Mini Graduation Day!

Yes, today Toby has graduated out of the humidicrib, AND he's wearing clothes! Our little champ is doing amazingly well. I got to have a cuddle with him today and helped change a nappy. (Very apprehensively I might add), I'm always nervous trying things for the first time, especially when I haven't seen it done before. Luckily, the only piece of information I know about changing boys is - "keep it covered", and we didn't get wee-ed on - THIS time!

But, oh my! He did look cute in his little outfit. I think tomorrow he'll be wearing one of ours. Five zeros, of course.

Afternoon At The Beach

We went to see Toby this afternoon.

Today's stats:
weight - 1500gm (↓62gm) not a lot, but I wish it he was maintaining his weight
oxygen sats - 99-100% yay!
humidicrib temperature - 29º (↓1.5º) if he can get down to 28º he'll be ready to graduate from the humidicrib

It's a roller-coaster ride for me at the moment. I'm running between the hospital and trying to support Jo, managing the two girls and not letting them feel left out of the whole thing, AND trying to see Toby, all the while wanting to hold him, but knowing that if I do it's going to tire him out and exhaust him for breastfeeding with Jo. It's horrible being torn in a gazillion different directions. Whose needs wins? Right now it's the girls, Jo, Toby and then me. It's not a nice choice to be making and I hate it. I am consoling myself with the fact that Toby's energy levels will rise soon and he'll be able to get cuddles and feed too...

But, on a more positive note, I took Taryn and Jess to the beach this afternoon. As I sat on the sand and watched them play, I relaxed the most I have all week. Sleep has been elusive most of the week because I'm on high alert. It was nice to feel normal for an hour or two.

Taryn and Jess both had an absolute ball! Jess's preferred thing to do was play in the sand, creating patterns and building small piles of sand. Taryn's favoured things to do was throw sand and small rocks into the water. At some point she found a small piece of driftwood and threw that in too. Then she'd go and retrieve it by walking out to it and scoop it up. Neither girl had their bathers on, but they splashed around just the same.

I got some beautiful photos of them both.
Taryn's a poser for the camera:


Jessica has such a beautiful smile:


Taryn's favourite game:


Full speed ahead!


Jess building:


Almost time to go:


Keep saying those prayers everyone, they're obviously working. Hugs to everyone,
Sandi

One Day Old - Take Two

Toby continues to do well. He actually had a feed from Jo this afternoon, then took 6mls of breast milk! Today he was on 6mls every 3hrs. By 8pm he was tested to see if there was any of that left in his tummy. If there wasn't, it meant he was ready to be bumped up to 9mls every 3hrs. Our clever boy was ready! Even better, I got to hold the tube so that he could be tube fed. It sure was good to see his tummy getting fatter as it went down!

This morning his weight was 2593gm, so he'd lost 62gms. That was all the energy he had to use keeping his temperature up.

We've asked that he be on a cardiac/breathing monitor at night time to pick up any apneas, especially as his big sister Jess was having apneas for such a long time. It's just a precaution at this stage. His oxygen levels haven't indicated that he's having any apneas so far, as they continue to sit around 99-100%.

Our little superstar:


Oh, and he sure is a wriggler. He nearly wriggled his way out of the humidicrib today whilst the side was down! All subsequent nurses are being warned about it during handovers! He just loves having his feet pressed against the side of the humidicrib, just like his big sister Taryn. She still likes having her feet pressed against something. The wall, the bunk bed rails, her sister...

If you're the praying sort, please say a little prayer to the universe for him. And if you're not, please wish him lots of luck that he continues to be stable.

Hugs,
sandi

Ups and Downs

I took the girls to see Jo and Toby this morning. We all went down to the nursery to see him. We got a bit of a shock to see him in a humidicrib instead of in the warmer. Turns out he's showing his preemie-ness today and was using too much energy maintaining his body temperature yesterday. He slept all night and most of the morning, so he's really trying to conserve his energy. He's being tube fed too, just so that he doesn't have to waste any of his precious energy sucking and can put it all towards gaining weight.

Jo did get to have a cuddle (I stayed outside with the girls,) and he latched on for a minute or two. I'm looking forward to having a proper cuddle this evening when I go back without Taryn and Jess.

Here he is with Mummy Jo:


And just 'cos we can't get enough of him, here he is again:

Toby's Here!

Wow, what a day! The journey started early this morning when neither Jo nor I could sleep. Off to the hospital by 6am ready for an 8am c-section.

Here's Jo:


And here's me:

Don't I look fetching in my scrub suit? LOL

Here we both are while everyone else is doing the necessary stuff in the theatre. There was a moment there when we thought Jo might have to have a general anaesthetic, but luckily the 2nd epidural took. *Phew*


And so, at 8.26 this morning, Toby arrived into the world. He weighed 2665gms or 5lb 13oz and a length of 45cm. His size and weight are both great for a 34-weeker!

Jo was thrilled to be able to have a cuddle, something she really wasn't expecting due to his early age:


Here he is being weighed:


And here he is just chilling in the warming bed:


I followed him over to the neonate nursery, where Jen got to see him. Lucky girl is off on a boat cruise tomorrow, so they bent the rules slightly and let her in. Needless to say, she's besotted with her little brother already!


Jo was determined to get down to the nursery to see him again and try a feed. She was there by 5.30pm. What a trooper! 9hrs after having major surgery she was wheeled there in a wheelchair and had a proper cuddle. Needless to say, she's besotted with him too!


And me? Well, I have to say it, but I'm completely and utterly in love with this tiny being who we have been getting to know for so long. It's wonderful to finally meet him!

As of tonight he is being such a superstar. His oxygen level is usually between 99% and 100% His colour is amazing, his breathing is a steady 123bpm. We are just shaking our heads in wonder at how stable he is. We pray that he has a stable night and an equally steady day tomorrow.

But just look at him. Isn't he just gorgeous!

It's been a long time...

I can't believe I last wrote in 2006. *Shakes head* Jen is now nearly 16, Jess is nearly 7 and Taryn will be 7 in January.

Our biggest news is that our newest addition to the family is due to be born tomorrow. Yes, we thought our family was complete, but turns out it wasn't. We have a baby boy arriving by c-section tomorrow. He'll be 35 weeks gestation by our reckoning and he has had the steroid injection to develop his lungs. Hopefully he'll only need a day or two in nicu before joining Jo in her room.

Needless to say we are very excited and very, very nervous! I plan to take many photos tomorrow!