Tales From the NICUI - PART II

Stories from the preterm birth of our daughter, Madeline, in May 2014 -- from my water breaking and hospitalization at 30 weeks, to her birth at 32 weeks, to our 38 day stay in the NICU.
 
30 MAY 2014 - TWO WEEKS
 
Little Madeline is two weeks old today! (Whoa, time flies! I get the feeling that things are going to start moving very quickly from here on out.) She weighed in at a whopping 4 pounds, 6 ounces last night, and is doing remarkably well.

Maddie has her own crib now, and is finished with most of her major medicinal treatments (antibiotics, bilirubin lights, etc.). The past week has been largely about finding the right balance of oxygen and air pressure to most effectively help her tiny lungs expand and strengthen. She eats exclusively breast milk, and is fed primarily through a feeding tube. She is also learning how to breast feed, and we are all very impressed with how well she’s doing! Her nurses are calling her a “power preemie.” From here forward, her biggest hurdle will be building up the stamina to feed herself without assistance (which may take several more weeks).

Madeline is a very alert and curious baby. She has longer and more frequent periods of wakefulness, and seems to get more beautiful each day. She has a consistent stream of visitors who come to meet her, is steadily meeting all of her grandparents, and will even get to meet (one of) her great grandma(s) next week! We are forever fascinated by her. What a remarkable thing to witness the growth and development of such a tiny, perfect new life!

The NICU experience is a unique and challenging one. Jake and I find ourselves constantly trying to strike that delicate balance between taking responsibility for what’s ours to do, and letting go of what’s not. It’s easy to begin to feel as if we are not her primary caretakers, since she is so well-attended by her nurses. On the other hand, there are so many important things that only we are able to do for her. We each spend several hours each day snuggling with our daughter, skin-to-skin, which is arguably the most important medical treatment she’s receiving. We are also heavily involved in her care (changing diapers, taking temperatures, etc.)

Self-care is beginning to look quite different for us than it ever has in the past, and it’s a huge adjustment; there’s a constant choice between sleeping and eating, it seems. Patience is a necessity in here, and can be difficult to come by – I find myself having, on average, one small meltdown every day (be it from frustration, worry, or just plain exhaustion), which seems to help.

With that said, we are nothing if not eternally grateful for our many good fortunes, and for the health and safety of beautiful little Madeline.
There was a brand new baby brought in to the unit yesterday, and I saw her mommy sitting in her wheelchair next to the table holding hands with her and was instantly moved to tears. I will never in my life forget what that moment was like. What a powerful moment that is, and what an enthralling journey it is from that moment forward -- really, what a miracle!

As always, we thank God for the gift that is baby Madeline, and our friends and family for their continued love and support.