Harper's NICU Journey: Days 0-10

Day 0: Harper's birthday!

Born at 2:52 am, we quickly discovered you were a girl, you were still and quiet at birth, covered in blood with a full head of dark hair and quickly passed from OR3 to the NICU via the pass through window.  You weighed 3 pounds and 4 ounces and 17.5” long with an OFC OF 28 cm. Your apgars were 6, and 8 off for respiratory, color, tone. They never had to intubate you, and your heart rate was always 150beats per minute.  They started CPAP at 4 minutes old. They considered weaning you from 8 of CPAP down to a high flow several times, but your fast breathing stopped them from making the transition too soon. We got to do skin to skin for the first time and my heart was in heaven having you so close to me again. 

Day 1: You continued on CPAP, IV fluids, and rested away in the NICU. Your grandparents, aunts & uncle came to visit you and were astonished at how small and perfect you are. Your mom got to be discharged from the hospital.  Your brother and sister came and were so excited that you were here “in your own room” and were a little confused as to why we couldn't take you home with us. They were introduced to pumping and have been such big helpers with getting you your milk.  They remind me every few hours to pump you some milk, are excited to turn on the pump, and happily run your bottles to the fridge.   Today was the first day I performed cares on you. I was able to change your diaper, check your temperature, and swab clean your mouth. 

  

Day 2: You continue to do so well in the NICU. Now up to 3 pounds and 6 ounces. They've weaned you down to a CPAP of 6, but with your tachypnea they are hesitant to wean you too quickly. You were started on TPN and tube feeds today and are sleeping much more peacefully with a full tummy.  No signs of infection so your antibiotics were stopped.  Your bilirubin level is borderline so no lights yet, but if you are anything like your brother and sister, you'll be on lights soon and mom and dad are excited to  it be doing lights at home with you because it was a pain in the butt with your siblings.  You continue to do so well on your CPAP and will hopefully transition and wean down to a high flow nasal cannula so we can see more of your beautiful face and take that “cool hat” off your gorgeous hair. You have the longest skinniest fingers on such big hands compared to the rest of your body. I love it when I place my finger in your hand and you immediately take hold. I learned that hiccups are a sign of stress and you got them all the time in the womb…  which makes sense/makes me sad your placenta was small and preeclampsia didn't give you the blood flow you needed to continue growing on the inside. Today was the first day your dad was able to perform your cares. He was a little hesitant because your so small and fragile in his mind, but he did it like a champ. 

Day 3:: I came into visit you today and first thing I noticed was the glowing hue of your room and tada! There you were basking away under the bili lights rocking your goggles, and CPAP.  Soon after my arrival were rounds and during rounds we decided to discontinue your CPAP and start you on 5 liters high flow! I was so excited because now they would let me hold you whenever I wanted!!! Your respiratory therapist quickly came in to swap you and soon after you were skin to skin hanging out with mom. 

Day 4:: Dad got finished with open gym and came down to spend time with you.  He was excited to hold you for the first time and did skin to skin for almost two hours.  Mom finally arrived around lunch and also got to snuggle you despite being a hormonal emotional wreck that was crying for no reason…  all day.  Your bili level went from 11.1 to 8.1 from yesterday to today so they stopped your bili lights.  We weaned you down from 5 liters to 3 liters and your breathing was a lot more comfortable with less bouts of tachypnea.  You dipped to 3 pounds 3 ounces so we decided to start fortifying my milk with some formula to give you more calories and to swap you from an open bed to an isolet to keep you warmer.  We upped your tube feedings and decreased your IVF because you are tolerating the tube feedings without reflux or vomiting. 

Day 5: I came in this morning and was pleasantly surprised to learn that they had moved you from pod D to pod B and your room, while still private, has a window now and is away from the chaos of the OR pass thru window. You continue to be on 3 liters of oxygen, and they decided to let day shift go before they weaned you down to 2 liters.  We decided to stop your TPN today and bump up your feeding intake which means when your one step closer to not having an IV.  Mom snuggled you for awhile and your monitor kept alarming with high oxygen and was pleased with. 

Day 6: I was pleasantly surprised to come in and see they had weaned you all the way down to one liter of oxygen and your IV was out. We snuggled for almost an hour and then you scared mom by forgetting to breath for a second so your oxygen went to 82%, and heart rate in the 80’s.  No more doing that or you won't get to come home!!   We did a room air trial on you and are going to increase your feedings again. Whenever you start looking ready to eat we can practice nursing or taking a bottle. 

waiting in the lobby outside the NICU to FaceTime baby Harper. 

Day 7: You are getting so cute as things get disconnected from your sweet face! You did awesome and have stayed on room air (don't need oxygen) for a whole day!! They stopped your caffeine because you haven't had any ABD events, but it'll take 3 or so days for the caffeine to get out of your system to see if you have any ABD events.  Today is also our 7 year anniversary and we chose to spend it with you.  We came in this afternoon to your feeding tube moved to your mouth, you sleeping away, and a cute pink bow in your hair. We snuggled while dad took a nap. 

Day 8: Sunday July 23rd.  With your brother and sister down sleeping at Lindsey and chads house mom snuck over early to see you.  While skin to skin you were half alert and looked like maybe you were rooting. We got you almost latched with two little sucks and then you got the hiccups and went to take a nap.  We came back in the evening to see you with Bennett, Jillian, grandpa, and Kelsey.  Dad did skin to skin and when we put your back for cares you woke right up and we were able to try nursing again. You gave a one suck try and were done but everyday you are improving. 

Day 9: Pioneer Day: We came to visit you around noon cares and you were so wide awake we got you to latch and suck periodically for a few minutes. You also gained two ounces and are now up to 3lb 8oz. 

Day 10: Now up to 3lb 10oz and throughout the night you started to get warm in your isolet so they've started to wean down the temperature to help you transition to a crib.  No changes to your orders were made during rounds.  Mom showed up at 9am in hopes to nurse, but you were sleepy as can be so we snuggled for a couple of hours and tried to wake you up at your 12:00 cares, but once again you somehow stayed asleep until Mom was about to leave then of course you were wide awake.