Cooper was 16 weeks actual age on Sunday, and just hit 6 weeks adjusted age today. I keep telling Jake that I wish we could freeze time. I just love exactly how Cooper is right now! He has just started to really interact with us. He looks at us, smiles when we talk to him, and has been rolling over too! He started rolling from belly to back last week and I thought it was just a fluke, but now anytime I put him down for tummy time he flips right over. Either he really wants to be on his back, or he's just showing off! A lot has happened since my last Cooper update!
Last week I met our Quality Life Concepts consultant. This is a statewide program (although there are similar programs throughout the country) available for high risk children who might need a little extra help to be sure they are developing as expected. Cooper instantly qualified because of his prematurity. Our consultant visits every couple of weeks and we discuss any concerns Jake and I have. Then she finds resources to address those concerns. We don't really have any worries right now so she is just gathering a list of activities we can do to interact with Cooper. She is also getting me in contact with the La Leche league and other mom groups so I can get out of the house more.
I really enjoy being at home with Cooper, but I do miss socializing. I look forward to Cooper's appointments just so I have a reason to get out of the house. I want to keep Cooper home to keep him healthy, but I'm getting bored. Well, not really bored, I have plenty of chores to stay busy, I just feel like I'm missing out on being social.
On Friday, I took Cooper to the pediatrician to get Synagis, the RSV shot. Not all babies get this shot as it is over $1000 pre shot! RSV in a healthy, full term baby is just like a cold, but in a preemie it can be very serious. Cooper will get the shot once a month throughout the winter and spring. It does not make him immune to RSV, but will lessen the severity if he does get sick.
To figure out his disagree they had to weigh him. 6 lbs 11 oz! Seriously! I can't believe how big he is getting! He is growing like a weed now! That was on Friday, so I'm sure he must be over 7 lbs by now. The home health nurse comes tomorrow to weigh him so that what I'm hoping for. Newborn clothes are still big, but he's not swimming in them anymore.
Yesterday, Cooper had a hearing screening. He had failed while still in the NICU, but they told us his ear canal was probably just too small for the test. I was not concerned at all because he responds to our voices and startles at loud noises. Sure enough, he passed yesterday! He will need a follow up in April but he's doing great now!
We were working with a feeding therapist when we were in Seattle and she wanted us to only do half of his feeding with a bottle and finish the feeding through the tube. She also didn't want me to breastfeed other than dry nursing after pumping to keep him practicing. We weren't going to see her again until we go back to Seattle later this month. He has been doing so well eating from the bottle that I've actually been letting him take the whole feeding orally. He has been showing no signs of asperating so I went with my mother's intuition that tells me he ready to get rid of that dang NG tube. The pediatrician set us up with a feeding therapist here in town and we got to see her this morning. She said he looks great and to continue feeding him full feeds by bottle. She is also a lactation therapist and seems as eager as me to get him back to breastfeeding.
I so look forward to the day I can STOP pumping! I can't wait until I can wake up with Cooper, feed him, and go back to sleep when Cooper does. Now, I have to get up before Cooper to warm up his bottle, then when Cooper goes back to sleep I still have to pump, then prep the expressed milk for the next bottle, and wash the bottle and pump parts. Which means each time I wake up with Cooper, I will be awake an extra hour after he goes back to bed. I can't wait to JUST breastfeed! And I can't imagine all the extra time I will have during the day too! I'm so glad to at least have a plan to get to that point!
Here's a cute picture of father and son. We have been getting lots of Christmas catalogs in the mail, so Jake and Cooper were looking at one together.
Last week I met our Quality Life Concepts consultant. This is a statewide program (although there are similar programs throughout the country) available for high risk children who might need a little extra help to be sure they are developing as expected. Cooper instantly qualified because of his prematurity. Our consultant visits every couple of weeks and we discuss any concerns Jake and I have. Then she finds resources to address those concerns. We don't really have any worries right now so she is just gathering a list of activities we can do to interact with Cooper. She is also getting me in contact with the La Leche league and other mom groups so I can get out of the house more.
I really enjoy being at home with Cooper, but I do miss socializing. I look forward to Cooper's appointments just so I have a reason to get out of the house. I want to keep Cooper home to keep him healthy, but I'm getting bored. Well, not really bored, I have plenty of chores to stay busy, I just feel like I'm missing out on being social.
On Friday, I took Cooper to the pediatrician to get Synagis, the RSV shot. Not all babies get this shot as it is over $1000 pre shot! RSV in a healthy, full term baby is just like a cold, but in a preemie it can be very serious. Cooper will get the shot once a month throughout the winter and spring. It does not make him immune to RSV, but will lessen the severity if he does get sick.
To figure out his disagree they had to weigh him. 6 lbs 11 oz! Seriously! I can't believe how big he is getting! He is growing like a weed now! That was on Friday, so I'm sure he must be over 7 lbs by now. The home health nurse comes tomorrow to weigh him so that what I'm hoping for. Newborn clothes are still big, but he's not swimming in them anymore.
Yesterday, Cooper had a hearing screening. He had failed while still in the NICU, but they told us his ear canal was probably just too small for the test. I was not concerned at all because he responds to our voices and startles at loud noises. Sure enough, he passed yesterday! He will need a follow up in April but he's doing great now!
We were working with a feeding therapist when we were in Seattle and she wanted us to only do half of his feeding with a bottle and finish the feeding through the tube. She also didn't want me to breastfeed other than dry nursing after pumping to keep him practicing. We weren't going to see her again until we go back to Seattle later this month. He has been doing so well eating from the bottle that I've actually been letting him take the whole feeding orally. He has been showing no signs of asperating so I went with my mother's intuition that tells me he ready to get rid of that dang NG tube. The pediatrician set us up with a feeding therapist here in town and we got to see her this morning. She said he looks great and to continue feeding him full feeds by bottle. She is also a lactation therapist and seems as eager as me to get him back to breastfeeding.
I so look forward to the day I can STOP pumping! I can't wait until I can wake up with Cooper, feed him, and go back to sleep when Cooper does. Now, I have to get up before Cooper to warm up his bottle, then when Cooper goes back to sleep I still have to pump, then prep the expressed milk for the next bottle, and wash the bottle and pump parts. Which means each time I wake up with Cooper, I will be awake an extra hour after he goes back to bed. I can't wait to JUST breastfeed! And I can't imagine all the extra time I will have during the day too! I'm so glad to at least have a plan to get to that point!
Here's a cute picture of father and son. We have been getting lots of Christmas catalogs in the mail, so Jake and Cooper were looking at one together.
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