Ian's update 4/26

I arrived this morning to find the OT (Occupational Therapist) working with Ian and a bottle. They had been working with him for about 15 minutes and he'd taken 10 cc's but was too tired to take any more. She tried again but he sputtered a bit. I was so bummed! At least he's taking some but it seems like a very slow process. I asked about being there the next time she worked with him and she said she'd come back again tomorrow and help me try.

I had an appointment with Dr. T so I had to head over to his building. When I returned, I pumped and chatted with another nurse who works in the office but also is a primary for Ian. We spoke about the whole swallowing thing. She said it's an up and down but the good thing is that he's digesting all that they are giving him and that he's still taking some via mouth. It's a roller-coaster we are on and we just have to keep working with him. So sweet to take her time to chat about my concerns. I had originally just wanted to figure out with her who was on the first night he took a whole 20 cc's so I could figure out what she might have done differently in her process of feeding him. She mentioned that nurse had tried again another time, unsuccessfully. It's not a matter of who or how but just his mood, what's he's ready for. I agreed to be patient and she said she would work with me the next shifts she was on with him.

After pumping I changed his diaper, took his temp and prepped to hold him. It seems they are quite short of pillows and their chairs aren't so comfy so I brought my Boppy to help make it more comfortable so my back wouldn't be all tweaked out again when I finished. We sat there for about 2 hours. Just singing and snuggling. Most of the time, his arms were kind of stretched out with his hands out against my chest as if he was hugging me. My chin snuggled against his head and a thousand kisses on his little noggin. One of my favorite things to do is rub my cheek against his soft hair, so cozy! 

The lactation consultant had come by while I was holding him and we agreed she'd work with me later on in the week, after the Thrush (or whatever it was that was causing so much pain) was better, to work with us to get him nursing. I'm really hoping we can eventually make that happen.

Of course, it's always time to pump again... so I had to put him down. After I finished he was getting himself worked up again and I eventually had to change his diaper ;-) Was soothing him after that with some light taps on the tushy when Daddy showed up. The nurse had let me know that it was just about time to change his dressing on his PIC line so we prepped for that. Talk about pissing him off! At least we were prepared and I was there to help sooth him. He got through it and we said goodbye. Mike wanted to have dinner with me so he called Lona to see if she could stay with Lila a bit longer. Went to sushi just down the block... super yummy! I had a bit of sake and beer too, to try to relax myself a bit. Thought it might help with my milk production but unfortunately, didn't do much. Last week when I had a glass of wine, I seemed to produce a very nice amount but not this time.

Back home to tuck the princess in. Of course she was wound up but ended up having her do her breathing treatment while watching half an episode of Wonder Pets. Then we had a very nice time reading stories although it was all I could do to stay awake. I just wanted to sleep there with her but had to get back to my room to pump and go to bed. Probably not a great habit to start anyways but it just felt so cozy with her.

Just spoke to the nurse on (2:30 am). She was the one who got him to take the first bottle of 20 cc's before they did the swallow test. I thought maybe she'd have the magic touch and be able to do it again. Not so lucky. She said she's not sure why he'd take it so easily then and not now but, like all the other nurses, she said they'd just keep trying. We know he can swallow, we know he can suck, it's just a matter of putting it all together and breathing at the same time. They all say he just gets disorganized. I'm going to work with the OT tomorrow for the 2 pm feeding and hopefully we'll make more progress. Also going to schedule a try to nurse him on Wed with the lactation consultant. I should be good to go by then. My pain has definitely gotten much less in the last day or two.