Open Sesame!

Despite the impending winter weather (go away snow - you're not welcome right now!), today was a great day!

Judith's isolette top was popped last night, and she has been in an "open crib" since.  I use the term open crib loosely, because she's still in the giraffe, but with the top raised - she can remain in her original bed as long as they don't need the isolette for another baby.  And it looks like she'll be able to remain in it for a bit because they have at least 4 isolettes ready to go, but it's really not a big deal if they move her to one of the cribs they use in the newborn nursery.  She's maintaining her body temperature well, a good sign!

They also gave the order to allow her to nipple (bottle feed) for all of her feeds if she shows signs of interest (alertness, rooting, etc.).  So far, she has taken all of her feeds by bottle!  She took 35mL for me at 9 this morning, and 30mL for me at noon.  Her minimum to take is 30mL.

Along with hitting the milestone of being in an open crib and maintaining body heat at room temperature, Judith doubled her birth weight last night!  She is up to 4 lbs (1820 g)!  I just can't believe how big she's getting!  5.5 weeks ago, I was staring into the isolette of a tiny, feisty little baby who was taken out of her warm nest way too soon (but just in time, depending on the perspective you take, because of the IUGR and my severe preeclampsia).  She was on CPAP with room air, had to be on humidity because her sodium levels were sky high (a side effect of the magnesium sulfate I was given), and was under a bililight for jaundice.  We couldn't hold her.  And now, when I go into the NICU, I'm greeted by a still tiny baby, but one who has body fat, will occasionally smile, is dressed, and can be held when we want to hold her.  What a difference a month makes!

Judith still has the NG tube (feeding tube in her nose); however, if she continues to kick butt with the bottle feeds like she's doing, that will be removed in 24 hours - that puts us at sometime overnight or early tomorrow morning.  You know what that means?  We're looking at discharge being but a few days away!!!  We're getting closer every day and every shift change!  There are a few more steps that we have to go through, like the removal of the feeding tube and the car seat test.  Her nurse today said that this week will more than likely be her last in the hospital.  I really hope so - you all know how badly John & I want her home!