Rikr's baby adventure!

We went to the doctor today. Got first set of pictures. Steph is 15 weeks, but we don't know what it is yet. I was bummed; I want to know. Steph said she didn't see a stem, but we'll know for sure next month.
Due date is Feb 5, 2008. I can't wait.

Rikr 17 years ago
Yeah. I pray he doesn't get the idea of checking out the real world before he's supposed to. In all honesty, she is 26 inches long and 9.5 pounds. I'm just a monster....I really do have big hands.
Lessa 17 years ago
wow shes that big already? No way! Thats bigger than any of mine were born at. hehe. and they were all late by a week or two!
Laschae 17 years ago
Wow she's a big girl. Mine we're 6 lbs 9 oz and 7 lbs dead even.
Rikr 17 years ago
(hehe I was kidding. She was 2.5 pounds and 13 inches long, and currently around 2 pounds because she lost her fluid weight. She's been eating real well and they are about to start fortifying her food to help her get nice and plump.) I just made that comment because Roz was joking about my hand size. I'll stop there before it starts going down a road it shouldn't. hehe

*ponder* or was Roz saying Alexis has big hands..... /ponder
ROzbeans 17 years ago
I was saying Alexis does! Her hand look so big for such a teeny bebe! =D
Rikr 17 years ago
ah okie. LOL. One of the first things we noticed were her long fingers. hehehehe. She'll grow into them soon.
Lessa 17 years ago
that or maybe she wil be a piano player! hehe
ROzbeans 17 years ago
The sweetest thing in the world is having your baby girl take her little hands and cup your face...and then scratching the shit out of you because she's 9 months old and doesn't quite get the whole pain thing yet. Good times!
Lessa 17 years ago
lol

I dont know, i always thought the sliders ( super wet slobbery kisses) were the sweetest..
Rikr 17 years ago
Well I certainly cannot wait for that! For true!
Den 17 years ago
Or snuggling with them, right after they've been bathed, and are getting all sleepy, dreamy, then having them fall asleep in your arms.
Laschae 17 years ago
I have a picture of me and CeCe like that and snuggled up and she's falling asleep. It's nice
ROzbeans 17 years ago
How's everything going so far, Don?
Gilae 17 years ago
The problem with not checking the boards enough is I'm late on all the big news!! I hope everything is going well Don...David was jaundiced when he was born and I know just how traumatic it is to see your baby going through any kind of stress. I'll be thinking about you and will check back to see how things are going. All my love to you and your little one!
Rikr 17 years ago
First of all, Gilae.....You do need to stop by more often. hehe

Sorry for my lack of update. I've been sending email blasts to the family, and forgetting to post info here. So much to update....will try my best here:

I believe the jaundice to be gone. She has a nice skin tone. Not red looking anymore. They had been increasing her feedings every day. She was up to 17ml every feeding. (every 3 hours I think). She had a lot of apnea issues, and one night it was really bad. She had a lot of mucus buildup in her throat and mouth. They think it had something to do with an infection. They put her on antibiotics and ran numerous tests. So far the cultures didn't grow, so they don't believe she actually had an infection. They are starting to think she was refluxing from her feedings, causing the buildup and making it hard for her to breathe. May have been too much for her. She is on a continuous feed at the moment and and gets 6ml every hour instead of 18 every 3. This has helped her tremendously.

She is in her phase of weight gain now, and up until yesterday she was back up to 2 pounds 4 ounces. The nurses all seem to think she wasn't actually born at 2.5 pounds, they think she was less than that. She did drop at one point all the way down to 1 pound 13 ounces. So they think the initial measurement was off a little. She is gaining an average of 1 ounce per day, and this is what she should be doing if she was still in mommy.

She has had only a few alarms (when levels get too low, due to apnea), and the pressure on her air tube over her nose was lowered to a 4 last night which is good. She did so good with that that they took that off today, and put the little piece under her nose. Now she doesn't have headgear. So far today she seemed to be doing good with that. If she starts having problems again, she will go back to the headgear. (the thing in the pics with the blue piece over her nose)

We started doing "Kangaroo Care" which is us being to hold her. It's skin on skin contact and then they wrap us up in warm blankets. This is some new thing that they say, helps premies respond better to and helps them alot. I think it is my night tonight.

The doctors overall have been very pleased with how she is progressing, especially for her size. I know there is always a possibility of a setback. When they thought she may have an infection, they put her on an antibiotic for 8 days, today being the last. She may have had a slight infection. They did say they saw an elevated white blood count on one of the tests. (forgot to mention that earlier), but at least the culture didn't grow.

That's it for now. I'll remember to post anything new here too.

-Don
Gilae 17 years ago
I came back! Just to see if you posted actually

It's crazy how much technical information you learn/retain when it is your child's health you're concerned with. It sounds like she's in very good hands though. David actually was born late (he was stuck and didn't want to come out at all)...and I remember how frightened I was even still those first few months when anything seemed out of the ordinary. I wasn't producing enough milk fast enough to get rid of the jaundice and was miserable with postpartum thinking I was a terrible mother already. I can only imagine what you and her poor mommy are going through.

It sounds like she's doing well and you will all pull through this rough period. It will only be a few short months before she's sassing you and making you laugh when she runs into walls bruising her noggin in a way that would have horrified you previously. Your next few months will be filled with discussions of poop...poop consistency, number of times of pooping, whether or not she's pooped, getting poop on you/walls/carpet (don't ask). At least with girls they don't pee straight at your face. I'm babbling about poop now...great. I just am excited for you and thinking about what you're going through....also I'm working up the nerve to have a second and you're reminding me of the stress/fear/joy of what having the first was. The miracle of having made a person out of nothing and having that person think you and your significant other are the best people on earth (at least until they're a teenager)...it's a trip for sure.

Babies...gotta love em...gotta wish that whole stork story were true.
Vex 17 years ago
my niece had projectile shits when she was newborn.

i can totally relate to poop on the walls and carpet.
ROzbeans 17 years ago
Have a second one, Gilly - make it a girl and name her Catherine!!

Little girls are so fun, Don. I can't wait for you guys to experience the cuteness that is little girl's clothes. I always SO enjoyed shopping for Catherine =D They're so much fun when they get all fat and giggly - /sigh...I want my boy already!
Laschae 17 years ago
Projectile poop...I would rather have forgotten that one One time around 3 am I wake up to change CeCe and just hit the floor in time to not get hit in the eye with poop.

I hope I have another girl they're so much more fun to shop for =P


I'm so relieved to hear the baby is doing well Rikr. I know everything will be ok for her. God I hate to see babies and little kids hurt or suffering I get all teary eyed thinking about your baby lol. Gotta love these hormone =P
Sarah 17 years ago
Oh Wow, Don, I'm such a slacker. I just got through this entire thread.


Congratulations!!! My thoughts and prayers are with you guys for speedy growth and healthy baby-ness.

*huggles*