Firsts

Well this week there have been many firsts for Paul, Nadia, and I, and that will only continue over the years to come! Today was the first day I changed one of her diapers. This wasn't as momentous to me because I've changed MANY diapers over the last 25 years. It was a bigger deal to me when Paul changed her diaper since it was his first ever diaper change. Neither of us have changed a poopy diaper of hers yet - that first still awaits both of us, lol. Of course nursing is a huge first experience. Thankfully my milk has started to come in today which is big progress. It's much harder for milk to come in when #1 mom has to wait until baby is 2 days old to nurse for the first time, #2 mom didn't pump for the first time until about 19 hours post delivery (even though she asked to nurse or pump many times in there!), and #3 mom's time with baby is very limited especially time to hold her and nurse her (30 minutes a day, 8 times a day). Keeping a baby away from her mom 20 out of 24 hours a day is just not nice IMHO. So that leads me to the most monumental first for me today - the first time I got to just hold my baby for longer than 5 minutes (I am not counting the 4 hours a day of nursing). This evening I started nursing her at 5pm and as her nurse didn't seem so strict about the 30 minute rule, I kept going until 5:45. Then Paul held her some (first time he had seen her today as my mom came in yesterday so Paul went home yesterday). Well then the nurse said Paul could hold her while they did the supplmentation (by a tube through her nose). Then she just let us keep snuggling with her. I have to say this ranks as one of the happiest moments of my entire life - feeling my little one fall asleep on my chest. We had her out of the lights for 1 hour and 45 minutes. It was amazing. Hopefully her bilirubin count will be low enough tomorrow that she can discontinue the phototherapy and we can have MANY more experiences snuggling with her in the very near future. She is just soooo cuddable!!! I wanted to cry tears of joy as it really hit me in that moment - I am a mom...my daughter is nestled on my chest... thank you Lord for this most precious gift!!!

Last night I was transferred to a different room. My mom and I spent the night in a room on the oncology floor. The trek from our room to Nadia was 10 minutes long. My mom wheeled me back and forth at 2am, 5am, etc. Thank you, Mom!!! We are spending tonight at the Ronald McDonald House as I was discharged this afternoon. Tomorrow night we'll be sleeping in a unit within the NICU, and if she's not discharged on Monday we will spend Monday night there as well. Please pray that she is discharged either Monday or Tuesday as I really, really want to go home!!! She didn't lose any weight from yesterday to today. She is just under 6 lbs so she only lost about 2 ounces since she was born. They want to see her weight start to go up again. Her bilirubin dropped down since yesterday (which was good as from Thurs to Fri it went up). If it's under 10 tomorrow then her phototherapy will end tomorrow morning. It needs to stay under 10 for 24 hours for her to be discharged. Finally, my milk has to come in before she can go home. Thankfully I am in the transitional milk stage. We are hoping my milk will come in tomorrow, but the lactation nurse feels if not it will definitely be in by Monday.

Well I know you guys are dying for pictures so rather than typing any more text, I am going to just post photos until it's time to feed her again. Enjoy!!! She has yet to wear any clothes. That will be another first for her. I can't wait to take pictures of her once she is rid of all her tubes and wires and has some cute clothes on!!!

The first two were taken on Wednesday (one day old). The third was taken on Thursday (two days old) being held by Paul's mother. The fourth was taken on Friday being held by my mom who lives in MD. The fifth was taken on Friday with my Aunt Janet (my dad's sister who lives in NY). The sixth was taken today while she was in my arms. I was holding her hands because so many photos she had her hands in her face. :-) I know I'm biased, but isn't she so beautiful!!!