Halfway home (49 days)

Bryce continues to make great strides in his journey of growth and development. His weight is slowly but steadily increasing, while his need for breathing support is moving in the opposite direction. They changed him to an even smaller nasal cannula today, and he's within striking distance of completely independent breathing. He's still doing great on the all-milk feedings, and they've started fortifying his meals with the preemie equivalent of protein powder to help him pack on the ounces.

If you've been reading the blog for a while, you may recall that in a moment of weakness, I lamented the absence of common experiences associated with a new child. In the past few days, Bryce has been making up for lost time: Daddy has now been pooped on, spit-up on, and had his ears set ablaze after Bryce pierced the relative calm of Nursery One with a series of hearty wails. Careful what you wish for. :)

Recently, several people have asked when Bryce will come home, and he's been doing so well that I found myself wondering the same thing. When the twins were admitted, they gave us a list of four milestones that are used to determine when babies are ready for discharge. They are: (1) is able to maintain a normal breathing pattern (2) is able to maintain their temperature in an open crib (3) is taking all his/her feedings by mouth and (4) is gaining weight consistently. Of these four, #3 will likely be the biggest challenge for Bryce; apparently, "suck, swallow, breathe" isn't as easy as it sounds. Bryce's primary nurse said most preemies go home between 36 and 40 weeks gestational age (he would have been 31 today), so I'm guessing that we're right around halfway there! May 26th seems like it happened both a moment and a lifetime ago; today, it feels like a joyful September 1st is just around the corner. Print this post