One Step Back

Yesterday was a very rough day. Cooper was still having trouble breathing, but his x rays and blood work all looked good, no infection. So they decided he was just tired from working so hard for two weeks and just needed a break from breathing. It was clear even to me that he was exhausted. He didn't perk up during his care times like he used to. They put him back on the ventilator with breathing tube at about noon.

Nurse K said that as soon as they got it set up he looked relaxed and took a break allowed the machine to breathe for him. I didn't realize how much it would affect me. It is so hard to see a machine breathing for your baby. But I have to remind myself that he hasn't even reached 32 weeks gestation yet. His lungs are not supposed to be working yet. He is still small and he needed a break to regain his strength.

He is still very tired today, but has only had a few episodes of dropping his blood oxygen level. Much better than yesterday and his color looks better too. He will probably be on the ventilator for a few more days. That rest must be doing him good because he gain again yesterday. He's up to 2 lbs 10 oz! Maybe the calories he will conserve by not having to breathe will help him reach 3 lbs soon!

I only have one photo of him with his new breathing tube and is not a great picture, but it shows how his face looks without the nose cannula. I'm sure he is also enjoying a break from having that cannula up his nose! 

Two Weeks Old!

Weighing in at 2 lbs 7 oz, Cooper is 2 weeks old!

Cooper has many nicknames already. It seems each doctor or nurse has their own nickname for him and I have a few that I use too. Here are the ones I've heard.
Rockstar
Super Cooper
Coop
Little Man
Little Monkey
Mini Cooper
Little Guy
Turkey

He is still having some trouble breathing, but he will be up to full feeds tomorrow so he will no longer need the supplemental fluids, which means they can take out the picc line. That means one less area to worry about causing an infection.

It Finally Happened

I knew this would happen, everyone prepared me for it, but it still makes me so sad. When I walked in the NICU this morning, for the first time the nurse, Nurse C had a not so great report. She said Cooper has had lots of episodes of bradycardia, bad enough that he doesn't fix himself, where she has to come in and stimulate him to start breathing again. She said it is still very normal for his age, but he's been doing so well I hoped he would get through that stage without that issue.

To help him, they bumped his oxygen level up to 25, up until now he had been breathing 21, the same that you and I breathe. They also bumped his CPAP back up to 5, while he had been at 4 for a week. With these changes he seems to be doing better. It's sad that he has these set backs, but I don't want to rush his progress. I'm glad that the doctor and nurses know what's best for him.

On a positive note, when we weighed Cooper last night he was 2 lbs 7 oz, his new high!

The Gift

It hit me yesterday that there is a big positive in this situation. I have gained an extra 74 days with my child. I got to see his beautiful face early. I get to hold him every day. I get to see his reaction when he hears my voice. I get to bond with him in ways that I couldn't if he were still in the womb. He is getting the nutrients he needs better than he was in the womb, and I get to watch his progress day by day. In that way his prematurity is a gift and I will take advantage of my extra time with him as much as possible.

Caring for him this morning was wonderful. 8am seems to be his most alert time of the day, which is funny because before he was born I would always feel the most kicks, rolls, and stretches first thing in the morning. He is certainly a morning person!

Daddy's Lookalike

Cooper is doing well still. Over the last week and a half he has lost and gained weight. The lowest he got to was 2 lbs even, but now he is up to 2 lbs 4 oz! Grow baby grow! Everyone comments on how he looks just like Jake. I agree...he is so handsome! What do you think?

Quick update

Cooper has been off the light since yesterday since his bilirubin level is better.  He has also been tolerating all of his feedings through the feeding tube so he is now up to 7 mL every three hours! He lost his little umbilical cord stub and now has the cutest little belly button. I got to hold him for three whole hours today and Nurse C showed me how to give him his bi-weekly bath tonight. He is still dropping his heart rate every once in awhile, but he is able to self correct, but it still scares this mama every time!

Fantastic News

We got word this morning that because Cooper will be in the NICU for a couple months, Jake was approved to stay home and does not need to return to his deployment. When the Red Cross sent him home it was just for a 2 week emergency leave, but Jake's superiors made the decision that they can complete the deployment mission without Jake as he needs to be near his family right now. He will be working his normal shift but at least he will be in the same town and can visit Coop after work.

It is so nice to know he will be around during the tough times and here to celebrate the milestones. The doctors and nurses all say that visits from mom and dad truly help preemies thrive. I'm so happy that the Air Force can understand that and is willing to make exceptions to help out family members.