Three steps forward, tiny baby steps back

We've heard from multiple parents who've dealt with a child in the NICU that the whole process is a game of "two steps forward, one step back". By that I mean that while there can be great progress, there can also be set backs that you continuously have to overcome. To our overwhelming joy, our experience to date has not been this way at all as we have seen tremendous milestones occur with only minimal set backs to date.

Harper is now up to 4 lbs 3 ounces, which is a gain of 8 ounces in a matter of a few days. She clearly gained her father's keen ability to gain weight quickly. This progress has allowed for her to come out of that darned boxed-in incubator and into her own crib. While in the incubator she laid there a naked jaybird, but now in the crib she can get all dolled up which I'm sure my wife is more excited about then I. I've never seen more pink in my life. I'm still quite disappointed we haven't managed to get her in an OU outfit yet but I'll be sure that happens soon.

I had mentioned in an earlier posting that there are several criteria the doctors are measuring to determine when she can come home, a few of which she's already conquered. The first being that she's able to breath on her own, which she was able to do from day one. The second that she be able to maintain a constant temperature, which the recent weight gain has helped allow. However, there are a couple others she's still working on.

The two main hurdles she needs to overcome is the ability to eat on her own (without the use of the tube through her nose that she's been using so far) and for her brain to develop so that these "Apnea" and "Brady" episodes (I'll explain later) cease to exist. As for eating, she is now starting to try to learn to nurse and/or take from a bottle. She hasn't quite figured that all out yet but will soon. They say she's still quite early in this regard so this is a normal thing that they figure out gradually, typically after 34 weeks, which she is just at now.

As for the Apneas and Bradys.... preemies.com describes them as...

Apnea means a period in which breathing stops. In premature babies, apnea is any pause in breathing that lasts longer than 20 seconds, causing bradycardia, or a drop in the baby’s blood oxygen level.

So let me translate into lamens terms. Breathing is something we take for granted and the ability to automatically breath is, for lack of a better term, "automated" by our brain. Well, preemies don't have this ability until their brain develops to a certain level. Therefore, when little Miss Harper gets too comfortable (like when laying in Mom's arms) she'll forget to breath for a minute, her heart rate will drop down, and then for her it always jumps right back up in a matter of seconds. You wouldn't even notice it without the machines monitoring all her vitals. We're being told that for other preemies that this is much more of an issue then for Harper. But that being said, they won't send Harper home until she's had 5 consecutive days of no Brady's and she's had one of these every day so far.

All in all, I would contribute her tremendous progress so far to three things...

First being her mom's milk. It took a few days for mom to get the hang of this but once she did, and Harper was able to get 100% of her feedings through this instead of by formula, it made all the difference. They've been putting her milk in a tube and sending it straight to Harper's belly through a tube inserted through her nose. I certainly realize that nursing doesn't work for everyone but it has made a dramatic difference for our child.

Second is a technique termed "Kangaroo Care". Kangaroo Care was something first discovered in less developed countries, and then implemented in Europe and the US, and was discovered when they would send preemies home very early with the instruction of holding the baby, skin to skin, to your body as much as possible. Now it's been adopted in the US by taking the preemies out of the incubator, typically no less then an hour, and having mom or dad hold their naked but diapered baby against their bare chest. This helps in many ways like for bonding, maintaining tempature, weight gain, and brain development. But the best part about it is that we can hold her for hours and the nurses keep laughing at my ability to fall asleep with her in my arms way before Harper falls asleep.

Lastly, the power of prayer. Beth and I have prayed daily and have asked for His healing power of specific requests and to this point darn near all have been answered. We would continue to ask that you help us lift up these specific requests:

- That Harper's brain will develop so these darn Bradys will disappear
- That Harper will take quickly to nursing
- That Harper will continue to gain weight

That's all for now. I'm back to work this week and will officially take my paternity leave when Harper comes home. The great thing is though that my company has been so supportive which I'm very thankful for. Beth is officially taking her leave starting immediately to be up at the hospital to encourage our little fighter, which I'm so happy about. The church has been very supportive which we're very thankful for as well.

Hope to inform you all of some continued great progress later in the week! This little girl is quite the fighter and such an inspiration. Can you tell I'm a proud dad already? :)