Eleanor Update 5

April 2, 2011:

Today was a great day. Eleanor turned 8 days old and on her eighth day she is breathing all by herself. She does not have the help of oxygen or a ventilator. She is breathing 100 percent on her own. She even found time in her day to get her favorite doctors and nurses chocolates. An early Easter present. 

Today the doctors increased her milk to five ml of milk every hour for six hours and when they weighed her today she had put on a half ounce. That is great because her next assignment is to start putting on weight. They want to see her add a half-ounce to an ounce a day.  She gets fussy just before her feedings start.  The nurses say that is because she knows it's time to eat and she wants her milk.  She even stays fussy right after the feeding begins because "she can't get it fast enough." She is doing so great with her feedings!  I asked about when she will change from the feeding tube to a bottle and the nurse said usually they go to the bottle when the babies reach four pounds. Babies loose a few ounces after the switch.  Then she looked at Eleanor and said, "but with this one... she'll probably do it sooner."  She continues to impress the staff with how quickly she is advancing!

Emily was able to kangaroo with her again today at lunch and she just went right to sleep. Eleanor loves being close with Mommy. 

She is doing much better. All for now tired and going to bed.

-Robert

More Kangaroo time with blanket from Kaki

Close up - She is our precious sweet love

Cozy falling asleep