New Isolette and Pod

I got to the hospital tonight at 7:45 and found out they were about to switch Brandon to a new isolette and a new pod. They moved him to a pod next to the one where he has been because it is quieter there which they think will be nicer for Brandon...especially when he is kangarooing. He will have the same nurses so I am happy. I kangarooed for 3 hours. Brandon did not have any desats but something was bothering him a little while after he ate. He cried every so often like he was in pain. Sue was his nurse tonight and thought that it was probably gas. I am going to call Sue in a little while to see how Brandon is and to see how much he weighs. She was going to wait until 12:00 to weigh him when she does his cares.

August 5, 2008 evening

I had a really great visit with Brandon again last night. Sue was his nurse last night. Stu came for a little while after he finished setting up for the Italian Festival that his fire department has this week. I kangarooed with Brandon for a little over 2 hours and he had no desats. Even when he ate. He did have some reflux we think but no desats. Sue said he is still too young for reflux medicine but if it continues he may be put on something when he is a little older. When I talked to Sue this morning she said Brandon had no desats over night too.

Brandon gained 20 grams last night. He now weighs 1070 grams which is almost 2 pounds 6 ounces. He needs to gain 7 grams until he is exactly 2 pounds 6 ounces.

We switched Brandon back to half formula, half milk last night. He had been on that for a few days at the beginning of last week but then started getting all milk again because I had some that was expiring. I had a lot of frozen bottles in my freezer as well from when I started pumping so I figured we should finish those too. I am down to 10 in my freezer at the most and they each only have about 1/2 ounce so I figured we might as well switch back to half formula, half milk because he will probably be on all formula soon.

There is a good chance that Brandon is going to be moved tonight to a new isolette. He has been in a high end isolette that they use for early preemies like Brandon was. It helps regulate his temperature better than the lower end isolettes and the top moves up with the touch of a button if they need to get to Brandon quickly. Now that he has had few desats they do not need to get to him quickly and he can regulate his temperature better now that he is bigger. He will be fine in one of the other isolettes and this way they have his ready for when they get some early born preemies like Brandon was which they will probably when he is still in the hospital.

Quick Afternoon Update

Brandon had a great afternoon today. I kangarooed for 1 1/2 hours and Brandon's oxygen stayed 98-100%. Dr. Attardi came to talk to me when I was there. She mentioned to me that Brandon will be getting another head ultrasound on Thursday. They always do another head ultrasound around one month old.

Big Boy Pacifier

Brandon was given a new, bigger pacifier to use yesterday and he loved it.

One Month Old

Brandon is one month old today. I can't believe it has already been one month since I had him. It has been both the quickest and slowest month I have ever experienced.

Stu and I went to the hospital yesterday when he got home from work since he had a meeting last night and Stu kangarooed with Brandon. I went to the hospital last night and I kangarooed with Brandon. Brandon was good during both visits. His nurse last night was Rachel. Brandon never had her before but I have seen her many times before. She was really good with Brandon. He is now up to 1050 grams which means he is 2 pounds, 5 ounces and he gained another 1/4 of an inch so he is 15 1/4 inches long.

When I talked to Rachel this morning to see how Brandon's night was she said he had a really good night. He was turned down to 26% oxygen from midnight on and doing well.

August 4, 2008 afternoon

I was at the hospital for an hour earlier this afternoon. Stu and I are going back when he gets home from work which is why I didn't stay as long as I usually do. Chris is his nurse today. When I got to the hospital she told me that he was looking really good. Dr. Attardi came to do his exam when I was there. The only changes today are Brandon is now getting 20 cc's of milk and they are also adding human milk fortifier which will give him some extra calories. This is common for them to do around this time. Brandon is still desatting about halfway through his meals. Chris commented that she thinks it is reflux just like Mark and Kate did. Last night Brandon weighed 1042 so he had a slight weight gain. He is almost 2 pounds 5 ounces.

Good Afternoon Visit

Stu and I had a good visit with Brandon this afternoon. I kangarooed with him for almost 2 hours. At the end of kangarooing Dr. Attardi came over to do an exam on him. He had been on his stomach during rounds so she did not want to disturb him but when he was put back into his isolette after we kangarooed Mark put him on his back. She said his lungs and stomach both sound good. She kept his food at 19 cc's again today but he is now getting it over an hour period instead of a half hour to see if that helps with the desats during eating. It is possible that the reason he has desats during eating can be that as his stomach gets full it pushes on his lungs which causes a desat. It is also possible that he could have reflux which causes the desats. She also increased the amount of caffeine he is getting slightly. He gets caffeine because it helps to stimulate him to breathe. He was getting it the last time he was on CPAP too. Now that he is off the vent he is getting the caffeine again.