MAXIMO

I've just returned from the hospital. I'm actually getting use to this crazy schedule. Hopefully it'll prepare me for when Maximo comes home. We can't wait until that day, whenever it may be. I'm hoping before I turn the big 3-0. That'd be the best present ever! When I went up to the hospital yesterday at lunch time (alone) it was overwhelming. His Sp02 levels were out of range, so his machines were going off the whole time. Not fun. When John and I returned after school, he seemed to be doing better. This morning, he had no oxygen assistance at all (and his alarm didn't go off at all). So, we're just waiting... He looks good. They've increased his milk intake again to 18cc every 3 hours - so hopefully he'll start gaining some weight. I don't even know what he weighs now. We didn't hear from the doctor yesterday, but I'm awaiting his call today. We can't wait until he tells us we can hold Max and he can move over into the incubators. In the NICU, there is one other baby on an open table, like Max, then there are the babies in the incubators. Those babies are held and fed by their parents at visits. So until next post, dreaming of Max moving to an incubator...
DR UPDATE: Dr. Zegarra just called and he is really happy with Maximo's progress!!! He says next time I come in, I'll get to try to breastfeed. He still has a tube in his umbilical, so the nurses will have to definitely help, but I GET TO HOLD MAXIMO today!!!! He says he now weighs 1649 grams, so he's gaining weight. (59 grams in the past 2 days).
I'm sure I'll post more after the next hospital visit!
8:00 - We got to hold our baby today!!!!!! We went to the clinic around 4 when John was done with work and I spoke to the nurses about feeding the baby. They said he had just eaten around 3, so he wouldn't be ready, but we could feed him at 6. So, we went out for a bite to eat, then returned to the clinic. The nurses set up a chair next to Max's table and then helped me get situated with him and all his wires. He actually latched on and drank until he passed out about 5-10 minutes later. I continued to hold him as they gave him his 6:00 pm feeding through his gavage (21 ccs). John then got to hold him when he was done. The nurses said I could feed him any time during his feeding time - so that's 12, 3, 6, 9 morning and night. I just got used to one schedule, now I'm going to change to another... no complaints here!