Update from the NICU

I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of love, prayers and support we've had for our Sweet Baby Girl. She seems to be doing well and making progress.  She's barely using the ventilator right now....down to 10% and they are hoping to extubate her sometime this morning or early afternoon, assuming her tests are all reassuring this morning.  I managed to sweet talk my way out of the hospital late last night....29 hours post-cesarean. Not too shabby, since they said most first time and emergency c-sections don't get sprung for about 72 hours.  I made it up to see Sweet Baby Girl for the first time last night around 10pm.  I'm so thankful that she's at a hospital nearby.  The staff there is great and have been very good to both of us.  I couldn't stay the night since I'm in some pain but I’m headed up there this morning to be there when they extubate her, hopefully. The signs of infection she was showing yesterday are already receding with the antibiotics, which is wonderful.  They doctors and nurses are hopeful that, once she's extubated and monitored, they can move her to a "step-down" nursery.  Which means lots more mommy snuggles and that we'll get to try breastfeeding.  She's been receiving nourishment via IV through her umbilical, but they hope to start her on tiny amounts of the colostrum I've been pumping as soon as she's off the vent and then work up to nursing.  I know this may be a tough transition, but I'm hopeful that we can learn together to establish nursing once she's a little stronger. They still expect about a total of 7 days in the hospital, which means I'll be extra, extra, extra thankful on Thanksgiving but I'm grateful that we seem to be turning the corner and can see the finish line.   We don't have a lot of photos because the NICU really limits it, but hopefully, we'll have some opportunities over the next couple of days.

My heart is touched by all the love we've been showered with through this adventure.  I've received so many offers to help and so many sweet messages from friends and family, near and far.  I will eventually respond to everyone, but right now it seems like we're running non-stop between hospital visits, pumping sessions, Monster Boy,  Bunny Girl and my physical limitations.