Friday, October 18, 2013

Seven Quick Takes: Postpartum Edition


1. This little update is brought to you by the Medela Symphony. These days, it feels like my life has become a Medela commercial. Since being discharged from the hospital, most of my time not spent in the NICU has been used to fiendishly acquire more Medela gear. Tonight, I am looking forward to not washing or sterilizing any parts of the pump in the middle of the night since we now have enough extra. Hooray!

2. Something you don't ever really want to hear your doctor say: "Well, that's never happened before," uttered upon discovering the cerclage had gone kaput.

3. Something it is nice to hear from a nurse: "Dr. K always has the best incisions, small and smooth," said about my doctor, while checking my own c-section incision

4. A saying in the NICU: "Closer to the door, closer to home" In this particular NICU, the babies are grouped in pods. Isaac is in the center pod for now, which is home to the most fragile babies. When he gets stronger, he'll be moved to one of the pods closer to the doors. Even though the day he gets to come home is very far off, we're looking forward to when we walk into the NICU and don't find him in the central pod.


5. I sent this pic of him to my sister Jessica the other day. When I was born, I had quite the head of hair and a lot of fuzz too. The first time she saw me, Jessica announced that I was just like a little wooly mammoth. Being so little, Isaac has more of an excuse for all his fuzz, but we sure do love our own little wooly mammoth.

6. The nurses have been letting us help a it more in caring for Isaac. Mark and I got to change his diapers by ourselves for the first time today. Mark let me do the honors this morning, and being altruistic, I let him have a turn tonight. What was meant as a purely noble gesture took on a new meaning when Mark's first diaper change involved quite a bit of meconium. (Geez, she's had a baby for 5 days and has already managed to talk about his poop on the internet!)

Baby Ray Charles
7.  A quick Isaac update:
~Our little guy was born Sunday night at 27 weeks and weighed 2 lbs 5oz.
~After spending half a day on the ventilator, his doctors decided he was breathing well enough to switch to a CPAP (something his grandfather and uncle both use for sleep apnea). While he is getting a little help keeping his airway open, he's doing most of the work on his own.
~His bilirubin levels were elevated earlier in the week but have returned to normal. So today, he was released from his tanning bed, which also means that we could touch him again. While he was under the lights, if we were touching him it meant that we were covering his skin and defeating the purpose of said lights.
~He's been getting breast milk since day one, first a donor's and then mine and today they were able to increase the amounts he gets each time, which the nurses tell me means that he should start putting weight back on soon.
~Still haven't been able to hold him yet, but they tell me soon.
I hope talking about how well he's doing isn't going to jinx it, but really he is doing remarkably considering how small and young he is. The first night, his nurse described him as feisty and it looks like that character trait continues to serve him well.

Isaac Joseph: Feisty from Day 1
Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes. All your prayers and Isaac's feistiness make quite the team! Go see Jen for more takes.

26 comments:

  1. When he's 5 and as stubborn as you, you'll have to remember how thankful you are now for the O'Brien spirit.

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    1. You totally have my permission to remind of that if ever my facebook wall reveals that I have forgotten!

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  2. he's absolutely beautiful anne! congratulations!!!!

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  3. Prayers for you and your darling

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  4. Congratulations!!!! And I am so sorry that your little one is in the NICU. Our #6 was there earlier this year, and it was one of the most harrowing experiences of my life. Everything is great now, but it was so tough not being able to take my baby home. You'll be in my prayers!

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  5. Anne, he's wonderful! you have such a great and positive attitude, and I'm so happy for you guys that things are turning out so well :-)

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  6. Anne! I'm so so glad to read this and hear all these encouraging things. Yay for breast pump parts and meconium talk on the Bazin Chronicles! I can't wait to come visit the two of you!

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  7. He's beautiful!!! And, you are doing so well; the positive attitude really helps!!! I had such a struggle with pumping when my babies were in NICU, so when you said you have extra, I teared up. That is so, so great!!!
    Still praying for Mr. Isaac and all of yiu.

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  8. Congratulations!! I'm glad he's doing so well, and I'm praying he can go home with you soon! Keep fighting, Isaac!

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  9. Oh my goodness - what a cutie pie! Congratulations!!! I will praying for you all!

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  10. Anne, I read about the Medela online, and it looks like absolutely the BEST pump available. So proud of all three of you, sweetheart! Love and prayers from Grandma!

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  11. Thank you for the updates! I've been watching and wondering. He looks like he is doing so well.

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  12. Go Anne! Go Isaac! I am so happy for you all that he is a feisty little guy :)

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  13. Anne! What a sweet baby! I remember cheering for merconium poops. I don't remember why.. but I remember that it was good! My husband was a very small premie baby back in the day and he's now a thriving large man! We'll keep praying!

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    1. Thanks, Kathleen! If he turns out half as well, (and anywhere nearly as tall) as Phil, I will be thrilled! And keep the prayers coming!

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  14. Feisty. What an amazing, and useful!, trait for Issac to have! I love it.
    -Cari, probably posting as Ken, since I'm on his computer

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  15. Your baby is perfect and beautiful! Praying for that move close to the door really soon.

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  16. Praying for all of you and little Isaac that the NICU time goes smoothly and as short as possible!

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  17. So beautiful, Anne! So beautiful! That feistiness must come from his momma, based on what I know about her. ;) Prayers continued for the Bazin family. Please continue to keep us updated!

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  18. Congrats! Hang in there; he'll be home before you know it and the days will seem long past .

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  19. God bless your sweet little boy! He couldn't ask for a mom with a better perspective on all this!

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  20. Congrats on your little one! I love his name and his woolly mammoth nickname.
    Ah, the NICU... we were there too. Many prayers for you and yours.

    PS - I love your blog header. Super cute!

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  21. haha, he is really cute. I like the last crying picture. It made ME cry. I can't decide who he looks like though. Can I bring you some food?

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