My Road to Motherhood Part 5-NICU

Kendall was born at 2lbs 10oz 15in.  She has a head full of hair and the sweetest little face. 

The NICU is divided into 3 parts.  The first step is where she went when she was first born.  This is the time when the baby is looked at as being in a more critical condition.  Kendall was in a giraffe bed, which is basically an incubator.  She had to be on a ventilator to assist in  her breathing.  We couldn't hold her all the time, but we did get to do what's called "Kangaroo Care."  This is when we hold Kendall's bare body to our bare chest.  The skin-to-skin contact has been proven to help babies progress better.  I got to hold her for the first time Thursday, December 1st.  It was the most amazing feeling having her lying on my chest.

As time progressed, she transitioned from a ventilator to a nasal cannula (basically the tubes that people wear in hospitals to push oxygen into their nasal passages).  We were able to check her temperature, change her diaper, put lotion on her, and dress her in cute onesies.  We especially looked forward to her bath nights. 

Once she was needing minimal oxygen in her nasal cannula, she was moved to the second step in the NICU.  She was very close to not needing the nasal cannula at all.  She greatly disliked that cannula, so we were glad to see it go.  She got weighed twice a week, and she was packing on the weight.  She wasn't at the second step long at all.

She is now at the 3rd step.  She is in an open crib because she can maintain her own temperature.  The nasal cannula is good.  She is currently trying to master bottle feeding.  For a baby born full-term, they have the natural ability to bottle feed.  With Kendall being born early, she has to learn how to suck, swallow, and breathe while eating.  She gets weighed daily and is currently 5lbs 11oz.  She is a big girl now.  We can hold her whenever we want and just have fun with her.  She is so cute!  She makes the cutest faces from smiling to poking out her little lip. 

She is currently 2 months.  We  hope to have her home really soon.  Get ready for all the pictures that will be consuming my blog......lol