Baby Update...

Well! Here I am, coming to you live from the NICU. I got in here a little earlier than usual, so I plunked down and started up the laptop, which the nurses have yet to see me without. Andrew is zonked out. He still is receiving phototherapy for his jaundice, which is actually pretty low but they want to keep an eye on it. Its supposed to be his last day under the lights, but I've heard that before.

He is now officially a week old, and doing really well for himself. When we first came in here, he was on the CPAP, two IV's, one for fluids and one for breathing medication, the lights, a feeding tube and three monitors. Since then they've removed everything except for the feeding tube, monitors and lights. The lights should be the next to go, since his levels are pretty good. Then we're hoping to do away with the feeding tube. He is allowed to "practice" nursing twice a day, and we should be going to three a day tomorrow. My nurse/lactation consultant who is a CRAZY CRAZY lady but endearing in a weird way, is working tomorrow and I imagine she'll bump him up to three a day. Seriously. This lady is nuts. The first time I met with her I was like Who is this person and why is she touching me? But she's become my favourite person in the NICU, despite the fact that she is the CLOSEST TALKER I've ever met in my life.

So basically I come in here around 9am and hang around until 6pm so I can be here to work on his eating. Addison has been spending the days with my mom. I can't wait until both of my kids can be around at the same time, because right now we're just juggling them. We're not sure how long Andrew will be in here for. He's making progress, but can't leave until he figures out eating once and for all. The phototherapy and IV fluids were making him both sleepy and full. Today is the first full day off of fluids, so I am hoping it makes him hungrier and a little more interested in eating before he falls asleep again. In any case, I'll be happy to get off pumping. THere is no grosser feeling in the world than pumping. SHUDDER. So he better eat soon, as much as I'm enjoying my middle of the night feeding session with a plastic cone.

I am actually feeling great. I think there is something to be said for the recovery process. With Addison, my recovery was long and slow. I was in the hospital for three days after, and when I went home I hibernated in my house for weeks and hung out in my PJs. With this recovery I was out of the hospital about 6 hours after the delivery, and have had to get up every morning, get dressed and head over here. There hasn't been a lick of time to feel sorry for myself or think about being tired. And because of that, the recovery has been a million times easier. Once we get him home, maybe that'll be a different story. But there is something to be said about having babies around Easter time.....

The transition is made much easier by the availability of Mini Eggs.