Day 18 - Second graduation day

Today was Aidan's second graduation day - he's now out of the isolette incubator and in a big kid's crib. It's much easier to take him out and hold him without bonking his head or scraping his poor little nose on the top of the isolette. He's able to hold his body temperature steady while wearing clothes and blankets, so it's looking good.

The IV is also gone. No extra hummingbird food anymore (he's been receiving an extra glucose solution so Mom called it hummingbird food). The only remaining tethers are the heart and respiration monitors and the temperature lead which all still get wacky when he's being kangarooed because they have a tendency to fall off him and stick to Mommy.

A breakthrough was made in feeding. Not that Aidan has completely caught on, but that his parents were taught a new technique. It's been difficult to feed him and not feel like he's choking because he gets a mouthful of milk and occasionally forgets to swallow causing gasps and coughing. Last night's nurse taught us to feed him on his side so when this happens it doesn't go down his throat, but pockets in his cheek until he figures it out and swallows. He's rooting now when it's time to eat so it shouldn't be too long before he really gets it. (rooting is a reflex for searching out a pacifier or something to suck on when he's hungry and awake).

For now, he's still taking what he can by bottle and when he falls asleep, the rest goes in through his NG tube. He's getting a combination of breastmilk with an addition of some formula to bump up his caloric intake. He lost a little weight (20 grams?), but it was expected because he's not on the hummingbird food. It was most likely water weight.