So Happy to be a Mommy

Today was a great day for being a mother.  I spent the morning playing with the big kids, had the best afternoon with baby Jacob and then dinner out with Tyson and the kids.

At the NICU today:
Today Jacob took another full bottle ....
out of his incubator ....
while I was holding him ....
for over an hour!!!!

Good news on top of good news on top of good news.

After yesterday's feeding success we decided to try the bottle again today and the nurse let me go ahead and do it in the rocking chair, just like this is what we've been doing all along.  Jacob did well during the feeding, no issues other than wanting to fall asleep before the bottle was done (just like his brother and sister did as full term babies, so no huge deal).  Everyone seems so surprised that he is able to take the full bottle, so the whole NICU is proud of him.

After the feeding, I kept holding him and holding him and holding him.  It was wonderful, it was going on forever but I obviously didn't question anything.  After about an hour and 15 minutes, his nurse today says under her breath, "Wow I really broke the rules with you today."  Jacob did well the whole time with no apnea spells or issues and I just loved hugging him closely and singing to him.

I also haven't mentioned yet that we are also giving him baths now.  They are just sponge baths with a washcloth and every third day it is a soap bath with a soapy washcloth.  These happen at night and it is not as fun as a tub bath, but a good time to interact with Jacob because he is always alert during the bath.  Tyson is on his way to give a soap bath now.

Also this week his doctor reviewed his growth chart with me again.  She showed how Jacob is close to 50th percentile for weight by gestational age, and that is compared to babies that are still in the womb. She emphasized that it is unfortunately very uncommon for babies born as early as Jacob to do so well (most fall significantly under the growth curve), so what he has done with his feedings is remarkable.  Yay!

This has been such a great week and we think that things are really looking up and will keep getting better and better.


Two Month photo from yesterday (adding some baby fat):

Jacob at 2 months - 4 lbs, 4 oz