So Kavi is now 3.5 lbs! Today, his Gestational Age is 34 weeks. He's getting bigger! Here's some short videos of the guy!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
New Progress!
Well, it's not totally new, but very much new-ish! As of Saturday, March 1, Kavi started "Nippling", which means drinking from the bottle! He took 10 cc's on Saturday, 15 on Sunday, and 15 today! Today, the Speech Pathologist nurse came in and taught Nisha the tricks and tips to bottle feeding.
When babies are full term (38 weeks), their ability to suck, swallow, and breathe are developed and ready to go. But Kavi is at 33 weeks, so he's still working on this coordination. Suck, Swallow, and Breathe. Actually, he has the coordination and technique down, but he doesn't have the endurance yet. He keeps falling asleep! But everyone's impressed that he's got the technique down already. This really starts developing in the 34th week, but he developed it faster. He's been rooting and sucking for at least a week and a half, so we knew he'd get this down....now he just needs to develop endurance. Do some jumping jacks, run a few miles, jump rope for 3 minutes...well, I'll work with him on that endurance in due time. This endurance he has to do on his own!
He gets bottle fed once a day just to get the process started. What he doesn't finish during the bottle-feed session gets into him via the feeding tube.
Oh, and I must mention this: bottle feeding is not only a lot of coordination for Kavi, but it is also a lot for Mommy and Daddy! Wow! There's so much to know, as far as when to tilt the bottle, how to keep him awake, checking his breathing, signs for burping...we're all learning together!
Here are pictures of the bottle feeding education session today:
When babies are full term (38 weeks), their ability to suck, swallow, and breathe are developed and ready to go. But Kavi is at 33 weeks, so he's still working on this coordination. Suck, Swallow, and Breathe. Actually, he has the coordination and technique down, but he doesn't have the endurance yet. He keeps falling asleep! But everyone's impressed that he's got the technique down already. This really starts developing in the 34th week, but he developed it faster. He's been rooting and sucking for at least a week and a half, so we knew he'd get this down....now he just needs to develop endurance. Do some jumping jacks, run a few miles, jump rope for 3 minutes...well, I'll work with him on that endurance in due time. This endurance he has to do on his own!
He gets bottle fed once a day just to get the process started. What he doesn't finish during the bottle-feed session gets into him via the feeding tube.
Oh, and I must mention this: bottle feeding is not only a lot of coordination for Kavi, but it is also a lot for Mommy and Daddy! Wow! There's so much to know, as far as when to tilt the bottle, how to keep him awake, checking his breathing, signs for burping...we're all learning together!
Here are pictures of the bottle feeding education session today:
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Day-by-Day
So Kavi's up to 3 pounds 3 ounces. He got moved to Bay 5 in the NICU, which is the Step-Down...meaning their care is less intensive. The doctor said that his main thing is he needs to eat, sleep, and grow!
On the medical side, he is a little anemic, so he's taking Epogen for helping his red blood cells production. He's still on bicitrus, because his kidneys are pushing out a little too much carbon dioxide. He'll probably be taking Epogen and Bicitrus for his whole stay, which will probably be until term, which is around April17th.
I was holding him the other day, and one thing I can say with complete confidence - his bowels work FINE. He stunk so bad, I almost threw up in my mouth. Of course, he was smiling ear to ear.
I did skin-to-skin contact with him, where I wore a button down shirt, and opened it up and held his face and body against my chest. With Nisha, he loves it and falls asleep. With me, and my wiry chest hairs, he was uncomfortable. I don't blame him - its kind of like trying to take a nap without a blanket on an unmowed lawn, face down!
There's a cool new development with him that I don't want to give away yet, because I don't have a picture of it. But I'll have one tomorrow. In the meantime, here are some pictures from yesterday. Nothing too different, but I'll put them up for y'all anyways! That's right - I said "y'all", and Kavi growing up in Texas will say "y'all" as well. When in Rome...
Oh by the way, in these pictures, you'll see some white stuff on his chin, they are only giving him his feeding tube (the tube that goes into his mouth to his tummy) during feeding time. The rest of the time they take it off. So when they took it off, some of the tape decided to stay on. That's what the white stuff on his chin is - don't worry, I'm not feeding him Hostess Powdered Donuts. Yet.
On the medical side, he is a little anemic, so he's taking Epogen for helping his red blood cells production. He's still on bicitrus, because his kidneys are pushing out a little too much carbon dioxide. He'll probably be taking Epogen and Bicitrus for his whole stay, which will probably be until term, which is around April17th.
I was holding him the other day, and one thing I can say with complete confidence - his bowels work FINE. He stunk so bad, I almost threw up in my mouth. Of course, he was smiling ear to ear.
