7/10/2011 4 lb 12.2 oz
7/11/2011 4 lb 15 oz
7/12/2011 4 lb 15 oz
7/13/2011 4 lb 15.5 oz
I received a text message at work from Christal after the lactation nurse spoke with her:
-They have never seen a 24 weaker breastfeed like a newborn. She exceeded their expectations like the Lord said she would. Praise God for His promises!
-Usually they don't latch on like she does and stay latched on. And they certainly don't swallow. Becky said that this is the first time she has ever seen this before and she can't wait to come back tomorrow morning.
The text messages were more graphic in nature than I normally post on this blog, but I thought it was imperative to capture the words, emotion, and praise exactly as it was sent to me. I love my wife so much. She and I both have prayed that this little girl will exceed expectations and make a new standard! Today is just the beginning. I believe that with all my heart.
I also wanted Aliyah to read about the things her mother had to say. I thank God for what he's done and what he's going to do. God has a purpose for Aliyah. I pray this blog will encourage her in the future when things get tough. I want her to understand her history and everything she has already overcome.
God bless each and everyone of you. Thank you for your prayers,
Barry G.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Aliyah is on the runway....7/12/2011
7/8/2011 4 lb 12 oz
7/10/2011 4 lb 12.2 oz
7/11/2011 4 lb 15 oz
7/12/2011 4 lb 15 oz
Aliyah had another good day today. She nursed twice today (once from a bottle). She is not able to receive her entire feed yet, but she was able to get 13 mL from the bottle (42 mL is a full feeding). That is a significant accomplishment. She had a little trouble nursing tonight. The nurse and Christal were trying to wake up her so that she could nurse. She did start sleep sucking after about 5 min. of nudging and shaking :).
After we put her back in her crib (trough) she got the hiccups. A little while after that, she started squirming and whining a bit. (I think she was trying to poop). I didn't want to leave until she stopped. I just sat there watching her for a little bit. I don't know how I'm going to sleep when she comes home. I can see myself staying up all night watching her sleep and squirm. I guess I should save up some vacation. I may need it just to get some sleep!
Christal also bathe her for the first time today. (Another item off the go home checklist).
Thanks for your prayers. God bless each and everyone of you!
Barry G.
7/10/2011 4 lb 12.2 oz
7/11/2011 4 lb 15 oz
7/12/2011 4 lb 15 oz
Aliyah had another good day today. She nursed twice today (once from a bottle). She is not able to receive her entire feed yet, but she was able to get 13 mL from the bottle (42 mL is a full feeding). That is a significant accomplishment. She had a little trouble nursing tonight. The nurse and Christal were trying to wake up her so that she could nurse. She did start sleep sucking after about 5 min. of nudging and shaking :).
After we put her back in her crib (trough) she got the hiccups. A little while after that, she started squirming and whining a bit. (I think she was trying to poop). I didn't want to leave until she stopped. I just sat there watching her for a little bit. I don't know how I'm going to sleep when she comes home. I can see myself staying up all night watching her sleep and squirm. I guess I should save up some vacation. I may need it just to get some sleep!
Christal also bathe her for the first time today. (Another item off the go home checklist).
Thanks for your prayers. God bless each and everyone of you!
Barry G.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Aliyah did it!!!! 7/11/2011
7/6/2011 4 lb 10 oz
7/8/2011 4 lb 12 oz
7/10/2011 4 lb 12.2 oz
7/11/2011 4 lb 15 oz
Today, Aliyah made me a proud daddy! She nursed for the 1st time (15 min)! I'm so proud. I know it is difficult for some to understand why a baby nursing is such a major event, but it is. Our child has been fed through a tube since the day she was born. Today, she actually ate on her own for the first time.
I was laughed at after some read my blog yesterday (co-worker). I'm not calling any names, but they thought my coaching prior to the nuzzling session humorous. Well, I can say that Aliyah did listen to her father. She understood the expectation I made for her yesterday, and she met it today! There is the power of life and death in the tongue. Yesterday I spoke life....and Aliyah responded! Thank the Lord!
Looking forward to the report tomorrow. I will not be able to go to the hospital, but I will be expecting another good report!
God Bless,
Barry G.
7/8/2011 4 lb 12 oz
7/10/2011 4 lb 12.2 oz
7/11/2011 4 lb 15 oz
Today, Aliyah made me a proud daddy! She nursed for the 1st time (15 min)! I'm so proud. I know it is difficult for some to understand why a baby nursing is such a major event, but it is. Our child has been fed through a tube since the day she was born. Today, she actually ate on her own for the first time.
