So, so tiny...yet she takes up so much room in our heart!
The strength of someone so small is a beautiful thing. Audrey is determined that the meaning of her name, strength, is very fitting for her. She continues to amaze us daily with her will to get even stronger.
What a week it has been for Audrey! I imagine her world has been turned upside down with all the new things she has had to get used to. After a great week without oxygen during her second week of life, she has returned to wearing her nasal canula or "nose" as they call it in the NICU. Her "nose" has done such great things for her. She has gained almost a pound over the past two weeks and now weighs a whopping 3 lbs. 14 1/2 oz. The reason for all of her gains is a direct result of the oxygen. Preemies work so hard just to breathe that they burn more calories than they are able to take in. By assisting Audrey with her breathing, she doesn't have to work so hard, thus reserving those calories for some good weight gains! It's absolutely amazing if you think about it, in the past week she has gained 25% of her birthweight! Can you imagine gaining an additional 25% of your body weight in a week? Yikes!
Besides her good gains she has also been able to maintain her temperature with her isolette turned down to 87 degrees. Since she had been keeping her temperature in the normal range with the isolette turned down the neonatalogist gave the o.k. to dress Audrey and turn the isolette down to room temperature (they do keep the rooms warm). Oh, to dress Audrey! So, so fun! I've been accustomed to boy clothes with puppies and racecars which are cute, but oh, to see pink! What a sight. The first outfit she wore was a white sleeper with purple flowers. The best part were the little feet, they look like little purple Mary Janes with bows on the front of them! She finally looks like a little girl instead of just a baby in a diaper.
She did so well once she was dressed that they moved her into her big girl crib! What a sight to see when I walked in the next morning. No more reaching through holes to touch our baby, leaning down to sing through the holes, or that awkward diaper changing position. They did keep the isolette in the room and ready just in case. It has now been two days of the big girl crib and I'm proud to say she's working hard to keep her temperature up.
Audrey is doing so well, yet has a long way to go before reaching her due date of September 15. Currently she is considered a 34 weeker, we are just starting to attempt bottle feeding. The reason for this is that before babies are 36 weeks they aren't able to suck, swallow, and breathe like a full-term baby. Audrey attemps to take one bottle (breastmilk, of course) a day and I'm allowed to nurse one time a day, otherwise she is still being tube-fed. She often falls asleep before finishing her bottle, it is an absolutely exhausting task for her. When this happens they give her the remainder of her milk in her feeding tube.
We continue to be amazed by the power of prayer and what great things God can do! Each day Audrey proves this to us. Again I have to thank each of you for your prayers and kind words. The cards that we have received mean so, so much to us. It's incredibly moving to receive cards in remembrance of Olivia and welcoming Audrey. Each card for Olivia has its place in her memory box and will continue to warm our heart each time we read them. To hear a friend or family member say "Olivia" or to read her name is like a giant hug. A reminder that she is not forgotten.
I will continue to try my best to give updates on Audrey's progress. The past three weeks have been exhausting, both emotionally and physically. Yet I find myself continuing to need the therapy session this blog provides everytime I start writing about my precious girls.
Besides her good gains she has also been able to maintain her temperature with her isolette turned down to 87 degrees. Since she had been keeping her temperature in the normal range with the isolette turned down the neonatalogist gave the o.k. to dress Audrey and turn the isolette down to room temperature (they do keep the rooms warm). Oh, to dress Audrey! So, so fun! I've been accustomed to boy clothes with puppies and racecars which are cute, but oh, to see pink! What a sight. The first outfit she wore was a white sleeper with purple flowers. The best part were the little feet, they look like little purple Mary Janes with bows on the front of them! She finally looks like a little girl instead of just a baby in a diaper.
She did so well once she was dressed that they moved her into her big girl crib! What a sight to see when I walked in the next morning. No more reaching through holes to touch our baby, leaning down to sing through the holes, or that awkward diaper changing position. They did keep the isolette in the room and ready just in case. It has now been two days of the big girl crib and I'm proud to say she's working hard to keep her temperature up.
Audrey is doing so well, yet has a long way to go before reaching her due date of September 15. Currently she is considered a 34 weeker, we are just starting to attempt bottle feeding. The reason for this is that before babies are 36 weeks they aren't able to suck, swallow, and breathe like a full-term baby. Audrey attemps to take one bottle (breastmilk, of course) a day and I'm allowed to nurse one time a day, otherwise she is still being tube-fed. She often falls asleep before finishing her bottle, it is an absolutely exhausting task for her. When this happens they give her the remainder of her milk in her feeding tube.
We continue to be amazed by the power of prayer and what great things God can do! Each day Audrey proves this to us. Again I have to thank each of you for your prayers and kind words. The cards that we have received mean so, so much to us. It's incredibly moving to receive cards in remembrance of Olivia and welcoming Audrey. Each card for Olivia has its place in her memory box and will continue to warm our heart each time we read them. To hear a friend or family member say "Olivia" or to read her name is like a giant hug. A reminder that she is not forgotten.
I will continue to try my best to give updates on Audrey's progress. The past three weeks have been exhausting, both emotionally and physically. Yet I find myself continuing to need the therapy session this blog provides everytime I start writing about my precious girls.
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