Just Growing

Not much news to report but we figured an update was due since we hadn't posted in a few days. Morgan is doing well. Her feedings are still going really well. She is at 25cc every three hours, the max for her weight (2lbs 12oz), and she never seems to have any residuals left. She is also still on the CPAP and seems to stay in the mid-to-high 20's on her oxygen percentage most of the time. She has actually gotten down to 21% (same as room air) a couple of times.

They haven't lowered her pressure any recently, so she is still at six. It's possible they would eventually take her off the CPAP without any more weaning or they could take her down to a pressure of five or four first. Since there is no risk of lung damage with the CPAP like there was with the ventilator, it's mostly just a judgement call by the doctor as to when she is ready to come off and there is not really a need to continuously wean her settings like before.

Since being on the CPAP she has had a few episodes of apnea (lapses in breathing) and bradycardia (slowed heart rate) which are to be expected. It's basically just a consequence of not being completely matured yet, and as long as it doesn't happen too frequently and she recovers from them easily it's not really a concern. They do give her a little caffeine with one of her feedings each day to help combat it, but it sounds much scarier than it really is. Several times it has happened during kangaroo care which the nurse said is common because babies get so comfortable they sleep deeper. If she doesn't recover from it on her own, a little tap on the foot or bottom gets her going again.

Shelly and I have really enjoyed getting to hold her so often. The only downside is trying to make ourselves leave at a decent time during the week. Last Thursday, we got to the hospital a little later than usual and didn't get home until nearly midnight. Oh well, I guess we should get used to a little less sleep over the next couple of months.