Friday, August 31, 2007

Matthew is coming home!

GREAT NEWS! Ir's official, Matthew will be coming home tomorrow! He is doing great on feeds and we have been told that he passed his car seat challenge today. We are so happy and so relieved.

We have no idea when he'll be able to go home. We have to wait for the doctor to make rounds to officially write the order for him to go home.

Today, I got just about everything done. I finished putting together all of his furniture. I put away all of Matthew's clothes, set up the changing table with everything it needed, made sure all of his clothes were washed and then Kaitlyn and I went shopping. We got burp cloths, more bottles, swaddling blankets, more pacis and of course a lot of antibacterial soap and hand sanitizer.

We came home and I got all of the bottles and pacis washed and steralized, I was able to wash the rest of his laundry (and Kaitlyn's) and tonight (or in the morning) I am going to hang his picture frames. The Sepia prints should be here tomorrow so I can put them in the frames.

We went over a lot of the details of what we should do and look for with the nurse tonight. Everyone (including us) will need to wash and sanitize before touching. It is recommended that Matthew is not kissed anywhere but his feet. If someone is sick, thinks they might be getting sick or been exposed to illness, they should stay away until they are better.

Family and Friends are welcome to visit on Sunday and Monday (or anytime after really!). We don't plan on driving anywhere until or unless we have to, so you all will have to come to us!

Thursday, August 30, 2007

August 30

Matthew did FANTASTIC on his feeds today. His nurses decided to start him on eating when he wants to instead of when they want him to eat.

So, he decided he wanted to eat every 4 hours or so. Where yesterday (and the days prior) we had to REALLY coax him into eating 50ml, today he at 80 ml at EVERY feeding!!

Hopefully, he'll be home soon. We should find out tomorrow when they will retest him for his carseat test. If he should fail, Victoria has been awesome and offered her car bed for Matthew. Her generosity is amazing and I am really appreciative.

Everyone has been so wonderful with their kind thoughts, prayers and gestures. I would really like to thank Grandma and Grandpa for not only getting Matthew all of his nursery furniture, but for delivering it as well. Thank you also Grandma and Grandpa for Matthew's new car seat, crib mattress, nursery paint, nursery curtains and the awesome breast pump that arrived today. We are very thankful. Thank you also to Nana and Auntie Christy for watching Kaitlyn, and thanks to Papa for painting the blue in Matthew's room and for painting the glider Aunt Christy gave Matthew.

Tomorrow I will work on the dresser for Matthew's room. I should be able to put it together tomorrow. Then, I just have to put everything away and I can take some great pictures to share his Vintage firetruck room with you :)

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

August 29, 2007

08/29/07

I just got back from the hospital with some Matthew news.

The good news is he passed his hearing test! Yay Matthew!

The bad news is, he isn't finishing his bottles. He lost 10 grams tonight (his first loss since birth) and he looks jaundice again. If he doesn't gain by tomorrow night, he'll probably have the tube re-inserted for feeds. We'll hear from the doctor tomorrow about what to do about the jaundice.

It looks like it'll be at least a few more days before Matthew gets home :(

He still needs encouragment with his feeds and they would rather he take them all with more ease.

He also failed his car seat test. He can't breath properly in it. They are going to give him a couple of days then try again. If he fails again we'll be getting him a car bed.

Monday, August 27, 2007

August 27, 2007

08/27/07

Well, we had a good day and we had a bad day.

Yesterday when we were at Matthew's appointment his doctor heard a heart murmur. She thought it was nothing but she scheduled an ultrasound for today anyways. The ultrasound showed that Matthew has two small holes in his heart. Right now, they aren't a huge cause for concern, just a cause for more caution. He will start seeing a cardiologist once he is discharged to ensure that the holes close on their own or to evaluate what the best course of action is.

Matthew is doing GREAT on feeds though! He took 3 feeds by mouth in a row. The 8 AM, 11 Am and the 2 PM (for me!). He got to take a break for 5 PM and ate all but 9 ml at his 8 PM for me and Daddy. If he keeps this home, he might be home by the end of the week! Keep your finger's crossed that our little man has it figured out!

Matthew also hit 6 pounds today!!

August 28, 2007

08/28/07

Matthew should be home anyday!!

We were asked to bring the carseat in today to do is carseat check and his doctor said he should be home in the next day or two.

