Welcome home!!

Iveys home!!! 8 weeks 3 days old one day shy of her 2 month bday! 5lbs 1.1oz. It's been a rough journey but I'm so happy we made it! Lots of love to everyone!

amazing little ivey rivera

Ivey has been doing great! She's 4lbs 13oz, shes up to 5-6 nipple feeds a day. She will most likely be @ 8 in a few days! That's the number we need for her to come home! Only tricky thing, I forgot she can't have brady for 5 days straight, she had one Monday and then again yesterday. So if she doesn't have another in five days and is at 8 bottles she can come home. So I say the count down is on!

Hopes

IM feeling so hopful tonight. I just got off the phone with Iveys night nurse. She thinks Ivey could be home really soon. She said most babies don't do as well with breast feeding, but Ivey is doing awesome! In fact she's better at breast feeding then bottle! I thought she HAD to do 8 bottle feeds a day to leave, she says I can nurse her and those times count. So the plan now is to go up at least twice a day to nurse. Ivey is still off oxyogen and now she has her pulseometer off. She's has 40cc of milk at each feed, and is gaining weight!! Yeah go Ivey! I cleaned her carseat today and put clean sheets on her crib. Her dresser is full of her clothes and I sorted all her cloth diapers. I'm going to keep the nesting up. I want this house ready for her arrival! Also, tomorrow the LC will do another per and post weigh in. So we can see just how much breastmilk she is transferring.

Ivey must not know the price of gas!

Today i went to breast feed Ivey at her 2:30 touch time.  She would NOT wake up! I had her latched on for almost 30min and nothing!  We ended up doing the gavage feeding.  If she wouldn't wake up for a breastfeeding, she surely wouldn't wake up for a bottle!  The DR has now ok'd Ivey to have 4 nipple feeds a day.  So far she's doing pretty good, today was the first day she was to tired to nurse.  She's taken a few full bottles and some just half.  When she doesn't finish a bottle she gets the rest of the feed threw the gavage.  Me and Cri are going to go up for her 8:30 touch time, hopefully she will be awake enough to breastfeed!  Today Ivey weighs 4lbs 9oz.  Ivey is 7 weeks old today, she has now been in the NICU for 49days.  I've been driving 20miles one way for 49 days, sometimes i go twice a day.  I can't wait to have her home!!!!

 Iveys 1st Easter!

 Ivey getting her nightly weigh in

 Kangaroo care with Mama

 Ivey 7 weeks old 4lbs 9oz

 Sleeping in her open crib

One of Iveys MANY nick names

It's hard to believe Ivey has been in the NICU for 6 weeks now! I'm just 6 weeks away from my original due date too. She's up to 4lbs 4oz. Breastfeeding is getting better each day. Yesterday she nursed for a good 15min, then she only required half of her gavage feeding. Yesterday was the first time for me to give her a bath too. She loved it! I can't wait til her next bath day (it's every 3 days). You have to keep preemies swaddled in a blanket when they bathe. It's really different, but I did a good job! Yesterday they started weaning her off the prolacta and onto the neosure junk. By the end of the week all of her feeds will be fortified with neosure. Still not too happy about this. All I can say, if she starts spitting up and not gaining, I'm throwing a fit! I've already complained about it to the DR but he won't listen. I don't want to upset the DRs to much. At this point I just want her home ASAP. They tried to give her a bottle on sat, she only took 8m of her 38m. So not very good. Hopfully shell take more this week, when they try again. Still havent needed the blood transfusion yet, will know more in a few days.

Vampires aren't the only blood lovers

Its true, Ivey has had two blood transfusions already and MAY need another! Her red blood count is still low. We will find out soon. Poor baby! In good news she's up to 1810g or 3lbs15oz! Also today we officially got to try breastfeeding! The dr ok'd two BF session a day. Not sure if I can make it there twice a day. I thought life was already stressful! But really if I want to BF and not bottle I need to make myself available. Today the LC showed me how to BF using a nipple shield, those are recommended for preemies. I didn't think it would help, but it really did. Since her mouth is so tiny it just helps her be able to hold the whole nipple in her mouth. Hopfully won't need that for too long, it's just one extra step.so today she did some REAl bf for about 3-5min then she had her regular tube feeding. I only was able to hold her for an hour, I needed to pump. That's going to be one of the most challenging parts of all this. She won't be able to just nurse alone. I'll nurse her, bottle feed and then need to pump!! I'm already worn out, thinking about it. But it's all for the best!!!!!