I was laughed at after some read my blog yesterday (co-worker). I'm not calling any names, but they thought my coaching prior to the nuzzling session humorous. Well, I can say that Aliyah did listen to her father. She understood the expectation I made for her yesterday, and she met it today! There is the power of life and death in the tongue. Yesterday I spoke life....and Aliyah responded! Thank the Lord!
Looking forward to the report tomorrow. I will not be able to go to the hospital, but I will be expecting another good report!
God Bless,
Barry G.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Taking it one suck at a time....7/10/2011
7/5/2011 4 lb 10.7 oz
7/6/2011 4 lb 10 oz
7/8/2011 4 lb 12 oz
7/10/2011 4 lb 12.2 oz
42 mL
I feel like we are progressing even though there is not much to report. Each day, Christal is going to the hospital twice a day so that she can nuzzle. The first attempt was unsuccessful. It ended with a squirm, poop, and sleep. I guess you can say she expended all of her energy pooping and had none left for nursing. We went back again this evening, and she held on for 30 to 60 sec. She was taking breaks, but she did good. As long as she tries once a session, I feel good about the experience. I'll admit, I attempted to coach her up a little while her mother was making preparation. I was also trying to keep her awake (Christal was taking to long)! I asked her to give me an hour. She tried, but I believe she only gave me 30 min.
She was having a little trouble keeping her temperature up also. It was a little low this afternoon.
I'm proud of you Aliyah. Keep up the good work. Your doing well!
God Bless each and every one of you,
Barry G.
7/6/2011 4 lb 10 oz
7/8/2011 4 lb 12 oz
7/10/2011 4 lb 12.2 oz
42 mL
I feel like we are progressing even though there is not much to report. Each day, Christal is going to the hospital twice a day so that she can nuzzle. The first attempt was unsuccessful. It ended with a squirm, poop, and sleep. I guess you can say she expended all of her energy pooping and had none left for nursing. We went back again this evening, and she held on for 30 to 60 sec. She was taking breaks, but she did good. As long as she tries once a session, I feel good about the experience. I'll admit, I attempted to coach her up a little while her mother was making preparation. I was also trying to keep her awake (Christal was taking to long)! I asked her to give me an hour. She tried, but I believe she only gave me 30 min.
She was having a little trouble keeping her temperature up also. It was a little low this afternoon.
I'm proud of you Aliyah. Keep up the good work. Your doing well!
God Bless each and every one of you,
Barry G.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Nuzzle...ouch....Good! 7/8 - 7/9
7/4/2011 4 lb 7 oz
7/5/2011 4 lb 10.7 oz
7/6/2011 4 lb 10 oz
7/8/2011 4 lb 12 oz
Aliyah is living in the real world now. She is in a open container instead of her plastic bubble. She has lived this way for 2 whole days! There is a lot more room to maneuver without all the equipment around her. Christal and I both came together today. My importance is again minimized by the fact that Christal and Aliyah are "nuzzling". Nuzzling is the process of teaching her how to latch on the the nipple. They don't want her to nurse yet, but they want her to get accustomed to grasping the nipple. I'm witnessing everything in the room and I'm growing impatient with the fact that she is not instinctively understanding what is going on :). The only action I did get was every now and then Christal would say "Ouch". I would ask what happened. Christal would respond, "She sucked pretty hard!" I would say, "Good". (Doing my part to encourage Aliyah to get the ouch count up on a consistent basis). I'm not happy about Christal being hurt, but I was happy that SOMETHING was happening. I think we got about 4 "ouches" today. I would track that statistic also, but I'm sure Christal won't keep up with it.
I'll admit this growing patience thing is not a lot of fun. The bright side is Aliyah is making progress. She is learning how to nurse, the oxygen assistance is decreasing, and she is sleeping outside of the plastic bubble. This is a blessing.
God Bless each and everyone of you,
Barry G.
7/5/2011 4 lb 10.7 oz
7/6/2011 4 lb 10 oz
7/8/2011 4 lb 12 oz
Aliyah is living in the real world now. She is in a open container instead of her plastic bubble. She has lived this way for 2 whole days! There is a lot more room to maneuver without all the equipment around her. Christal and I both came together today. My importance is again minimized by the fact that Christal and Aliyah are "nuzzling". Nuzzling is the process of teaching her how to latch on the the nipple. They don't want her to nurse yet, but they want her to get accustomed to grasping the nipple. I'm witnessing everything in the room and I'm growing impatient with the fact that she is not instinctively understanding what is going on :). The only action I did get was every now and then Christal would say "Ouch". I would ask what happened. Christal would respond, "She sucked pretty hard!" I would say, "Good". (Doing my part to encourage Aliyah to get the ouch count up on a consistent basis). I'm not happy about Christal being hurt, but I was happy that SOMETHING was happening. I think we got about 4 "ouches" today. I would track that statistic also, but I'm sure Christal won't keep up with it.