At the 2 PM feeding they removed his feeding tube, so as long as he tolerates all of his feeds by bottle, he'll be at home very soon!! Keep your finger's crossed!

We will also have an appointment with the cardiologist a month after he's discharged. His doctor is pretty sure that the hole will close up on it's own, but we have to be sure it does.

Matthew's crib is put together and all of his bedding looks gorgeous! As soon as I put together the last piece of furniture (which should be tomorrow!) I'll get some pics!

Have a great day!

Sunday, August 26, 2007

August 27, 2007

08/26/07

Sorry for the lack of update yesterday. I'm without my computer until tomorrow.

Matthew is doing good. He is still working on eating. The only new thing to report is that Matthew has a heart murmur. Tomorrow he is having an ultrasound on his heart to ensure that there isn't a hole in his heart.

We have everything here for him. Grandma and Grandpa bought Matthew a new carseat and crib mattress. They also brought over all the furniture they bought him so we just have 2 pieces left to assemble!!

Friday, August 24, 2007

August 24, 2007

08/24/07

There isn't much new to report. Matthew is at a nice 5 pounds and 12 ounces as of tonight!

The doctors and nursing team are going to start something new when it comes to his feeding. They are going to start feeding him every 3-4 hours, when he's hungry instead of trying to keep him on a 3 hour schedule.

Tonight, he took all of his bottle, but still seemed hungry. He's incredibly gassy and all of the nurses have problems getting him to burp. He's pulled out his NG tube 3 times so far this week. He officially has colic :( So, he is on colic therapy to try and calm him down. Basically, he wants to be held nearly all of the time or he screams. If he isn't held, he has to be on his tummy, on a heating pad with his head on a gel pillow. The problem with that is once he comes home, he can't sleep on his belly.

Today we did get his changing table put together. All we have left to do is his crib and dresser :)

Thursday, August 23, 2007

August 23, 2007

08/23/07

Today, Matthew had some visitors. Kaitlyn, Auntie Sammie and Uncle Davey all came to visit Matthew.

Matthew hasn't improved with his eating. We're looking at 1-2 weeks before he'll be able to come home :(

Matthew has been really fussy lately. His nurses have been holding him as much as possible to try and help his tummy aches.

While changing his diaper, I noticed he had a lot of stuff oozing from his belly button. I asked the nurse. They believe it's a mass of tissue. It could either be a benign growth or the umbilical cord trying to regrow. The nurses and doctors will keep an eye on it.

Other than that, there isn't much new to report :)

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

August 22, 2007

08/22/07

Matthew is still doing good. We're just waiting for him to figure out how much better eating is through the mouth than through the nose.

Matthew did pretty good today. He took his morning feed (the 8 AM) completely through bottle and when I got there, the 2 PM feed through bottle. For his 8 PM feed he took all but the last 7 ml through bottle. We haven't been pushing the breast too much. We want him home more than we want him to nurse. Even though I HATE pumping it's well worth it.

Today, Kaitlyn went and saw Matthew and we got some really cute pictures I'll upload tomorrow.

We're still hoping he'll be home by Monday, but we aren't sure if that's going to happen or not. Matthew is being stubborn ;)

Matthew's room is coming along nicely. His room is painted, the border is sponged on, all of his clothes are washed and really all that has to be done is one more curtain hung and the furniture assembled. Now we just need a baby to put in the crib :D

Monday, August 20, 2007

August

08/20/07

Matthew is 2 weeks old today for his actual age and -5 weeks old for his adjusted age :)

His doctor believes he'll be home no later than Monday. They can't promise it, but they are pretty confident. It can be sooner if he starts eating better faster.

Today, Matthew took all of his bottle of milk at 2, most of it at 11 AM and all but 15ml at 8. Hopefully, he'll continue to improve and be home even sooner!!

August 20, 2007

To some, this might sound silly...

Some of the closest friends I have and the most amazing women in the world are women I've never had the great privelage of being face to face with.

I have made some friends online that have made these past several weeks so much better.

I would like to thank these women so much for everything they have done. I would like to thank everyone for their kind thoughts, wishes and prayers. I would like to extend a heart felt thank you to those women who have listened to my vents, my thoughts, my ramblings, those who have kept me entertained, and those who have been so sweet and amazing to send me little surprises to make my day.

