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Saturday, November 05, 2005
An update without much actual updating
Timmy did not start breast milk today as planned. The attending physicians were rotated and the new attending on our pod decided she wanted one more day of suppositories to be sure that all the meconium plugs had been passed and he would have a clear intestinal tract.
We went ahead with the kangaroo care (skin-to-skin contact where the mother holds her diaper clad child to her bare chest) and he loved it. We sat that way for nearly two hours and his breathing, temperature and heart rates were excellent throughout. It was an amazing bonding experience and one that I cannot wait to repeat over and over again.
The plan as of now is to introduce a specific quantity of breast milk via a feeding tube (either through the mouth or nose) while holding him skin-to-skin. This way they can have an exact quantity of milk reach him and evaluate his digestive system's effectiveness while allowing him to connect the feeling of a full belly with maternal contact. Over the next several days, quantities will be increased and then a bottle will be used to help him connect the concept of a nipple (again, while still controlling the amount of intake). As he gets stronger and those connections begin to click, we will move on to feeding directly from the breast whenever I am there with him.
I am trying to not speculate on the time when he will come home since it's uncertain when that will be. For now, I prefer to look at it this way:
NICU, day 5 complete. Five days closer to coming home.
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