Kyle - 9 Days Old

How is Ann?

Much better than last week at this time, but still recovering.  This has been my hardest labor and recovery for sure.  I really feel like I was put in the spin cycle and am now just trying to pick up the pieces of myself that have been scattered all over the place.  Frustrating because after delivering Lainey and Carson I felt completely normal almost immediately.  Oh well.

So the pneumonia has definitely improved but my cough is still awful.  The left side of my back is extremely painful from all the coughing I have done during the past 3 weeks.   The cough is improving, slowly, because now I can sleep halfway laying down and am only taking the cough syrup with codeine once a day instead of every 4 hours.  I am going to the chiropractor this afternoon to see if he can help my back out.  That will be my first trip out of the house/hospital in almost 2 weeks.   I have gone on a few, slow and short walks since getting home.  (Anything more than 20 minutes or at a normal pace leaves me winded.)  I am on my last day of antibiotics.  Hopefully things won't get any worse.  I am looking forward to being done though because the Augmetin gives me an awful stomach ache.  I can't wait until I physically feel like myself again.

From a OB stand point I feel great, back to normal completely for the most part.

This past three weeks of misery has reminded me just how grateful I should be for my overall good health.  I have been quite miserable but it's all temporary and really nothing more than an inconvenience.  I don't know how people go through a major illness without becoming completely cynical and depressed.  Quite impressive.

How is Kyle?

He's been cleared from a jaundice stand point.  His bilirubin level was checked on Monday and was 12.9.  That's higher than they were when we left the hospital but his color looks good, he is alert (as any newborn is), and doing fine.  Our pediatrician didn't think any follow up was needed.  If he becomes more yellow and acts super tired she asked me to call.  I looked it up and for pre-term babies a bilirubin under 15 is considered normal at this point.  Hopefully, he will continue to do well.

Feeing is the biggest/only issue Kyle was at the moment.  5 days of bottles given to a pre-term baby does not lead to pleasant nursing.  Thankfully he is doing okay.  He was completely refusing to nurse but we bought some nipple shields and that helps a lot.  He has 2-3 good nursings sessions a day.  It's very obvious when he is getting a good amount of milk.  Those feeding take about 25 minutes.  The rest of the feedings are pretty piss poor.  He tries to nurse really earnestly!  But I think his sucking strength is a little wimpy.  So the piss poor feeds take an hour or more before he is full.  If we get to an hour and he still doesn't seem to have gotten enough we give him a bottle of pumped milk too.   He has stopped losing weight (6 lbs 2 ounces) but hasn't gained anything back yet.   His pediatrician wasn't worried about that either.  She said, no weight checks unless I am concerned.  I am a little anxious about this and ordered a scale for the house.  If he doesn't start gaining weight in the next few days I will supplement him with extra bottles.

I have never had a baby struggle with nursing before.  It's really stressful (not to mention time consuming).  I love nursing but worrying about how each feeding is going to go, wondering if he got enough, etc. takes a lot of joy out of it.  I am really, really hoping we have this fixed in the next week or two.   In the worst case scenario I will pump for the year but I really, really, really hope not to have to do that!

Overall, Kyle seems to be a very sweet, laid back baby.  He has been sleeping in 2-3 hour chunks, wakes us up on his own.

How's the trio?

They seem to be doing great.   Carson loudly announces, " I love baby Kyle!" throughout the day.   No jealously has been displayed yet although last time that didn't kick in until Victor went back to work.  They all like holding Kyle and helping out when asked.   Carson seems to have a cold now (so he is not getting to hold Kyle now).  It seem quite minor but I am hoping no one else gets it and that the kids don't bring any germs back from school in the next month.


Overall, we are doing much better.  I would highly suggest you avoid the pre-eclampsia/pneumonia combo when delivering a baby but I think the worst is behind us (and could have been much worse).  My labor and delivery nurse did comment after the delivery that she couldn't remember the last time she took care of someone in labor and delivery as sick as I was.  (Of course - there are actual emergency situations and woman who are way sicker but I found the comment somewhat amusing.)

Here are some photos from the past few days at home....