Yesterday we got the big call from the NICU saying Dane was ready to come home. He'd passed his 48 hours of eating without being fed through the nasogastric tube. With emotions of excitement and nervousness at once, Larissa and I went to the hospital to pick him up and bring him home. We were told he was "ready to go" and assumed we'd just go get him and bring him home. 2 1/2 hours later, after they'd made all of the follow-up doctors appointments and photocopied his paperwork (labs, etc) to bring to his pediatrician (these were all things that seriously could'vebeen done prior to us getting there, which was frustrating because we just wanted to get home with him), we left for home.After getting home, we got settled in. Dane was so excited to be home that he was unable to poop - until thismorning when Larissa helped him out with a q-tip smothered in vasoline (as recommended by the NICU).
After ~36 hours without a bowel movement, he had been quite full. So full, in fact, that he was pretty fussy all night. He didn't want to sleep and didn't want to eat but just farted and strained and cried. Larissa and I didn't get much sleep, if any, until after his 1am feeding. Then we slept until 5am (waking up anytime he made a sound...or didn't make a sound, to see what was wrong or make sure he was still breathing) at which time Larissa got up to feed him and pump. After Larissa helped Dane have his bowel movement thismorning, he seemed much happier and took his bottle better and slept peacefully most of the afternoon. He even didn't get too upset when we gave him a real bath (in the kid tub set into our bathtub). Instead of getting upset, he just gave us a look that said "what are you DOING to me?!"
The rest of the day today has been as smooth as can be expected. We rarely feel like we know what we're doing and feel like we should still be visiting him at the NICU. We are
hoping that he'll do a better job taking his whole bottle and that he'll get past this constipation that's bothering him. We are tired but can't yet sleep well because we're listening for him to know he's ok.
You guys...I'm just so excited for you! The adjustment to home is not an easy one though, so hang in there. It gets better and better and better! Enjoy being able to actually be the ones to listen to all of his noises and help him out! He's a blessed little boy!
ReplyDeletehe's a lucky little lad with such loving parents listening for his every little peep. isn't it great (and scary!)? each day seems to get a little easier as a new parent, you start to be able to read their signs and figure out what their different cries mean and start seeing their patterns and then you blink and they're almost 5 months old. so glad he is home in the loving care of his great parents! trust your instincts and live by the trial-and-error law and you'll feel like you've got the whole parenting thing down before you know it. then he'll be a teenager and i hear that's a whole new ballgame! enjoy your little dude.
ReplyDeleteI remember crying every night our first week home with Caleb because I felt so overwhelmed with the responsibility of taking care of this little life. One night in the midst of my tears I told Paul, "I think they should take him back. I don't think I'm good enough to take care of him." Granted I have no idea who "they" is but I was convinced someone else would take better care of Caleb. Thankfully, with sleep and time I don't feel that way any more. It's a learning process but thankfully Dane is learning right along with you. we're so happy he's home with you guys.
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