I did skin-to-skin contact with him, where I wore a button down shirt, and opened it up and held his face and body against my chest. With Nisha, he loves it and falls asleep. With me, and my wiry chest hairs, he was uncomfortable. I don't blame him - its kind of like trying to take a nap without a blanket on an unmowed lawn, face down!
There's a cool new development with him that I don't want to give away yet, because I don't have a picture of it. But I'll have one tomorrow. In the meantime, here are some pictures from yesterday. Nothing too different, but I'll put them up for y'all anyways! That's right - I said "y'all", and Kavi growing up in Texas will say "y'all" as well. When in Rome...
Oh by the way, in these pictures, you'll see some white stuff on his chin, they are only giving him his feeding tube (the tube that goes into his mouth to his tummy) during feeding time. The rest of the time they take it off. So when they took it off, some of the tape decided to stay on. That's what the white stuff on his chin is - don't worry, I'm not feeding him Hostess Powdered Donuts. Yet.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Gaining Weight!
So as of this morning, Kavi hit 3 pounds! This is great! Today he is 33 weeks, in gestational age. So next week, when he is 34 weeks, they will start doing vision tests.
His carbon dioxide levels are leveling out, so he may not need any bicarbonate after today. We'll see.
We are loving being in Austin, it is so much nicer to be home, and honestly, we like this hospital better. It was funny, when the transport nurse from Austin came to get Kavi from San Antonio, Nisha could tell she was from Austin because she was sassy, spunky, hip, and fun. Austin just has and breeds a unique energy that the rest of Texas lacks. We were just talking about aside from the horrific cedar pollen, Austin is such a great place for Kavi to grow up. Very kid friendly, and so much creative outlets to stimulate creative energy here. Lots of super friendly, and hip parents, raising hip kids (West Lake being the exception. OH! OUCH! hehe j/k)
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Back in Austin!!!
So today was our LAST DAY in San Antonio! Since Kavi is doing well, and went to the "Step-Down Unit", we asked if he is stable enough to be transported to St. David's Hospital in Austin, where he was supposed to be born. And they said YES! So, they set all the wheels in motion, and it happened.
Kavi's doing well, he hasn't put on any more weight as of yet, and he has to have a little bicarbonate with his feedings because his kidneys are excreting a little too much carbon dioxide (this is very common in preemies, and nothing really to be concerned about). The bicarbonate should level things out quickly.
So here are some pictures recapping the day's events:
Just hangin out in his blue onesie! (sp?)
Kavi's doing well, he hasn't put on any more weight as of yet, and he has to have a little bicarbonate with his feedings because his kidneys are excreting a little too much carbon dioxide (this is very common in preemies, and nothing really to be concerned about). The bicarbonate should level things out quickly.
So here are some pictures recapping the day's events:
Just hangin out in his blue onesie! (sp?)
On hearing the news that he'll be in Austin today, he was sleeping with a smile! Either that, or he just farted.
Daddy forgot to bring his razor on his constant back and forth trips, and looks like this after 3 days of not shaving! (You'll be hard pressed to ever see me like this, so soak it in! salt-n-peppa beardy-licious!)
Entering into Austin's St. David's Hospital, coming off the ambulance in a remote isolette. He did really well on his very first road trip!
Wheeling on in! A concerned Mommy in the background, multitasking - making sure Kavi is being wheeled okay, and giving Grandma directions on how to get here. And me? Well...someone's gotta document this historic journey!
All the nurses, and everyone who came into contact with Kavi remarked how cute and adorable he is! Get used to it, kid, but don't let it get to your head!
Smiling contently with his new home! Good-bye Spurs, and Hello Longhorns! I know, I know, different leagues. But we artistic types really can't tell the difference. ;)
Oh Yeah! Good to be in Austin! Home sweet home! Let's take off our clothes and party in our diapers! Woo hoo!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Some Video
Not the most exciting, but hey, it's his first video! The background noise is not his, it's his housemates. But if you listen closely to the 2nd video at 1:09 and 1:21, you may hear some of his squeaks! He was a good boy today. He didn't cry a lot, didn't put up much of a fuss at all. Very peaceful little guy!
Kavi and Mommy!
So Kavi, to our surprise, made it to the "Step-Down Unit", which is not as intensive care as the NICU. The docs say he's doing well, and all he really needs to do is put on some weight. As of this post, he's 2 lbs, 14 oz, so he's almost 3 lbs!
Nisha has been doing "Kangaroo Care" with him, which means she holds him against her chest making skin-to-skin contact. This helps with the bonding & growth process, as well as the first steps towards breast-feeding. I can do skin-to-skin contact as well...well, I suppose mine is chest-hair-to-skin contact...and as much as Nisha wants me to, I don't think I'll be able to breast-feed him! But heck, I'll try anything once!
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