NICU time

Davis,
So, you were only in the NICU for a few days, but, I have to say they were some of the longest days of my life!
The evening that you were born, I was allowed to go see you about 8 hours after the c section.  I was still connected to IVs and other things so it was a challenge to get into the wheelchair.  I made sure I was up on my pain medication to make it easier on me. I couldn't wait to get to you.  Your dad had sent me some videos but I needed to hold you.
A few days before you were born, your dad and I went on a tour of the NICU so we had an idea of what to expect but nothing prepares you for seeing your baby there.  You had a nose cannula for oxygen and an IV for fluids. You had a monitor for temperature, heart rate, oxygen level, and breathing rate.  You were connected to 4 wires and 2 tubes.
The NICU nurses got you out of your isolette and put you on my chest.  I was in love right away.  I stayed there as long as they would let me but that was only about 30 minutes.  The nurses wheeled me back up to my room.  It was really hard to be separated from you.  We'd been together for months and just hours before I was making sure I paid attention to your kicks in my belly!
That night I pumped milk for you every 2 hours and only got drops.  That's normal, I guess, but I'd never actually seen how little milk my babies got right at first so it was surprising to me.  The nurses in the nicu gave you even just the little drops.  At first you were only taking 5 ccs of milk so drops were all you needed.  As they increased the amount you were being fed, I kept pumping and was able to keep up with what you needed for most feedings.  There were a few bottles where you got formula but not many.
Your dad and I tried to be in the nicu for your feedings and changing times every 3 hours.  They told me to take a 6 hour break at night so I could get some sleep.  We learned to take your temperature (which had to be 36 degrees celsius under your armpit), change your diaper and give it to the nurse to weigh it, hold you, and give you your bottle.  You were taking about an ounce per feeding after a couple of days.  There was an oxygen monitor on your foot that kept coming off and the alarms would go off when that happened... which was almost every time.  I was trying to nurse you a little bit before each bottle and sometimes you would nurse well but more often we just moved on to the bottle.  The crazy thing to think about is that, when you're that little,  you could burn more calories crying than you're getting in that ounce of milk! So we played it pretty safe.
There was a curtain around your bed that we could close and make it like a little room.  The nurses made you a sign with your name, birthday, and weight on it.  They're amazing people and, while I wished you could be with me all the time, I knew they were taking excellent care of you.  We could call at any time of day or night and they were happy to give us an update or answer questions.  And they encouraged us to hold you and take care of you.  It was hard to see very sick babies in other beds around us but it just reminded us of how very lucky we are that our situation turned out like it did.
In order to go home, you had to maintain temperature, breathe on your own, eat, and have good bilirubin levels.
They took you off of the oxygen after 1 day.  On days 2 and 3 we worked on taking feedings so they could remove the IV.  At least once a day, the IV was moved... it was in your foot, your hand, your head (!).  On day 3, you were maintaining your temperature so they let us dress you and turn off the heaters AND they removed the IV.  That was really great.  It was hard to see you with the IV.  I know that they're never any fun and you were so tiny and they had to keep moving it!
Day 3 was also the day I was discharged from the hospital.  One of the hardest things I've ever done was to leave you there and go home.  But your siblings needed me at home and I knew the nurses and doctors were taking excellent care of you.  But I cried and cried.  And I went back as soon as I could the next day.  The other kids weren't allowed to visit you because it was flu season. They sent you pictures they drew and we did FaceTime calls and just whatever we could to help them connect with you.  Daddy had taken them to buy gifts for you while I was on bed rest and we put those in your nicu bed, too.
On day 4, your bilirubin level got too high and the doctors put you on light therapy.  A small spotlight at first and then a larger bank of lights.  it meant we couldn't really hold you much because you needed to be on the lights so we made even more sure that we were there for feedings.  After your bilirubin levels came down some, they put you on a bili blanket (which had less light).  We knew you were close to coming home.  BUT they wouldn't send you home on a weekend because they wanted you to see the pediatrician the day after discharge.
So, on Sunday, day 5, the car seat test was ordered to make sure you could ride safely in the seat.  We had to go buy a new carseat for you because the one we had used with Reed, Owen, and Grant was safe for 5 pound babies and you had lost weight and were just under 5 pounds!  We got a new one that started at 4 pounds so they'd let us take you home!  You passed the car seat test just fine.  On Monday, we got to the hospital and waited for the doctor to come around.  She confirmed that we were able to take you home and sent us home with some masks for Reed and Carson (who had coughs) so they could hold you.  The nurse walked us downstairs while your dad got the van and we drove home so you could meet your siblings.  The best day.  We were all so very happy to have you home and everyone fell in love with you right away.