Since Matthew has been born the generosity of others has been absolutely incredible and literally brought tears to my eyes. I've received some amazing, thoughtful and generous gifts. I feel so grateful to have you in my life.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

August 19, 2007

08/19/07

And we are ending another day. Tomorrow Matthew will be 2 weeks old and his gestational age will be 35 weeks. Typically, by around 35 weeks babies start staying awake longer and start eating better getting them closer to going home.

Today, Matthew did really good. For his morning feeding, the nurse was able to get him to nipple 20 ml out of 47ml from the bottle. When Daddy and I got there for his 2 PM feeding, we were able to get him to take the entire bottle! At his 8pm feeding we were able to get him to eat all but 15 ml (so he took in 35 ml) Matthew's feedings are about 1 1/2 ounces every 3 hours. As soon as he can go 24 hours taking at least 2 feeds by bottle per shift, he'll be able to go home. Hopefully, he'll continue to improve every day!

Matthew is also up to 5 pounds 6 ounces.

Friday, August 17, 2007

August 17, 2007

Matthew has hit 2 of his 3 goals. He is gaining weight (at 5 lbs 3.9 ounces tonight) and maintaining his body temperature. All he has to do is start eating.

Because Matthew seems to be having a hard time getting milk from the breast, we've decided to give him expressed milk in a bottle. For his 2 PM feeding, he took 12 ml by bottle. For his 8 PM feeding, he was up to 17 ml (about half an ounce).

In order for Matthew to come home he has to take at least 2 feedings by mouth for each shift in a 24 hour period. His feedings are 47 ml ( 1.5 ounces) Our goal is to get Matthew home as soon as possible. If that means being attached to a pump for a year, so be it. The nurse believes he'll be home in the next 2 weeks. All we have to do is get him to eat. If he starts eating he'll be home in a day or two.

Other than that, he's doing great.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

August 16, 2007

08/16/07

Matthew is still doing well. He's up to 5 pounds 2.7 ounces. He is completely off of all oxygen monitoring since he isn't having any desaturations in oxygen.

Matthew nursed twice today. The first time he only took 1 cc. The second time, 3 cc. He still isn't taking a bottle. He has to get up to at least 45 cc per feeding by mouth before he can be discharged.

I finished Matthew's announcements this morning and ordered them, so they should be in your hands soon :)

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

08/15/07

Sorry I didn't update yesterday, I'm exhausted.

Matthew is still doing well. When we went for our "dinner" visit last night, we couldn't find him. He had been moved to a different part of the NICU called "continuing care" so he is with the babies who are less sick and not in need of respiratory care.

Matthew has 3 goals right now. 1 is to gain weight. While he was born big for a preemie, he is still facing the same obstacles. He has to maintain a steady weight gain. Right now he is at 4 pounds, 15.9 ounces. His goal, is 2/3 an ounce per day. Which would mean that right now he should be at least 5 pounds 3 ounces. He has fortifier added to his breast milk during galvage feedings, but he won't have that when he comes home so he needs to get nice and chubby.

His second goal is to maintain his body temperature. Right now, Matthew has to wear long jammies, be swaddled in a blanket, have a fleece blanket over that and a hat on. Even still his body temp is always under 97.5. Hopefully, the weight gain will help him to maintain his body temperature.

Matthew's last goal is to take all feeds by mouth. He has no desire for a bottle and his sucking reflex is still to weak for the breast. So, we try everyday and hopefully he'll catch on soon.

We still don't have a release date, but we hope it's sooner than later :)

August 15, 2007

08/15/07

Matthew is continuing to do well. Today he nursed during both visits. Each time he got about 5 ml (about .16 of an ounce). He refuses to take a bottle from the nurses though. Hopefully we can get him a pro at nursing soon so he can go home.

Matthew did gain a little weight. He's now at 5 lbs .4 oz. He got his first sponge bath tonight and did wonderful. He hated having everything cleaned but loved having his hair washed.

Monday, August 13, 2007

August 13, 2007

Matthew is 1 week old today. Today, I would have been 34 weeks pregnant. Matthew's actual age is 1 week and his adjusted age is negative 6 weeks old. For being negative 6 weeks old, he's doing great.

After going all night without needing any oxygen, Matthew's nasal cannula was removed this mroning. We went to see him around 2 and he was doing great. He has some slight changes in his respiration, but nothing worth putting him back on oxygen.

