Eli is finding that being in the step-down unit suits him quite well. After spending 11 weeks in an Isolette, he's now in an open crib. He's taking his fortified mother's milk through a bottle more and more instead of through an oral tube. His parents can hold him at any time.
In fact, step down is as much for the parents' benefit as it is for the child's. Stephanie and I are learning how to hold Eli, how to feed and burp him, and how to give him a bath. We're learning, too, to look for signs, like skin tone and facial expression, that he needs more or less oxygen from his nasal cannula. He's likely to be going home on oxygen, and although in that case a visiting nurse will come once a day, we'll have to know how to adjust the flow ourselves.
None of this would be possible without the knowledge, patience, love and affection of the nurses we've had in Room 3: Mariamma, Anna, Arnite, Mila and Joy, to name only some. Mariama gave Stephanie a tutorial on Tuesday; today, I'm her pupil. That's Arnite feeding Eli in the photo above, before Mommy eagerly takes a turn. Mila is burping him (below).
In fact, step down is as much for the parents' benefit as it is for the child's. Stephanie and I are learning how to hold Eli, how to feed and burp him, and how to give him a bath. We're learning, too, to look for signs, like skin tone and facial expression, that he needs more or less oxygen from his nasal cannula. He's likely to be going home on oxygen, and although in that case a visiting nurse will come once a day, we'll have to know how to adjust the flow ourselves.
3 comments:
Boy are you guys lucky. Getting parenting lessons in all that stuff is a huge advantage! Eli will appreciate your early high skill level, it takes the rest of us several days to get remotely competent at some of that stuff. I never did get the hang of burping Alexandria easily, I kept handing her off to her Daddy for that...
It is amazing, astonishing really, how big and capable Eli looks in just the short time since I was there and holding his little self! All of you are doing such great and important work. I am glad our grandson is in such good hands! :-)
Wishing I was there!
XO Gramma Cam
Post a Comment