Updates on Ian...

I know it's been a while since I've posted any updates about my little man...

He has still been losing weight - which is standard with ALL newborns regardless of whether they are pre-term, full-term, or post-term. It's just scary to see him lose weight when he already started out so tiny :( He currently weighs 3lbs 14oz.

He has been having some other improvements though! He has started nippling and can go for a period of time feeding from a bottle... This is one of the criteria he must meet in order to be able to come home. He must be able to feed from a bottle and no longer need to be tube fed. Once he's only been tube-fed twice in one day and bottle fed the rest of his feedings, that means we're in the home stretch! (Come on Ian, you can do it!)

We have been able to spend a lot more time with him lately and do a lot more of the "on-hands" care with him. This has been so amazing for all of us. We get to see him all wide awake and alert and then I get to have "Kangaroo Care" with him afterwards. This is where I get to have skin-to-skin time with him and we get to snuggle together for about 2+ hours. I LOVE IT!!! It's so hard not to fall asleep with him in my arms :) It's a good thing he's so little and it doesn't take much to hold onto him :)

The other criteria he must meet is that he has to be able to maintain his body temperature in an open crib. This will probably only happen once he starts to gain some weight back. He's so skinny and doesn't have a lot of the "padding" that babies normally have at birth. They have started increasing the amount they feed him each time and he's digesting everything really well so far. He doesn't like the formula very much (I don't blame him!) and I've been pumping like crazy to try and provide him with breast milk as much as possible. It's frustrating to me that my milk hasn't really come in yet so any amount I get is minimal at best :( I know this is such a valuable source for Ian and will benefit him in ways formula never will. I wish that I could do more and it creates this helpless feeling for me... I can't make my body produce more just by wishing for it...

Today we get to give him a bath :) That should be a fun adventure for all of us! Hopefully none of us get thoroughly peed on LOL!!!