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36 Weeks via the iPhone

Olivia is 36 weeks adjusted gestation today! It's crazy we are already to July and that her original due date is just around the corner!

Reid went back to work last week and I've been spending the majority of my days at the hospital. I get here in time to feed her at 11, hold for a little while after, eat lunch in the cafeteria, pump, go back to hold and feed again (Reid tries to meet us for this feeding), head home for a few hours, eat dinner, and come back to the hospital with Reid for her 8pm feeding. I'm thinking about adding her 8am feed to the mix to try and get her to be able to breastfeed as much as possible.

Olivia is doing great breastfeeding. If she eats longer than 15 minutes they consider it a full feeding and don't supplement through her feeding tube. She has been eating for 17-19 minutes on average and is leaving her nurses very impressed. She took a bottle for the first time last night. I thought we would use Dr. Browns bottles but she wasn't a fan of the shape of that nipple. So, we bought a Tommee Tippee bottle yesterday and she loved it. We are working on bottle feeding with OT again today and I can't wait to tell them that we figured out why she wouldn't take the other bottle! :)

On Saturday, Olivia was moved to the "red team" which is the doctor who will see her home. We are one step closer! They turned down the flow of her nasal cannula again today. They are slowly weaning her and so far she's done well!

Here's a glimpse of life lately via my iPhone.




























And we can't leave out big brother!





Comments

  1. SO glad things are going well. I pray every night for you all and for Olivia to continue to thrive. Thank God!!

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  2. I just smile so big when I see all of these pictures of her. I even laughed at the one of Reid sleeping with her on his chest-- he's a pro dad already!!!

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  3. Beautiful little girl!! I love all of the pictures lately!

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  4. Mare, you look gorgeous. Olivia is a beauty just like her mom!

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  5. She's just beautiful! I'm so excited for all of the milestones!! Ask the nurses if they have preemie "baby book" they can give you. They are way more fun to record all these events in and were developed especially for babies like ours! :) I pray you are able to rest! I remember well the NICU visits and pumping and holding and feeding and cafeteria food and tears and meeting new nurses and baths and confusing dr lingo and missing the old normal life yet loving this new normal and being just so exhausted!! I pray strength and rest for you, Mare. You and Reid will be strong as you find your strength in Him.

    God bless you,
    Jennifer F.

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  6. I am tearing up!! What an amazing journey you have been on! SO very happy for you and yours that your sweet girl will soon be ready to go home. Her 'big brother' will be watching for her!! And OVER her!!

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  7. Congrats on the breastfeeding! You are so close!! One of mine loved the Tommee Tippee bottles, thinking and praying for you.

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  8. so very happy for all of you as she grows so well. love you Mare~

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