It's a Big World, Mason

Progress Report

It’s been 10 days since Mason was born, and 10 days into his stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. In less than two weeks he has made major strides: No longer is he under a Bili light to combat jaundice, he’s off his oxygen canula, he’s regulating his temperature on his own so he’s in a crib instead of an isolette, and he’s feeding regularly on bottles. They’ve also taken him off his IV so the only tube he has is one used for feedings when he’s not eating by bottle.

He smiles when he sees us, and he opens his mouth wide already when he’s hungry. His farts rival daddy’s and he is ornery as they come.

The doctor will soon be increasing his bottle feedings from twice a day to more, likely every eight hours. Once Mason is comfortable with that, they’ll talk about sending him home. The nurses estimate that he’ll be home by next weekend, but we don’t have any firm dates yet.

The experience so far has been exhausting and rewarding. Mason has phenomenal progress every day we see him, and we’re spending as much time as we can at the NICU, which means we’re getting very little sleep. That’s ok, though. I plan on sleeping once he goes off to college so I should be fine until then. 

Thanks goes out to everyone providing support for us through the preemie experience. You have no idea how grateful we are.

22 August 2010 ·

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• preemie