4/3/09

Abraham's current weight is 5.5 pounds. However they really want him to grow rapidly. He is still on high flow oxygen, 2 liters. He has done "binky training" over the last 4 days. The occupational therapist is very patient and kind. She took time to teach me however how to do it rather than just do it herself. He did the best on the first day however he was still on 3 liters of oxygen. He took 2. 5 cc today however he only had low oxygen levels once during this time. I have learned to watch for his cues if he is ready for more milk or he needs a break. She gave me the okay to work with him over the weekend. I just hope his nurse listens to me and lets me do this. If he needs this it's better for a parent to learn and do since we are ultimately responsible for him. He has good days and bad days. It's almost as if he depends on the nurse. He might response well to some. Glenn was here today for the binky training session. I held him everyday this week. He seemed to do the best when he was skin to skin after binky training than when I held him in blankets. The highest calories per ounce that my breast milk was 31.6; the lowest was 20 calories per ounce (5 AM breast milk). This proves that the calorie and fat content is higher in the afternoon and early evening and lowest in the morning. Also not all breast milk is 20 calories per ounce. However despite all this effort and a dietician willing to do this they still feel that he needs the extra stuff in addition to breast milk to give him the fats and other substances that breast supposedly does not have. What is interesting is they are looking at the fat in his stool to determine if he is metabolizing the fat or not. His stools are very foul smelling which I attribute to not absorbing some of the additives to the breast milk. His stool was negative for reducing substance (sugar in the stool) and negative for fat however they were positive for fatty acid. I still need to find out what his means. Glenn might spend next weekend getting the house ready for the contractors to do the re-modeling.