Some days really are harder then others. Today was one of them. I've been in a bad mood all day and I'm so tired. I'm not sure how much longer I can handle the NICU. I'm having NiCU burn out. Not to be confused with Ivey burn out. All I want is for her to come home. Some days that seems not to far away, other days it seem months away. Today she was having a hard day too. I went to nuzzle and kangaroo this morning. She kept dropping her heart rate, over and over! I finally had to just put her back. Cut my holding time in half!

5 weeks old

I've been so busy I haven't had time to update. Ivey is doing good. She was 5 weeks old Saturday. She's 1600g or 3l s 6oz, that's a full lb and 1 oz more then her birth weight! What a difference a pound can make! On Friday she got her nasal cannula removed and she's doing great! It's so nice to finally see her cutie face. Last night I spent 3 hours up there with her. We nuzzled for a while, then we kangarooed the rest of the time. I got to see how they weigh her. Nana was right those scales don't work! It had a very different reading each time, she weighed her 3 times! She wen with the lower number because it seemed more accurate. This week the DR informed me they want to wean Ivey off her prolacta and onto a cow based HMF. Ugh! I thought we were done with this!? Against the DR suggestion, I think we will decline the new HMF. I've researched it every waking moment. I'm not so sure it's all it's cracked up to be. I'm in the process of reading a few studies done on non fortified breast milk an fortified. There isn't alot of info out there to begin with. Which goes to show testing is very limited. I know I'm such a hippy. I hate to ruffle any feathers, but I want to do wht I think is best. Which alo brings me to breast and bottle feeding EBM. I want to only BF once she's home. I've read to feed her EBM via cup, while in NICU. That way we can establish a good breast feeding routine . I'll need to bring that up with the dr. Fun stuff, don't want to be on their bad side!!

Dress Up time

Ivey did it! Sh finally made it to 1500g yesterday! Cri and nana Pam went up to see her. They got to dress her in oe of her preemie outfits. She looks really good, she's finally filling out. I go early this morning to see her, we will practice more nuzzling. Ever since I had the clogged milk duct, my supply has been less. I guess it's still a good supply, but alot less then before. I look fwd to Ivey being able to nurse so I don't have to pump all the time!

10g is not 1oz

Today didn't feel like my day off work, felt more like a long day at work!  Lack of sleep and rest are yet again catching up to me.  Its hard to unwind, rest or sleep when i know i need to pump in 2-3 hours.  To top it off I feel like i'm getting mastitis.  I really hope not!  I had that with Willow, very painful.  I'm drinking more water.  Rest would help.  Enough about me!  Ivey is doing well.  Went to see her today.  She's up 10g, which still isn't what they like to see.  I was told they like to see 1/2-1oz a day.  She's no where near that! As long as she's going up thats all that matters, just means she might be there longer.  They did take her down to one litter on her oxygen.  Thats good news.  Today we tried to nuzzle again.  She wasn't having it!  She wasn't alert at all today, she just wanted to snooze it up.  The nurse said she may not be used to that "touch time" I normally come in everyday at 2:30, but today i went in at 11:30.  Tomorrow i'm meeting with the lactation consultant @ 2:30, she'll help give me tips on breastfeeding a preemie.  I'm looking forward to that.

FYI 1 Ounce = 28.3495231 Grams

one month old

The nurse took out her feeding tube and nasal cannula, just for her photo shoot!

big time girl

Went to see Miss Ivey earlier, she's doing great!  Today we got to nuzzle!  She was very eager to try and nurse.  She spent about 30mins trying to latch on.  We will spend all of this week nuzzling.  Then in another week or two I'll have the help of the hospitals lactation consultant.  She'll help me get her latched on.  Also the DR today said we will start trying to wean Ivey off the nasal cannula.  She's at 2liters now, going to 1liter, then half, then none!  I feel very hopeful that she won't be there till her due date.  She's making such progress! <3

Happy 1 month old Ivey!

