Lunch time!

Phoenix's First Bath!

Late last night (just after 2 am on Monday morning) Phoenix had his first submerged bath! Prior to this, he just had sponge baths. He will now get a "real bath" every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, here in the NICU. He has his leads (to monitor heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation), his gavage (feeding) tube, and his nasal cannula (for oxygen) all still attached to him, but none of these things are attached to anything else while he is bathing. Phoenix was measured and weighed again and he is now 18" long and 4 lbs. 12.5 oz. (2168 g). Phoenix is up to 42 ml of milk, every 3 hours now. This is based on his current weight, so it will increase as his weight increases. Needless to say, he has not been able to actually "eat" (bottle feed) this larger amount. But, his doctor says he has to be able to not only tolerate the feeds, but do it himself (bottle feed or breast feed) the 42 ml every 3 hours BEFORE he will be allowed to go home. Right now, he will only eat between 2 ml - 20 ml before he has to be gavaged (tube fed) depending on how tired or hungry he is. This, of course, is worrying his mommies who are trying to figure out just WHEN he might be able to come home with us! We're still trying to work out our routine to spend time with Phoenix at the Bend NICU, while Steph is back to work and Lisa tries to keep up with the back log of laundry and housework that still needs to get taken care of (in Redmond). This now includes yard work, since Spring is here. Phoenix seems to be a night owl like his Mor (Lisa) which makes it interesting to schedule bonding time with him, while still being available throughout the day for his feedings and other "hands on" time (burping, diaper changes, temperature taking, and occasional kangaroo care). Please keep Phoenix in your thoughts and prayers that he will learn to do all of these things (eating, digesting, breathing, and maintaining his temperature, heart rate, and oxygen saturation) that we take for granted, since our bodies do it automatically.... so that he can "graduate" from the NICU and we can take him home!