Week in the NICU

Because Sam was 3 1/2 weeks early there was a good chance that his little lungs had not quite finished developing. After he was born, he spent a few hours in the nursery where they monitored his breathing and then decided he might need to take a trip down the hall to the NICU. Once he got there they hooked him up to a CPAP machine that helped him breathe easier and not have to work so hard. The doctor talked with us and said everything looked great except his lungs were slightly underdeveloped and that he would probably spend about a week in the NICU until he got stronger. The hardest part about this news was that we wouldn't be able to hold him since he was hooked up to oxygen monitors and the CPAP machine. This was the pitiful face we saw Monday through Wednesday.

Late Wednesday afternoon he was doing so well that they removed the CPAP and just left him with a nasal oxygen cannula. We were so excited about this improvement but even more excited that we would get to hold him!!

I was set to go home on Wednesday but they let me stay one extra day since my baby was still in the NICU and it was much easier to walk down the hall and visit him anytime instead of having to drive back and forth. Thursday afternoon I was discharged and had to leave my sweet boy at the hospital, but they couldn't keep us away very long. Adam and I went back for most of
his daily feedings and much to our surprise we found this sweet oxygen-free face on Friday afternoon!!

We were so proud of this progress and the doctor said everything was going as expected. This left us thinking that we would at least have the weekend to finish getting everything ready for him at home. Saturday morning we went to his 8:00 feeding to give him his breakfast and found out that our sweet boy would be going home on Sunday!! The hospital gives all of the parents a chance to "room-in" with their baby the night before they go home and the baby stays in the room all night with the parents for good practice. After hearing this great news we rushed home, packed a bag and cleaned up a little and headed back up to the hospital to stay with Sam. We have had some really sweet nurses taking care of our baby and they have been extremely patient and understanding when I would call during the night to check in on him. We are grateful for the good care he received and are so happy to finally get to take him home in the morning. Hope everyone has a good night and I'm sure you will get more rest than we will =) I will leave you with a few pictures of our first night alone with our boy.

Are YOU Ready?