Thats right Ivey is one month old today! Very bitter sweet. I hate seeing time fly by but also look fwd to it... Hoping she'll be home sooner. She finally made it past 3lbs! Yesterday she was 3lbs 0.5oz (1375g)!! Once she's 1500g she wears clothes and can be held by others on our NICU list! Yay! She's also able to do the every 3 hour touch times, before it was every 6 hours. Every time I go see her she's awake. Shes so sweet,I miss her so much! I think today I'll be able to try some practice runs on nursing. Let her practic latching on. Oh yeah, she's got the most hair ever?, outta all three of our girls. She's got the most and it's dark! We hope red, it has a reddish tint. So we shall see.

I miss Ivey! It's hard to believe shell be 1 month old tomorrow. Having a baby in the NICU is very surreal. I've only held her a hand full of times and she's been on this earth almost 30days now! I've never feed her, ive only changed her diaper once a day, she's never met her sisters or been held by anyone, other then me, her daddy and the nurses. Yesterday she started spitting up again! Not sure why, no feeding changes. She's been on prolacta for almost a week now, with no problems. Only issue now, she hasn't gained, she keeps staying at 2lbs 14oz. Hope she can get into the 3lb mark soon!

up and down and up and down

So Ivey was up 60grams the other night, then down 30grams the next day and now up 10grams!  Otherwise she's doing pretty.  I went in today and was surprised to see she's off CPAP!!  yay! I can finally see her cutie face!  xoxo

3 weeks old

I've been so tired i haven't had time to update!  Ivey is doing really well.  After much talking to the DRs and nurses we where able to finally get Ivey on Prolacta.  That's the human milk fortifier that's made from donor human breast milk, not cow milk!!!  Very very happy about that!  She started that yesterday, so far so good!  No spitting up!  She even gained 60grams over night!  She's at 1320 now.  Once she's at 1500grams she can get swaddled and clothed.  Maybe a week from now.  Also a week from now she might get off CPAP and start "snuggling" at the breast.  Then a week out from that we start trying to breast feed.  So alot of things will be happening in the coming weeks!

Here's a photo of Ivey 3 weeks old.  This is the first time i've ever seen her with out a hat on.  I'm not going to lie, i was a little freaked out. I had no idea her head would be so misshapen.  Totally normal they tell me, her skull is still soft and will harden and shape up in the weeks to come!  Her face is also really red and funny looking, from the tape they use to keep the CPAP on.  Her nose is all stretched out from the giant nose prongs from her CPAP. Which they tell me will shrink back!  Shes also really mad in all these photos because they are messin with her.  She's the boss! Don't cross her!!! ;)

milk milk

Yesterday I went to see Ivey, she is up to 2lbs 12oz!  She's not spitting up as much anymore.  Right now daddy is up seeing her, hopefully holding her!  This will be his first time to hold her!  Also i learned from a lactation consultant how to separate my fore milk from my hind milk.  The hind milk has more calories and fats.  So from now on when i bring Ivey fresh milk (which is once a day) I'll be giving her hind milk.  Fatten that baby up!  The sooner we can chub her up the sooner she can get off that human milk fortifier !

rest is good

Daddy went to see Ivey today, this was the first day I didn't go see her.  I'm a little sad about it, but i'm also a little grateful for some rest.  Its an hour round trip there.  I called and checked on her twice now, she's doing fine.  They are trying a new human milk fortifier on her.  I think its sill cow milk based :(  When i go in tomorrow i'm going to talk to the DR again and see what else we can try.  She is still spitting up.  

