Witten's Milestones Week 6 Part 2

Witten is 1/2 weeks old today, and he is growing bigger and stronger everyday. Yesterday he weighed in at 4.5lbs. This is a far cry from the 2lbs 9oz where he started. He is still receiving nutrition through a pick line, but he will begin his feedings again on Sunday. I am hoping that he will begin bottles by the middle of next week.

Since he has been properly diagnosed with VRE, which is a super strain of UTI, and he has been getting the proper medicine, he is a different kid. Before, his belly was very distended and hard. It looked like one of those old man bellies where their belly is disproportionately huge compared to the rest of their bodies. When they stopped his feedings and began sucking the infection out of his belly, it shrunk back to normal size. This allowed him to breathe more easily because before, his belly took up so much room that his lungs were squished. This is what they think caused him to go back on the Cpap. Since it has shrunk, he has not only gotten off of the Cpap, but he started on a 4 liter nasal cannula, moved down to a 3 on Wednesday, and will be moving down to a 2 today. There are only 2 more sizes before he gets off of it completely. I am also relieved to know that his apnea episodes and breathing problems were due to his infection and not long term problems!

He still prefers to sleep on his belly just like his mom. This is causing a problem though because they are trying to get him used to his back before he comes home because he's not allowed to sleep on his belly at home. He'll stay on it for an hour or so before he starts crying to be turned back over.

The private room has been such a blessing. I feel more comfortable talking to him more, and I have begun singing to him too. Before, there were 6 kids, 2 nurses, and usually at least 2 other families in his pod all at the same time. I talked to him a lot, but I felt like I was being too loud. Now I just talk away. We have been learning about the three little pigs and Little Red Riding Hood. I have also been singing "My God is so Big", "The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock", and "Jesus Loves You." I can't really remember anymore kids Bible songs because I'm so far removed from that world, but I have added in "House at Pooh Corner." He seems to really like that one.

I'm hoping that we are now only 2-3 weeks from home. Once he can eat, his last obstacle is bottle feeding, so we'll see how that goes. He did really well last Saturday. It was his last feed before they took him off of food for a week, and he sucked down 40ml in 15 minutes. Hopefully he'll pick that up fast since everything else has been so slow, but from what I hear, that's the longest obstacle.

Thanks for the prayers!

This is a picture from Father's Day. We didn't get many pictures because Witten wasn't doing well and they didn't want us picking him up or even touching him.

This picture is from when I got to hold him yesterday.
This picture is also from yesterday. Notice the blue plastic gown I'm wearing. We have to wear those and gloves until he comes home. They are very hot and uncomfortable, and it's not as fun to touch your baby through plastic!