Weight on the board is,  1757 an increase of 40 grams!  Maybe slight fluctuations from how much tubing is on the bed?  We will follow trends not one weight. Keep on growing!

Nurse today is a primary!  So glad we have had a couple days and nights now of just primary nurses.

RT is on 21 percent oxygen!  Cares,  temp is 36.6. Just pee. Only bumped up to 25% for cares.  After cares back down to 21%!

CG Chaplain texts and let’s me know he is in the building,  I head out to meet him.  Greeted with a big chaplain smile and a hug!  We head into the family lounge and have a good talk about how well RT has been progressing and all our big steps forward lately. Many miracles to be grateful for!

I take chaplain in to see RT, RT is bigger than the last time he saw him!  I explain the monitors and ventilator system, and how well RT is starting to do during the moments he is off any support. In the past these brief moments would have caused a major step backwards.

We have a good visit and head back out to say our goodbyes. It was really nice to share this good time with chaplain,  I’m glad it’s not only stressful and hard times we see him.  Hopefully this can continue and we will just be sharing our glory and success with him going forward!

Lunch. Back up to NICU.

1400 cares,  the respiratory therapist shows me the proper way to use a neopuff (the emergency ventilator/ mask ) during the break between nasal mask and canula. Then has me do it, first I cover the mask with my hand where it goes over his face to do an operational check, making sure pressure builds properly.

Then tilt the chin up to ensure the airway is open, put the mask on his face covering his mouth and nose, not covering his eyes. Apply with enough pressure to seal the mask to his face and build pressure. The little pressure gauge fluctuates with each breath he takes. If the needle isn’t moving enough,  he either isn’t breathing or the seal isn’t good enough and requires more pressure, you can cover the hole in the end to give breaths faster if he isn’t doing it on his own. Each breath he takes causes a whistling of air.

Then we put on the hat that the nasal canula straps to, I remove pressure temporarily and start it back up several times,  I’m getting a hang of the neopuff!

Then I change his diaper,  pee and one tiny smear of poop.

I got to help RT breathe! We did well!
Time for skin to skin with mom,  transfer is ofcourse good, RT wants to turn his head again. Eventally he settles down.

Good skin to skin!

1700 comes quick, time to put RT back and do cares again. I get to help with the neopuff, hat and putting on his nasal mask!

I like being able to help with more than the temp and diaper!  Mom and I have been repositioning him to his belly and back now too! (Most parents don’t do as much as us) but we have been told that often they have seen extreme cases like RT where both of the parents being there every day all day the babys statistically have better outcomes.  I’m glad we are able to do our part here!

Dinner time.

Back to NICU. Primary nurse tonight!

Cares,  temp 36.7, 1 diaper change, just a little poop, I wipe him and there is more.  I close up his diaper and give him a bit. 2 diaper change, decent sized poop. 3 I put a clean diaper on him and we all hear him poop this time. I he looks more relaxed. 4th clean diaper is the last one.  Then it’s time for bath time!  Glad he got it all out before the bath!

This is the first bath time mom and I have been here for.  He gets swapped to nasal prongs on the neopuff, oxygen turned up a bit. Spo2 sensor removed,  heart rate sensor,  resparations sensor removed. Diaper removed.  He is off of all monitors! This is a first!

Big heat lamp to help keep him warm.

Into the water the nurse slowly lowers him. Mom helps scrub him and wash him in one of those pink plastic tubs hospitals use. A couple washcloths lining it for padding.

He likes being in the water but not the scrubbing or movement to the water.

The nurse rotates him over and they clean his back. Then wrap him up and wash his hair and behind his ears!

It is a quick bath. Dry him off and reconnect aall his sensors. He is doing great.  Spo2 99-100. Good boy! Fresh diaper.

Swaddled, and swapped to nasal cannula. Fresh spo2 sensor. He is happy. Only on 21% oxygen!  spo2 is around 98-100. He is doing awesome!

I hold him wrapped up while his bed linens are swapped out.

He is comfy and clean! Happy boy now, I give him his binky then it’s time to let him sleep.

Cover up his incubator, sleep tight RT, we love you!

Neopuff in use.

because of bend in incubator glass a ltitle doubling.