Kangaroo Care, Oma Stars on 'Dirty Jobs', Daddy Denies Car Keys

Kangaroo Care

Mama got to hold Matti yesterday.  They call it 'kangaroo care'.  It's skin to skin holding so she can learn our smell, feel, and touch (and vice versa for us).  She just gets tucked down the front of my shirt and then snuggles in under a blanket wearing her little tuque and a diaper.  It takes a little bit of fancy maneuvering with one or two nurses so we don't tangle up her heart-rate monitor, blood pressure cuff, or tubes for feeding, oxygen, and IV.  But they've done it a thousand times so it's pretty well coordinated.

Here is she wide awake just after we got her settled.

 Then she fell asleep with her mouth open.

Here's a shot so you can see what I mean about how we get her tucked in and you can see we're wearing Daddy's shirt so she can smell him too.

It was AWESOME to hold her for the first time.  Wish Daddy had been able to be there too but that'll just be another thing to look forward to - seeing daddy hold her and having daddy there while mama does.  Matti and I snuggled for close to 2 hours.  She did fantastic!

Oma Stars on 'Dirty Jobs'
She also made a nice mess in her diaper before Mama came back with Oma.  Perfect timing as Oma was going to change her first Matti diaper!  Lol.  So Oma took Miss Matti's temperature and changed her diaper like a pro.  Although the little stinker didn't flail her legs around much for Oma like she tries for Mama.  Hmmm I feel I have been bamboozled.  At least Oma also had a hard time with the velcro closings on the tiny diaper.  Or maybe she was just pretending so I wouldn't feel as silly.

Daddy Denies Car Keys
Daddy stopped by after work to tell Miss Matti about his day and ask how hers went.  They had a long conversation and Matti asked to borrow the keys to the car but Daddy said 'not yet'.  They also discussed the talent of the Beach Boys and Katy Perry but decided that right now Matti really loves the goodnight song from "3 Men and a Baby".  Good Night Song

Matti was definitely tired out a bit from all the excitement.  She did have 2 As and Bs later on in the afternoon.  (Apnea and Bradycardia)  Basically, babies (even full term newborns) sometimes get so excited or sleepy or whathaveyou that they forget to breathe for a second.  That's totally normal, especially for a premie.  Which is why she has the oxygen line and nurses who stimulate her when she misbehaves (usually by touching her head or gently rubbing her breastbone).  Again, totally normal.  She has had a couple As and Bs since birth but not enough for any concern.  They usually outgrow this by 34-36 weeks or so.

A lot of people are asking when she'll come home.  We definitely wish we could tell you. :)  The milestones she has to reach, assuming no other issues arise are basically these:
- accepts feedings
- gains weight and continues to gain weight
- maintains her temperature outside of the incubator (babies can usually at around 4 lbs)
- outgrow As and Bs
At that point, the doctors will consider her release and we'll be standing by the door with the car seat ready and the engine running so we can make a fast getaway. Vroom vroom!