Evan's Second Week

Week 2
Evan is now at 33 weeks gestational age. They have been upping his feedings since he seems to be digesting my milk well. However, on Thursday he started having a hard time drinking his bottles. They say its not uncommon for a preemie to be gung-ho for a few days and then be too tired and not want to eat.  So they've been using his tube again for part of his feedings.  I know he just needs to continue to sleep and grow so he will have more energy to drink his bottles; but it's hard to be patient at times.  He will max out at about 38 ml per feeding while in the NICU until he grows a bit more. And he's almost there.  However he has been spitting up more. Pretty much every preemie has reflux so they think that's all it is.  The feeding tube keeps his stomach open a little so it's easy for food to come back up.

Evan got his PICC line out since he is taking more food and digesting well.  That means he gets to wear clothes!  He looks adorable.
 
My emotions have stabilized a little but I definitely have my moments!  I definitely feel like the mother bear missing her cub.  It's so hard to leave him here but I have to take care of my other cubs too!  It's so interesting the bond I have with Evan; I could literally sit and hold him all day.  I'm lucky in that regard that holding him is the most important thing I can do for him right now.  I love it.

 
Aunt Tammy and cousin Coby came on Thursday to visit and help out.  The girls had so much fun with them and Tammy helped out a bunch with laundry, yard work, poopy diapers, and entertaining the kids!  They left Tuesday and Grandma Barb flew in that same day.  We are very lucky that we have so many people willing to help us out!

On Monday Evan seemed better and stopped spitting up.  He is eating about 2/3 of his feedings from a bottle and the rest through the feeding tube.  He is very awake and alert for about 10 minutes during each feeding but just poops out toward the end,  He just needs to gain more endurance.  He also graduated to a bassinet!  His temperature has stayed regulated so he doesn't need the isolette anymore.  Yay!  It's making discharge seem that much closer,  So pretty much as soon as he is taking all his feedings through the bottle he can come home!  I gave Evan a bath today.  He still has his cord stump so just a sponge bath in a tupperware!  He really liked it. He is seeming more and more like a full term newborn.  He is rooting for food now and even tried to latch on to David while laying on his chest!
 



By Wednesday Evan weighed 4 lbs 5 oz. 

 Those are preemie diapers and they're still big!