Matthew has been doing better now that he is on reflux therapy. He spits up only slightly. Today his feeds were changed from being fed over an hour to over 45 minutes and aside from maybe a teaspoon and a half of spit up at the very end, he did great.

Today, we also had the oppurtunity to start trying to nurse. The plan is to let him get the idea of it and practice and then to start making it his primary means of getting food. Today he did much better than expected. He latched on and attempted to get his own food. We'll keep trying a little bit twice a day.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

08/12/07

08/12/07

Matthew's still doing well. His Oxygen has been turned down from 3 liters per minute to 2 liters per minute and he's doing well.

His kidney ultrasound came back and everything is completely normal.

Matthew does have reflux. It is currently being treated with therapy such has having his bed tilted, being held during feeds and haing his feeds spread over an hour and things of that nature. If that doesn't work the doctors will resort to medicinal treatment such as zantac.

With all of the swelling down, Matthew is back at his birth weight!

Saturday, August 11, 2007

08/11/07

Matthew's doing great! We were told he would have him umbilical IV removed tomorrow as well as the biliruben blanket. We were happy to see that all of his IVs were out this evening! He's on 21-25% oxygen right now which is basically room air. He also hasn't had a single apnea spell (where he forgets to breathe) and is in a regular crib!

Tonight he was also dressed for the first time in one of the NICU shirts we had made for him. The nurses said he's been cold so tomorrow we are going to get some preemie sleepers for him. It was too late when we left tonight and nearly everywhere was closed.

Matthew is still suffering from reflux,so he is on a continuous feed where he gets his food over the period of an hour or so. He is up to 50ml (about 1.69 ounces) which is great!

Friday, August 10, 2007

08/10/07

08/10/07

Matthew is doing great today. He is still on the high flow nasal canula. He actually had his oxygen level decreased, which is great. They are going to continue to slowly wean him from the oxygen until he no longer needs it.

Matthew's g-tube that he received his feeding through has been moved from his mouth to his nose. Now is can easily suck on a pacifer and seems to really enjoy it. He is having some slight reflux problems, but that's expected regardless of his gestational ag.

We got back the ultra sound results for his head and are thrilled to say that he hasn't had any brain bleeds. We should have the results of the renal ultrasound tomorrow. The suppositories have really helped his bilirubon levels.

Matthew is now wrapped in a blanket most of the time and he loves it.

For the first time today, mommy and daddy got to hold little Matthew :) He loved it and went right to sleep in each of our arms.

We're home now. After 9 weeks and 6 days I was discharged from the hospital. It's very hard to leave each visit knowing he is staying, but we know he is incredible hands. Between driving back and forth to the hospital, trying to unpack everything, recovering from the surgery, pumping every 2 hours and caring fo Kaitlyn, there doesn't seem to be any time left in the day. Every day we know we are 1 day closer to bringing home our son and that makes us incredibly happy.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

08/09/07

08/09/07

Matthew is doing great. He is still of the Cpap. He's doing great and his last blood gas test was normal so we are happy to report that the artery IV was removed today! So now, he only has the high flow nasal cannula, an IV in his left hand, an IV in his belly button, the galvage tube going to his stomach through his mouth and the regular sensors to make sure he's doing well.

Now that he is on continuous feeds as opposed to bolous feeds (where his food is put in his tube over a period of 20 minutes as opposed to all at once) he is doing great and the amount of food is gradually being increased. Right now he gets nearly an entire tube of food. I'm not sure how much that is, but I will find out this evening.

Matthew is still having some jaundice issues. He is both on the biliruben blanket and light therapy and wears little glasses to cover his eyes.

Tonight, we get to help with Matthew's feeding. I'll be going back at 8:15 for his 8:30 feeding. I'll get to take his temperature and change his diaper. At 11:15, I'll go back with Dusty and daddy will get to change his diaper and take his temperature.

Kaitlyn got to see Matthew tonight. She was so happy. When we went in, Matthew was awake. It was the first time I've ever seen him with his eyes open. He has the prettiest blue eyes, just like Kaitlyn's. Kaitlyn noticed it first and excitedly squeeled with excitment "Matthew has blue eyes too!!" and "Matthew has blue eyes like me!!!" and really wanted to bring him toys. She asked if she could rock him and showed us that she would be really gentle. I know as soon as Matthew is well enough to come home, Kaitlyn is going to be an amazing big sister. I know she's can't wait.

