Will Work for Food

It looks like we are approaching the end of our sabbatical here in Salt Lake City.

Eager for more food (at least the kid had my appetite), Quinn is learning to drink bottles of milk (mixed with nasty smelling penguin food) and drink directly from me.

Since she has already mastered the ability to keep herself warm in a crib, and exhibits no need for supplemental oxygen, her capability to demand and work for her food is the last major hurdle she must clear to graduate from the NICU. And work it is.

Unlike most full-term babies, premies usually don't automatically have the simultaneous suck-swallow-breathe skill until they reach their due date, which Quinn is slowly approaching later this month.

Her feedings are as much an aerobic exercise as a caloric boost. Every time she intakes food by bottle or boob (rather than tube), she pants to catch her breath and then slips into a coma as if she'd just run the Boston Marathon (in really tiny and cute Nikes of course).

In the meantime, her body is plumping up nicely. Her hands and feet don't look so slender, and it feels less frightening that I might crush with each cuddle. Once the tubes and monitors become unhooked, I'm sure she'll take on the appearance of a miniature human rather than some alien-tot.

Sadly, I didn't help with her weight gain this past week. After the super sensitive scale went haywire, I was left to guesstimate how much breastmilk Quinn sucked down. As it turns out, I'm not so good at this as I underestimated her ability and paid for it while I watched her gag and spit up the supplemental food she was then given. Then, to make matters worse, I over corrected for the next several feedings thinking she digested more than she did, which eventually caused her to lose weight. So much for the science of breastmilk guesstimation.

My poor judgment in how much Quinn drinks didn't buy me much credibility with her doctor. When her weight loss was discussed, it appeared to the doctor it was because I had argued not to have fortification reintroduced, but eventually she came to realize I'm not(or not trying to be) a slouch of a mom.

...It's been a few days since I meant to post this blog, and since then things have gone into warp speed...

Through protocol, the hospital staff ensures that they don't continue the premature habits of a premie by prematurely discharging them. However, I misunderstood some of the hurdles Quinn had to leap before she would get discharged. Before I knew it, she was well through the process and as of this afternoon, she will officially be out of the NICU.

I'll post more (and pictures for sure!) soon, but wanted to let you know all is more than well, and my apologies for the delay in updating everyone. My Mom is flying out today, and we will return to California with the newest member of the family tomorrow!

Unfortunately for all of you, it probably won't seem like she is out of the NICU.

As mentioned before, the strict guidelines given by the doctors to keep her from infection, which can literally be deadly to her, equate to essentially keeping in quarantine. Obviously, flying tomorrow is going to be interesting as I keep her entirely covered without her thinking she's Michael Jackson!

So again, I apologize that she won't be allowed to have visitors, but I promise to keep the blog more current with so many pictures and ridiculous stories it'll feel like you're watching a time-lapse video of Quinn the seedling.

Lots of love to you all,
J & Miss Quinn