8-9 December

Thursday, 8 December 2011

Weight 5 lb. 4.1 oz.; still consistently putting on weight which is a good thing and one of the criteria determining when I can go home.

As of this morning I was still only allowed 10 ml per bottle and had to take the rest via gavage (tube), but after successfully eating all 10 ml for three feedings in a row, the OT said my bottles could be increased up to 20 ml per time.  To celebrate, I spit up all over the nurse at my next feeding.

Dad came early in the afternoon and visited for a bit but didn't get to hold me since I had been spitting up so he visited with Rory instead; same story with Mom when she came later in the evening - I was sleeping and being gavage fed so she didn't get to do much with me either :-(

Pretty boring I realize.  Luckily more happened the next day, which brings me to:

Friday, 09 December 2011

Despite my excessive number of spitups, I'm keeping enough of my feedings (now 52 ml per time) down to keep putting on weight - up another ounce and a half to 5 lb. 5.7 oz.!

Mom tried breastfeeding me in the afternoon at my 2:30 feeding; they do this thing here where they weigh you before and after breastfeeding to find out how much you took.  As you can see, I'm not a big fan:

However, i was okay once they put me down with Mom ready to eat.  I got nice and cozy with her.

In fact, I got so cozy that I had no interest in eating.  And seriously, why should I have to do all the work when there's a machine that will pump my food into my stomach for me with no work on my part?  Sometimes adults are so silly....

Anyhow, since I wasn't going to breast- or bottle-feed (they said it was because I was "sleepy" since no one wanted to admit that I was beating their system), they put me back in bed and I had a little nap.  Pretty nice outfit, huh?

Later when it was time for my next diaper change I was much more awake:  (the shadow is Mom blocking the light so it's not shining right in my eyes - who designs these nurseries and puts lights straight down into where the crib goes, anyway?)

Dad was changing me, and I was a little peeved at him for not spending more time with me the day before, so I played a pretty good prank on him.  I did a big poop ahead of time so he'd have to wipe me while my diaper was off.  Then while he was doing that, I did another one and hit him in the hand before he could get the diaper covering me again.  Score:  Ben 1, Dad 0.  (Rory tried something similar but didn't have the guts to go all the way with it - you know her, she's too nice for her own good sometimes...)

Anyhow Dad went ahead and held me for my feeding anyway, which allowed me to spit up on him as well (though I can't claim that one was entirely premeditated, it's a pretty good bet that I'll spit up at any given time....).  After that he put me back in the crib since I seem to do better when I'm motionless.

Mom was going to try breastfeeding me one more time at the 11:30 p.m. feeding, but she had had a long day and didn't make it that long:

So Dad did the honors instead.  I figured I owed him one from earlier so I woke up to visit with him:

And then I did a good job with the feeding, taking my entire 20 ml bottle and only spitting back up a little of it before they gavaged the rest for me.

Eating the bottle tired me out so I went back to sleep then.  But Mom and Dad are taking advantage of the move to Special Care by staying the night so they'll be here for my night and early morning feedings which will be new and exciting.  And there's even the outside chance I'll be awake for some of those feedings! ;-)