Moo

I gave birth to a baby, not a calf. I'm so frustrated, preemies require more calories and other nutrients. So they add a human milk fortifier to my breast milk, it adds the extra stuff. Only thing is, it's made from cows milk. Seems like ever since they started giving her this, she started spitting up. They tell me, no its because of the high volume she's taking at each feeding. I feel like they are ruining my breast milk by adding that junk. I don't know what to do. I guess nothing, and just hope she gains and they take her off it.

Dont get too comfy

Today Ivey is 2 weeks old.  I went to see her after work.  Today I could only hold her for 40min.  She stopped breathing well over 20 times!  It was so sad.  They keep telling me its normal. She's still so young, she'll out grow it.  But still its hard!  The nurse said she gets too comfy laying on me and just decides to stop breathing.  Since we never could figure out a way to make her keep breathing, we had to put her back.  As soon as she was back in her "bread box" she was fine.  We'll see how she does tomorrow!  She's up another 10grams.

call me granny

Ok i see that ive been repeating myself! I guess i am really tired!!! haha!

eye love Ivey

Ivey is doing really well.  She's at her max on her milk intake.  She's up another 10grams today.  I got to hold her for an hour and a half! It was great, she is so sweet.  Today was the first time for me to see her with her eyes open.  Its so dark in the NICU so i couldn't tell what color they are.  Not that they stay the same color anyways.  So tomorrow is my first day back to work.  I'm looking forward to getting back to my normal routine.  The plan is to see Ivey every day at her 2:30pm touch time.  I'll get to hold her till about 4pm then I'll hurry back home so Cri can go into work.  Its going to be tuff and it'll only get tuffer.  Once she's able to breastfeed I bet i'll need to be up there atleast twice a day to help her practice.  Again, we'll take it one day at a time!

Work here I come!

Things are going well with Miss Ivey. I've been so busy I haven't had time to update. I go daily to see and hold her,. I start back work tomorrow. Shouldnt be a problem, I'm looking fwd to it. Should make the time go by faster. I'll work and then get off in time for her 2:30 touch time. I wont be able to hold her for much more then an hour. I'll need to be home in time for cri to go to work. It's going to be a crazy few months, but again we will just take it day by day.

2lbs 8oz

From this day forward, Cri and I can hold Ivey!  Its so important that I do the kangaroo care (skin to skin)  It'll help her so much.  Today my buddie Betsy and Bea came over and watched Willow.  I was able to go to the hospital and hold Miss Ivey for 1 1/2hours!  It takes her about an hour to "eat" her milk.  She's looking really good.  She gained a little weight too, she's up 2lbs 8oz!  As soon as she's around 4lbs other family members will be allowed to hold her.  By then she'll be swaddled and can wear clothes.  They say that'll be around 33weeks.  So just a few more weeks.

Ivey = no IV

Today Ivey is officially at her birth weight.  Shes up to 9ml of breastmilk every three hours.  She also gets to lose her IVs!  Finally she's off antibiotics and they don't think she needs anymore nutrients from them either.  So just CPAP and no IVs.  That will make holding her easier.  Only thing is, she did need another blood transfusion today.  The Dr thinks she won't need another one after today.  She's using her pacifier alot, which is really good.  I need her to be warming up on that so when she can finally try and breast feed she'll have the sucking part down.  Things are looking good.

Kangaroos and Cows

Kangaroo hold, that's what its called when i hold Ivey.  I was able to hold her again last night, that's the second time now!  It was much better last night and should only get better.  This time i was able to have her laid right onto my skin.  Total skin to skin.  She is doing really well.  They've gone up on her feedings, she's now taking 7ml every 3 hours and they will go up 1ml every 12hours.  She's gained a little weight now too!  My milk is coming really well, I figured i spend about 2 hours and 40 min a day pumping.  About 25 bottles a day.  No wonder i'm so hungry all the time.  Now i know how a dairy cow feels, separated from her calf, pumping milk all day long.  MOOOOOO....

Bulk it up little mama!

Cri just called to check on Ivey. They uped her feedings from 1ml to 3ml and now 5ml! Fatty baby here we come!

IV or Ivey?

