Booby Time!

But first...Leo's off the Vapotherm! For now he's doing really well on the nasal cannula. So this means he's just getting oxygen through the nasal prongy things...no pressure like he was getting with the Vapotherm. So this is a good thing! It's as far as he has gotten previously before having to go back to the Vapotherm the last time. So this time around we're hoping second time's a charm and he can just further transition off the assisted air altogether. Today's new wrinkle continues to be the mystery behind his high direct billirubin levels. Billirubin (look at me talking science!) is essentially the bile that is in the body but instead of his liver and gallbladder doing their jobs to push the bile out of the body (via poop), his is sticking around somewhere in his body which is resulting in pale poops and a yellowed body color. As I mentioned yesterday they've tested him for a liver virus which can be acquired once the little guys are out of the womb. We won't know for a few days if that's what's causing the high billi levels. It could also be as simple as the liver and gallbladder not being fully developed yet and so it just takes time. We just don't know.

BUT, for today's super fun news (besides the nasal cannula which was a HUGE fun surprise this morning...thanks to our awesome nurse who was advocating hard for this change to the powers that be) - Leo had some booby time tonight! And not just nuzzling...he had his first lesson in feeding. Now, this is not like a full term baby and the nice lactation folks come over and help the new Mom guide the booby into the mouth and all's well and wonderful and the Motherhood goddesses smile down upon her. This is serious learning for Leo. But, all indications today suggest that he *should* do just fine. He was taking to things very well. It's going to take MANY more times with the booby before he gets it. But at least we've begun.

Jay and I are also coming to terms with what our new reality is going to be once Leo does come home. Leo won't be as healthy as a full term baby even after he gets out of the hospital. We're in for months of keeping him sheltered from people, places and germs. And that's going to be pretty tough. No big family visits or group activities, not a lot of outside time, no one with so much as a sniffle within a 5 mile radius (well that might be an overstatement, but you get the gist). It's going to suck a little bit quite frankly. But, as our nurse said to us tonight, there's too much invested in Leo at this point to risk anything major like a cold or an infection just for the sake of not wanting to disappoint other people who want to see him. So while it's going to be a little bit of a bummer in some respects, it won't be forever (just through the first flu season really...so his first year essentially) and it's for the best. And that's just one of the countless tough lessons we're learning. For Leo it's boobs, breathing and billirubin. For us it's managing disappointment. As a friend of mine who is currently battling her own unexpected life lessons says - ONWARD.