Hello all...
Well today was an interesting day. It started off real well. Ethan eat well all night long, and his bilirubin count was down. They took him off the lights today, and they decided to increase the volume at a more rapid pace. The doctor that spoke to Jayme this morning even indicated that they could wind up sending him home early. Then they did his last echo, although we have not gotten the results back on that yet.
Then later today, Ethan did keep up with the increase in volume of formula. As a result, the reinserted his feeding tube, so that they could give him the formula he did not finish. Tonight I went to feed him, and they nurse filled the bottle with 50ml. That is almost 2 full oz. In the 20min they gave him to eat the bottle, he finished 35ml, so they fed him the last 15ml through the feeding tube. Then Jayme went into the room, and the nurse informed her that until he is eating the full 2oz through the bottle, they won't be sending him home. She also told Jayme that she does not expect this to happen by Monday.
This is a little upsetting because it is in stark contrast to what she was told by the doctor 10 hours earlier. Especially considering he has not back slid at all, it is a little disturbing. Part of what is upsetting is that when Loryn was born, she was not eating a full 2oz until she was about a month old. She was just a slow eater. even now, she doesn't typically eat all that much. At 30 months, she has only gained 19 lbs since birth. My mother says that both my brother and I were slow eaters too. Every kid is different, and if everything else is ok with him, I think they need to think this through. Tomorrow I will be talking with the doctor, not the nurse, and I will inform him of my thoughts. Then we can see what his thoughts are, and go from there. Jayme is upset right now. I am just a little annoyed.
All in all, Ethan is still improving every day. That is what is most important. The rest will take care of itself.
Tomorrow, I will let everyone know how my discussion goes with the doctor, and we will let everyone know if there are any changes. Till then...
Eric, Jayme, and Loryn Steinbach
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Jayme's Perspective:
Yesterday was a trying day for us with the nurses. In the daytime, Ethan had his same nurse again (Denise). I like her, she isn't always as talkative, especially yesterday as she was so busy with a new baby, she has been with Ethan now 4 of the days he has been in there, which is helpful to have the same nurse repeatedly. She is the one that put the feeding tube back in when I was with Ethan. At his 11:30am feeding yesterday, he was given 35 ml and took 30, so not a big deal they didn't force that back on him. At 2:30, he was given 40ml and took maybe 25 (he spit some of it back out), and so they had to put 15ml in his feeding tube. If they had made him go within a 20 minutes time period like last night's nurse did with Eric, he would have had more in his feeding tube.
There are some inconsistencies with what the nurses are saying, which is a bit frustrating and something we are planning on mentioning today.
When I called this morning, they did stop his iv fluids earlier this morning. Which is great news. Now they can stop using my baby as a pin cushion. Poor kid has so many bruises. This also means that we are starting the 24-48 hour observation of how he does while eating only from a bottle (and apparently feeding tube-for now). With the iv out, today Ethan should be getting his hearing screening and possibly his circumcision. We will know more when the neonatologist that is on today calls us.
Eric will send out an update later tonight with how Ethan is doing on Day 9 in the hospital.
Also, thank you for all the calls and emails on your concerns for how I am doing. I am doing fine. Just very tired trying to balance trips to the hospital and spending time with Loryn. As far as my health goes, I am healing well and losing weight much faster (so far) than I did with Loryn. I definitely have more inches to go, but as of yesterday, I only have 9 pounds left to lose to get to my pre pregnancy weight. I can't wait to get back to the gym as I feel that will help to give me a bit more energy.
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