Today Ivey is one week old, or if she still lived in my tummy 28weeks 5days. I just got home from visiting her. Everything is going very well, but was remind things can still go up and down. It's like a roller coaster. She's off her antibiotics now. They are trying to increase her milk and decrease her IV nutrients. Only trouble to speak of is her IVs, she's forever knocking them out. She needs a new one at least twice a shift. So for that reason I wasn't able to hold her tonight. The nurse was fearful of her newest IV being knocked out during the hold. I totally understood. So maybe we won't get to hold her much. At least until her IVs aren't needed. Love that little Ivey, IVs and all!

Ivey the great

Today i got to hold Ivey for the first time!  It was nice.  I really couldn't feel her on me or see her.  It was a very long process just getting her from her bed to my chest.  But of course worth every min!  As long as she's having a good day she can be held in kangaroo hold.  As her IVs start coming out and her CPAP is no longer need, it'll be easier to hold her.  For now, its about a 15min process.  Getting her from her bed to my chest. They are giving her more milk now too, in an effort to get her off the IVs.  Love that little lady!

Ivey Rivera

5 days old

Wearing daddys wedding ring

With this ring....

Last night cri and I went to see Ivey. We left as soon as he got home from work. We where about 10min late for touch time. So we missed out on taking her temp and changing her diaper. We also learned had we gotten there even earlier we could have held her!! Dang it! The nurse did inform us, if she has a good night/morn there's a chance we can hold her at here 2:30pm touch time today! That will be HUGE! So we will call later this morn and see what the chances are. If we can , cri will call into work and go late. Last night cri put his wedding ring on little Ivey. It fit perfect on her wrist. It was so adorable! Also her white blood count came down some. It's still very high, but coming down is always better then going up!! Xoxo

Retail therapy

I have to say that small little set back (her breathing) has had me in tears more then a few times today. Nana Pam took me shopping for Ivey today. I picked up few preemie clothes for her. That was nice, I'll be able to dress her in the coming weeks I hope. No news is good news I'm told, so i haven't heard anything else today. My dad and I will go see her at her touch time 2:30. He's off donating blood for her now. She's already had one blood transfusion and might need another in the coming weeks. She and my dad are the same blood type so he's able to do what they call, direct donation. I'm really thankful for all the people that donate blood and donate breast milk. She had donor breast milk the first couple of days also. My pumping is going so well and she's eating so little, I might donate as well. Cheers.

Just breath....

Nana pam reminded me today... The NICU nurse said there would days that where good and days that aren't. Lots of ups and downs. Today is down. Ivey had alot of spells last night where she forgot to breath. So they had to put her back on a bigger machine to help her. I still don't know all the correct terms and machine names. So that's basically what I gather from talking to her nurse. I think today I might be able to see her and touch her more then once. So that'll be great. She can't have alot of touch still, being so younge. Still not sure when we can hold her either. I bet Itll be next week, unless she shows signs of improvement. For now I'll just breath and take it a day at a time.

Family

We are so lucky to have such a loving and supportive family. Today everyone came together and helped! My dad, my mother in law and my mom all helped with Willow. Then my sister in law drove me to see Ivey and to run errands. It's so nice to know family is here. I spent along time talking with Iveys nurse, heather. She helped explain alot to me. It's getting a little easier seeing Ivey too. Although today Lisa starting crying which of course made me start crying. I just have to except it, Ivey is here early. Everyday will be different and I have to take it day to day.

Spinal tap

Just got word Iveys spinal went well. Still no results from it, but she did good. Lisa and I are going up to see her soon. I'm bringing more blankets for her and I'll of course take more photos!

Ivey is 4 days old

Today I won't get to see Ivey until 8pm. It's hard not being able to drive yet. Pumping milk for her is going well. I have an appointment with WIC today, I'll be getting a hospital grade pump! Those things litteraly costs $100s! Today I also go back to my Dr to get the staples removed from my csection cut.

Cri just called to check on Ivey. They are doing a spinal tap on her today. That makes me worried. I new they might need to. It's come down to it, they still don't know what infection she has or how to treat it. We will know more later today, hopfully.