Matthew still has some swelling. As he continues to pee, it will go down. We're hoping that's soon just to indicate that his kidneys are functioning and functioning well.

Dusty and I are so thankful for everyone's generosity. As I'm sure you can guess, it's been incredibly hard to plan for a baby when you spend the better part of 2 1/2 months in the hospital, away from home, away from the nursery and away from the malls. After the baby shower and all of the wonderful things we've received since his birth I can't think of a single that we could possibly need before we go home or even before Matthew comes home. Thank you so much. It really means the world to me.

Dusty has been amazing. He spends a lot of time in the NICU with me and without me. He has been so helpful. He visits Matthew in the middle of night to take him fresh milk and to make sure he's doing well through the night. He's been great about making sure Kaitlyn is good to Mommy and he makes things as easy on me as possible. He is an amazing daddy and both Kaitlyn and Matthew are so fortunate to have him. As of Monday, he started his 6 weeks of paternity leave. His goal is to take another week or so and then go back to work if Matthew's homecoming is still a ways away and then take the remainder of his time when Matthew is home.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

08/08/07

My plan is to try and do 2 updates a day. I want to do one after the neonatologist calls in the morning and one at night when I am pumping. If something happens during the day, I'll try to update then as well :)

Matthew did well overnight. Right now he is still on the Cpap. He is tolerating it well. The doctor doesn't think he'll be weaned off of it today. He is doing well with oxygen, but he is having a harder time with expelling the CO2 from his body. He's comfortable right now so they don't want to try and wean him too early. Has long as the CO2 doesn't get any worse, he will not go back on the vent.

Matthew is much more awake today. The doctor said he's really alert today and acting hungry so they are going to start him on feeds today through his galvage tube. He will start at 5 cc every 3 hours. With each feeding they will add another 5 cc. A cc is equal to a teaspoon. If he does well on feedings, he can have the tube out of his belly button removed. That would get us one step closer to holding him.

Matthew is a bit more jaundiced today so he is on he a bilirubin light blanket and will go under the lights today. Jaundice is completely normal and expected in preemie babies.

So far, Mathew doesn't have any infections. If the blood tests today show no infection his antibiotics will be stopped and that IV can be removed. That would be awesome.

Matthew's results for his ultrasounds will be back on Friday so we'll know about any possible brain bleeds or kidney problems.

As soon as Matthew is clear of things on his face and the sweeling is down we're going to take pictures for his announcements. If you'd like me to send you an announcment let me know :) I just send me your address ;) We have nearly all the enevelopes addressed, I just need a couple of addresses yet :)

We're going to see him now :)

08/08/07

08/08/07 PM

Matthew is doing great.

He is still on Cpap but was on room air for a few hours by the time we said goodnight to him. He is doing great with getting oxygen in, mostly he needs him getting the CO2 gasses out. He is not going to be rushed off of the Cpap until they are sure he is ready.

He is doing a great job of increasing his weight. When they told us his weight yesterday, they were off, he was 5 pounds even. Today he was 5 pounds 2 ounces. Any weight gain is amazing. With Matthew his weight is still really important but not an indicator really of when he'll come home.

Matthew was started on feeds through is tube. They started at 5 cc (about 1 tsp). The first feed was called a boulus feed where they put it through all at one time. He had a bit of reflux, so for the feed 3 hours later they put him on his tummy and did a continuous feed which is where they feed him through a pump so he gets the 5cc over a 20 minute period.

At his 5 AM 08/09/07 feed, he will get 10 cc, so hopefully he will do well with that.

Matthew had a slightly distended tummy and hadn't pooped since being born so yesterday he was given a suppository that helped tremendously. He also had a lot of the swelling go down in his face :)

Everything else with Matthew is looking good. He's still on the blue light blanket for jaundice. Everyone is confident that with time he'll come home healthy.

Keep positive thoughts tomorrow. Matthew has several tests we want good results on. His blood will be checked for bilirubin to see if he can discontinue the use of the light therapy, his blood gasses will be checked to be sure the CO2 in his body is at a healthy level and he will have 2 very important ultrasounds.

Thanks everyone and have a great night!

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

08/07/07

Matthew had a really good night. The NICU called this morning with their update this morning.

Since last night Matthew has not needed any oxygen support. He is still on the vwnt to help him keep his lungs open but with any luck, today they will take him off the vent and put him on either CPAP1 or a nasal cannula2 depending on how he is doing.