I'll admit this growing patience thing is not a lot of fun. The bright side is Aliyah is making progress. She is learning how to nurse, the oxygen assistance is decreasing, and she is sleeping outside of the plastic bubble. This is a blessing.
God Bless each and everyone of you,
Barry G.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Freedom from the Plastic Bubble 7/7/2011
7/4/2011 4 lb 7 oz
7/5/2011 4 lb 10.7 oz
7/6/2011 4 lb 10 oz
7/7/2011 4 lb 11 oz
Well, Aliyah spent some time "nuzzling" with mom today. I'm happy that the doctors are allowing her to do more and more each day. Christal said she looked a little tired today, but she is still doing well. She was put back in a crib today also. Prayerfully she will stay there! If she can keep her temperature up, it will be another milestone met! I'm expecting her weight to be close to the same as it was today. Normally, it takes her a day to adjust to changes before she takes off again.
I'm thankful for everyday of progress. I'm also thankful that Christal can spend so much time with her. It is a conflict for me. I want to spend time with her, but I have this thing called a job keeping me busy.
I'm really looking forward to her coming home. We are in July already. Time has been moving really fast. Christal and I have been in agreement that she will be coming home this month. We are confident in Aliyah's ability to meet her parents expectations :). Most importantly, we know God is faithful to do above all that we ask of him!
Thanks to all for your continued prayers and support,
Barry G.
7/5/2011 4 lb 10.7 oz
7/6/2011 4 lb 10 oz
7/7/2011 4 lb 11 oz
Well, Aliyah spent some time "nuzzling" with mom today. I'm happy that the doctors are allowing her to do more and more each day. Christal said she looked a little tired today, but she is still doing well. She was put back in a crib today also. Prayerfully she will stay there! If she can keep her temperature up, it will be another milestone met! I'm expecting her weight to be close to the same as it was today. Normally, it takes her a day to adjust to changes before she takes off again.
I'm thankful for everyday of progress. I'm also thankful that Christal can spend so much time with her. It is a conflict for me. I want to spend time with her, but I have this thing called a job keeping me busy.
I'm really looking forward to her coming home. We are in July already. Time has been moving really fast. Christal and I have been in agreement that she will be coming home this month. We are confident in Aliyah's ability to meet her parents expectations :). Most importantly, we know God is faithful to do above all that we ask of him!
Thanks to all for your continued prayers and support,
Barry G.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
A good report...7/6/2011
7/3/2011 4 lb 6.9 oz
7/4/2011 4 lb 7 oz
7/5/2011 4 lb 10.7 oz
7/6/2011 4 lb 10 oz
I was thankful to get the report from Christal today. Aliyah was very attentive and took ownership of her pacifier today!!! Christal didn't have to hold it in. She was able to suck it on her own with no support. That was excellent news. We are trying to build up her mouth muscles so that she can get off the feeding tube.
It is difficult to see the feeding tube in the picture I posted last night. It is actually going through her nose still. Going through the nose makes it easier for her to suck on the pacifier also.
Christal stated Aliyah was lifting her head up (at least 4 times) while she was holding her. She used to do that a lot before the CPAP was put on her face.
She needed newborn clothes today also. The preme clothes were becoming a little snug. Hopefully, we will be able to move to the crib in the next few days. We are expecting the EEG to come back negative next week. This test was measures something in her brain. (Sorry, I've run out of time to look up all of this stuff).
We are praying for continued reports like this one. It lifted my spirits to get this report.
God Bless each and everyone of you,
Barry G.
7/4/2011 4 lb 7 oz
7/5/2011 4 lb 10.7 oz
7/6/2011 4 lb 10 oz
I was thankful to get the report from Christal today. Aliyah was very attentive and took ownership of her pacifier today!!! Christal didn't have to hold it in. She was able to suck it on her own with no support. That was excellent news. We are trying to build up her mouth muscles so that she can get off the feeding tube.
It is difficult to see the feeding tube in the picture I posted last night. It is actually going through her nose still. Going through the nose makes it easier for her to suck on the pacifier also.
Christal stated Aliyah was lifting her head up (at least 4 times) while she was holding her. She used to do that a lot before the CPAP was put on her face.
She needed newborn clothes today also. The preme clothes were becoming a little snug. Hopefully, we will be able to move to the crib in the next few days. We are expecting the EEG to come back negative next week. This test was measures something in her brain. (Sorry, I've run out of time to look up all of this stuff).
We are praying for continued reports like this one. It lifted my spirits to get this report.
God Bless each and everyone of you,
Barry G.
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