NICU Day 15

Today we didn’t see much improvement.  I tried to nurse her again and it didn’t go very well.  I still have not been able to meet with the lactation consultant and I’m hoping they will be able to help.  Tomorrow, the kids will be with Grandma and Grandpa so I’m going to drive and stay later hoping to catch the lactation consultant.  Natalie was up to 7 lbs 1/2 oz today.  The doctor said on rounds that they might try to increase her milk more so that she’d only be on the TPN one more day.  The doctor thought Natalie might do better with learning to eat in the Newborn Progressive Nursery since it was quieter and more private.  Once she’s no longer taking the TPN in her leg PCVC line, she’ll be able to have the line removed and can go to the Progressive Nursery.  They didn’t really know how long she’d be in the Progressive nursery.  The doctor said if she wasn’t able to take all her milk consistently she’d have to have a tube put into her stomach.

After I tried to nurse her, I gave her the bottle.  She did take it all but very slow- just making it in the time limit.  I found out that they only try the bottle a few times a day and if she appears to be very sleepy, they just put the milk down the tube.  Not sure if that means all her night time feeds or not.  I saw yesterday’s nurse and she said that she gave Natalie the tube at 5 because she’d used the bottle at 8, 11, and 2 and the nurse thought she needed a break.

We also had a visit from the occupational therapist.  She’s going to come back tomorrow too to evaluate Natalie.  Not quite sure what they will do but OT (occupational therapy) and PT (physical therapy) will both work on her in the hospital.

Prayer Requests

• Continue to pray that she will learn to eat.  I keep thinking she’s improving but then hear from some that she’s doing well and some that she’s not.
• Pray for Julia.  I cried a lot in front of her yesterday and this morning. Sounds like she had a very rough day at school.  Don’t know if her behavior is related to that because she seems very tired too.  I ended up rocking her this afternoon to talk about what happened and we both fell asleep for well over an hour.
• There is a couple in the NICU that seem to have broken up over the birth of their sick child.  We’ve been told not to talk to other parents because of privacy issues.  It breaks my heart to see them come in to see their child in shifts.  I’d ask for prayer for opportunity to maybe talk to them (and courage!) and healing of both their hearts.