If/when he comes off the vent today, he will get to start eating. This is also great because it'll help him grow and get him closer to coming home.

He hasn't had any blood pressure problems since last night at 11, which is also really good news.

On Thursday Matthew will have two ultrasounds. The first will be on his head to look for any bleeds as a result of his prematurity. The second will be of his renal organs. Since he is a two vessel baby, they want to be sure his kidneys are functioning properly. So far, he is doing great, but they want to be sure.

In order for Matthew to come home, he has to be able to maintain his own body temp for 48 hours, Matthew will have to be breathing room air, Matthew has to be getting all of his foofs by mouth and Matthew has to be steadily gaining weight.

Matthew has some really mild jaundice, which is expected in preemies. We'll see him soon, so keep any eye out for more pictures!


1 When infants are disconnected from a mechanical ventilator, often they require a form of assisted breathing called nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). A nasal CPAP device consists of a large tube with tiny prongs that fit into the baby's nose, which is hooked to a machine that provides oxygenated air into the baby's air passages and lungs. The pressure from the CPAP machine helps keep a preemie's lungs open so he or she can breathe. However, the machine does not provide breaths for the baby, so the baby breathes on his or her own.

2
The nasal cannula is a device used in the hospital, in a pre-hospital setting, or at home to deliver supplemental oxygen to a patient or person in need of extra oxygen. This device consists of a plastic tube which fits behind the ears, and a set of two prongs which are placed in the nose or nares. Oxygen flows from these prongs.[1] The nasal cannula is connected to an oxygen tank, a portable oxygen generator, or to a wall connection in a hospital via a flowmeter. The nasal cannula flows from one liter per minute to 6 liters per minute of oxygen. There are also infant or neonatal nasal cannulas which flow less than one liter per minute; these also have smaller prongs.

08/07/07

Yay Matthew! Matthew was weaned off the vent today. He is on the CPap. His CO2 levels were a little high, but they are steadily coming down.

Matthew was sedated this morning because he was getting a little wild. But, now he's sleeping peacefully on his own without sedation.

Matthew is sleeping on his belly and looks so comfortable and peaceful. They are hoping to start him on some milk tonight, so we're hoping he does well with it :)

08/07/07

08/07/07

Matthew is still doing good!

After the vent he was on the nasula cannula for a while, but it wasn't quite enough oxygen for his little body, so he went on the Cpap and is doing great. When he's ready they'll wean him off of that and onto the nasula cannula. The only bad part about the cpap is his face is really swollen. Hopefully it will pass soon.

Today they tried Matthew on a paci to determine is sucking ability and start strengthening it. It's really weak right now, but he has time to strengthen it.

Even though Matthew isn't on breastmilk yet, he has gained weight and is up to 5 pounds, 5 ounces!

We got to hear Matthew cry softly and coo a little.

Matthew is now able to sleep some on his tummy and he looks so comfortable. Preemies are recommended to sleep in their stomachs because it helps regulate their body temperature. Because he is constantly monitored it's safe for him to do so without risk.

Matthew is doing great and we enjoy every moment we get to spend with him. We cannot wait for him to come home and hopefully the days until then will pass quickly.

Monday, August 6, 2007

Welcome to the World Matthew!!

Happy Birthday Matthew!!

As you know, when we went to bed last night the contractions had slowed and my cervix was completely closed.

At about 1:30 AM, I had terrible hip and back pain. I waited about 10 minutes before I realized the pain were contractions that were almost right on top of each other. At about 1:45 AM, the nurse came in and told me I could have a double my sleeping medications that should help me sleep.

At 2:45 AM, the pain had definately not subsided and I was in even more pain. I went on the monitor to check Matthew's heart rate and contractions, after about 1/2 hour it was determined that my contractions were 3-4 minutes apart and very intense. The doctor was called and I was asked what I wanted to do. I gave three options: deliver, stop the contractions or give me amazing meds.

By 3:30 the nurse came in to start my IV for some Nubane for relief. During that time the pain and pressure started to intensify so I volunteered for another painful sterile spec exam. Just by glancing, it was obvious that I was fully dilated and Matthew's butt was at a +1 station. A very quick spec exam was done to confirm and I was quickly whisked off for delivery.

