He's OFF oxygen!!

Sorry it’s been so long since the last Kaleb update. I really didn’t mean to leave you all hanging on pins and needles! It’s just that these last 8 days have been EXHAUSTING!! Not only physically, but emotionally, and mentally as well... Not to mention, hectic. Going to and from the hospital visiting Kaleb, and then trying to continue with our regular schedules with the girls and everything. It’s been very trying to say the least!

On to the good news...

Today is day 8 that Kaleb has been in the NICU at Miller’s Children’s Hospital. Everything was still pretty much how I last mentioned until Tuesday. Tuesday is the day that I got to breastfeed Kaleb for the first time, with the much needed assistance of Giselle, one of the hospital’s lactation consultants. Kaleb did really well the first time. He immediately latched on properly, and nursed for about 30 minutes... like a little champ!! Wednesday I also got to nurse, and nursed Kaleb twice. Again, he nursed like a champ! Tuesday and Wednesday, however, Kaleb was still needing oxygen. He was between 25-30% oxygen and still on 1liter per minute.

Today is a whole DIFFERENT story though! Kaleb’s feeding schedule is 8-11-2-5 day and night. I breastfed for the 11-2-5 feedings, and he did beautifully! Up until today Kaleb remained on oxygen, and every time he took a bottle his oxygen saturation levels would drop, so the nurses would have to increase both the % of oxygen as well as the flow. BUT when Kaleb breastfed his oxygen saturation levels did NOT drop, and remained stable. So I decided last night to nurse as much as I could. The 11am feeding went very well. Again with the assistance of Giselle, Kaleb latched on the first time, and nursed very well. At the 2pm feeding, the respiratory therapist removed Kaleb from oxygen all together! (PRAISE GOD!) So for the 2 and 5pm feedings Kaleb was completely OFF of oxygen, and not only did his saturation levels remain steady, but they INCREASED throughout the ENTIRE FEEDING!! Needless to say I will be at ALL of the other feedings to breastfeed, and make sure that he doesn’t get another bottle. I don’t want him to have to go back on oxygen for one second if it’s within my power to do so. Which it is since I’m breastfeeding, and he is doing SO much better with the breast than the bottle!

YAY!!

So today was the best day we’ve had so far. Still no day as to when he will come home, but if he keeps this up, it will definitely be sooner than later! Not only was today a really good day for Kaleb, but for me as well! With the help of Jodi and Giselle, the lactation consultant’s, I was successful in getting Kaleb latched on properly the first attempt at his 5pm feeding, and also found out why I had such a hard and painful time nursing my three others. They have helped me SO much, and I already feel MUCH better, and more confident about breastfeeding with this baby than I ever have before. YAY! I might actually make it to 12 months this time around! That’s my goal. 12 months.

So there’s the long overdue update people! Thank you so much for ALL of your prayers, good wishes, and support! We really couldn’t have done this by ourselves, and in our own strength, and for that we are ever so grateful! Not only do we have an AWESOME GOD, but we have awesome friends and family!

THANK YOU!!!!!