weighed 3lb 2oz tonight, and Mike and I gave him a bath in his little tub.  He acted like he liked it.  He is 34 weeks gestational age today.

Day 65: Sunday, March 23rd
I got to try breast feeding Landon for the first time last night and then again today.  He latches and sucks for a minute, then moves his head or looks around, then latches again and sucks again.  He does this for about 15 minutes until he falls asleep.  He was able to get a little bit of milk each time, but they still gave him his tube feedings which are up to 26 mL every 3 hours.  He had his last dose of sedation today -- no more morphine or versed!  He is so cute and sweet, and I think he is starting to recognize Mike and me when we hold him.