At 4:00 AM we were in the OR. There wasn't enough time for my doctor to get here to deliver but we were incredibly fortunate that Dr. Zeilinsky whom we both love and who delivered Kaitlyn was in the hospital. I was getting my spinal block and being prepared for surgery. At 4:29 AM, Matthew Jackson Miller arrived into the world.

Matthew was born weighing 4 pounds and 14 ounces, 18 inches long and full of dark hair. He cried at birth which was a great noise to hear.

Matthew got to tell Mommy and Daddy hi before he was whisked to the NICU. He was having trouble breathing and getting the CO2 out of his body. He was put on the vent at 100% oxygen in an open isolettte. As of right now, 7:30 AM, Matthew is on the vent but on room air.

Daddy has got to spend a lot of time with his prince and Mommy can't wait to go and see him. Kaitlyn can't wait to meet her little brother!

Thank you so much to everyone for their warm thoughts, wishes and prayers. They mean the world to us.

08/06/07

Matthew is now nearly 22 hours old. It has been quite the day let me tell ya!

Matthew is doing well. We don't yet know when he'll get to come home. It's entirely up to him, how he responds to treatment and how he is doing. I've been told not to expect him home before his due date, September 24, 2007.

Matthew is a nice and healthy weight. Because I ruptures so early and he went without fluid for a while, he was unable to develop his lung tissue. In utero, the lungs fill with amnioitc fluid and swell the lungs so that they open and close with ease. It's compared to having a balloon that you blow up over and over and over again. The first time you blow it up, it can be really hard. But, after several times, it gets much easier and doesn't require much effort.

Matthew didn't get enough practice time. Because of that his lungs are immature and today he was diagnosed with lung disease. It is because of this that he has to be on a vent. He has received two treatments of surfectant (Thank you March of Dimes for creating such a wonderful drug) and seems to be doing much better with them. Surfectant helps his lungs to stay open.

Matthew started on the vent at 100% oxygen. For a while after that, he was on complete room air with the vent just helping him keep his lungs open. That was then adjusted to 30% oxygen to help Matthew breathe. Matthew had some blood work done that showed that he wasn't processing CO2 very well, so his oxygen was kept at 30%.

This evening Matthew had a better report. His second ultrasound on the lungs was clear. His blood gasses were much better and he is again on room air through the vent. The are trying to wean him off. Tomorrow he will have more bloodwork and another x-ray to evaluate what is going on. His lungs sound clear now and we're hoping they will stay that way so he can be weaned off of the vent as soon as possible.

Once the vent is out, Matthew can start eating. He is much too young to try and eat from a nipple artificial or not. Right now, I am pumping every 2 1/2 hours so that Matthew can have plenty of milk when he's able to eat. We're hoping that is very soon.

This evening, Kaitlyn was able to meet Matthew. She kept asking if he was sick. She told him she loved him and blew him kisses. She was so proud to meet her little brother even if it was all a bit confusing for her.

It has been a long day. Daddy ended up getting really sick, so we are hoping he'll feel better soon so he can see more of Matthew. Thank you so much to everyone who helped us get to this point. Those 9 weeks mean the world to Matthew and every day truly does matter! Thank you so much for your kind, thoughtful and encouraging words. We look forward to posting as soon as we can about Matthew coming home and all of his adventures to be!

Sunday, August 5, 2007

08/05/07

08/05/07

Tomorrow we are at 33 weeks! Yay!

Today was busier than days have been. Dr.Chao was on today and wanted to have a quick ultrasound scan to check Matthew's position and the fluid level.

We have lost our one little fluid pocket :( However, this is somewhat good news. Dr. Chao was able to see Matthew's kidneys and any worries we had from our level 2 ultrasound that they were small for gestational age have been diminished. He is processing fluid perfectly and his kidneys are working wonderfully!

Matthew is still breech. Nothing to be shocked about, it didn't feel as though he turned and it would be nothing short of a miracle if he had.

It looks like Matthew will probably be at least 20"! Which means he'll be as long as Kaitlyn, just skinny ;)

This afternoon my blood pressure went up again. With my heart rate also sky rocketing, I had my blood drawn again. The results came back fine, which is great. They also took a vial of blood to start the process for the cesarean. They will type and test my blood in case I need blood during the surgery.

