Oliver is 6 weeks old now

I'm skipping ahead.  I was trying to write out the story of going into labor, but I hit the hard part, and just couldn't go on.  The day we were told we had a decision to make, the day that we were told our son probably would never have a normal life, if he even survived delivery if they couldn't stop my labor.  I couldn't do it.  So I'm skipping that part, and bringing you to present day.

Oct 12 - First, it's my niece Corryn's first birthday.  Happy birthday, baby girl!  We won't be able to travel to Omaha this weekend for her party, but my sister Jamie, her husband Nate, and this cutie pie came out here to visit last weekend.  It was great to see them.   And, my friend Mindy will be having her baby boy today.  Congrats Mindy and Joel.

Nathaniel and Corryn at the Pumpkin Patch 10/7/12

Oliver is 45 days old today.  He weighs 2 pounds, 8 ounces.  I don't think they measure his length very often, but I have to assume he's grown at least a couple of inches since he was born.

Oliver 6 weeks old - Kangaroo Care

Since Oliver came off of the ventilator, he had been on SIPAP, which is a dual pressured oxygen delivery mask.  Yesterday, though, he got moved onto a bubble CPAP.  I don't really know what that is, but he got a different set of head gear which looks a little more comfortable.  He has Chronic Lung Disease, which will be a problem for at least his first 2 years.  His doctor this month (they rotate), Dr. James Barry, told me yesterday to expect that every little cold will send him to the ER, and a stronger cold will put him into the hospital.  This wasn't good news when we have a toddler in daycare who comes home with a cold about once a month.  It has me more than a little worried.

Yesterday, Oliver was getting 14 ml of milk every 2 hours, and his care times were every 4 hours.  At cares, he gets a diaper change, temperature taken, and a respiratory therapist comes to check his nose for irritation, check his lung sounds, and make any adjustments between prongs/mask on his breathing machines.  While he seems to like eating, he does not like being messed with.  In rounds today, his doctors decided that even though he doesn't weigh 1200 grams yet (which is when they usually change to a three hour routine), they would try moving his feedings (and his cares) to 23 ml every 3 hours.  I'm currently pumping about 150 ml of milk every 3 hours, so I've decided to donate some of the extra to the Milk Bank of Colorado.

Up until today, his cares have been at 10, 2 and 6.  I am there for his 10 am care, and on the evenings David can leave work a little early we head out to the hospital for the 6 pm care.  Now, moving to every 3 hours, they'll be at 9:30, 12:30, 3:30, and 6:30.  I'll have to be on the road a little earlier to make the 9:30 am, and hopefully there will be a couple days a week that David can take a long lunch hour so that I can stay for the 12:30.  We've put Nathaniel in 1/2 day daycare, so he has to be picked up by 12:30.  I hate not being able to be there longer, but he's in excellent hands, and Nathaniel needs me too.