At about 6:30, I started haing contractions every 5 or so minutes apart. They were getting regular and strong so I had another exam. The nurse tonight was more experienced in speculam exams and found that the cervix was still closed. So, it is incredibly unlikely that we will deliver any earlier than the cesarean.

We did find out that the pain and pressure is most likely a cervical aversion. Basically, it's a rash on my cervix causing some irritation.

So, that's where we are tonight :)

Saturday, August 4, 2007

08/04/07

08/04/07

Happy 9 week Hospital Anniversary to us! I cannot begin to believe how much time has passed. It seems so unreal!

Today was more of the same. I talked with Dr.Chao again today. If at anytime my contractions start to pick up, they are going to do a spec exam again. He's concerned that Matthew is so incredibly low and breech. If he were head down, then he wouldn't be as eager to do another exam. He also wants to be sure that the person is experienced in visual only exams. While our nurse last night is amazing (she's the one that admitted us) she admitted that she wasn't too sure what she was looking for. Anytime that even a spec of Matthew's little butt is visible, we will deliver.

We also found out we may not be delivering on Monday the 13th. After talking with another doctor it turns out we are not yet scheduled and the day might be filled up. Evidently, Monday's are their busy day. As soon as Dr.Mclean comes in next week I will find out exactly when, down to the minute, we will be in the OR. I wouldn't say no to a few days before ;)

My blood pressure is up again. It's probably because of increased contractions and pain. It isn't dangerous, but again high for me and it's being monitored. I also had some minor swelling in my feet that is being watched. You would think with as much as my feet are elevated that swelling wouldn't be a problem.

I had another weight check today. I've gained 45 pounds this pregnancy. That is awesome, especially considering how long I've been on bed rest. Typically with bed rest you don't gain as much weight since you completely lose your appetite and your body doesn't process food as well.

So, that's our Saturday and the 9th long week we've had to cook Matthew :)

Friday, August 3, 2007

08/03/07

08/03/07

Today was the last day of week 8 of our hospital stay.

Tonight we started having some slight bleeding, again. Because of the increase of contractions, some pressure and cramping I've been having, it had some excited nurses thinking we were ready to deliver.

So, the doctor was called and a sterile exam was done. At most, I'm 1-2 centimeters dialated. It's looking more and more unlikely that I'll deliver before August 13. Which, is only 10 days away. It's also looking promising that our little prince will weigh about 5 pounds (maybe even a little more) when he arrives.

Next week, we will meet with Dr. Mclean to schedule the cesarean and do all of our paperwork. We should have an exact time for the surgery by the middle of next week :)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Thursday, August 2, 2007

08/02/07

08/02/07

Today we hit 32 weeks and 3 days!

Last night the contractions picked up both in intesity and in frequency. For the first time since I've been here I needed medicinal help to get some sleep. After a little Vistiral in a little pill I got the best night's sleep I've had in 8 1/2 weeks!

The contractions slowed down in intensity. Which is good when it comes to pain and follows the whole "not delivering until August 13" mentality. Our favorite night nurse, Laurie, doesn't think we'll last until Monday before going into labor naturally. I've heard it before, so I'm not getting my hopes up any.

My temp is slightly elevated tonight. So, we're back to watching that. Otherwise, everything is the same :)

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

08/01/07

We got to talk to the doctor today.

She thinks I can go until 34 weeks without infection. She also thinks I can go that long without these contractions turning into labor.

Our delivery date will be August 13 (unless there is an emergency or complication arrives) which is a Monday and only 12 days from now!

Dr. Zielinsky, who delivered Kaitlyn, has requested to be in the room for the cesarean. Of course we'd really like that so he will be in the delivery room.

If we make it to the 13th without infection, there is a strong possibility that Matthew will go home with us or have a very short stay of a few days. Worst case scenario still shows he'll go home end of August, early September.

Based on the delivery date, Matthew will be a Leo!

The Leo person is creative, generous, proud, risk-taking, fun-loving, dramatic, theatrical, passionate, ambitious, loves attention, dramatic, independent, noble, a leader, sunny, bright, magnetic, kingly, powerful. They can also sometimes be bossy, egotistical, over self-conscious, and arrogant. In medical astrology Leo governs the heart and back. In astrology Leo is ruled by the Sun. The sun sign dates for Leo are July 24th - August 23rd.

Matthew's birthstone will be the Peridot

Matthew will share a birthday with Alfred Hitchcock and Donny Bonaduce