3rd Day in the NICU

I know the pics of him look scary because he is so small but he is doing pretty darned good. They are wanting to try to wean him off of the occilator & put him back on a regular respirator within the next couple of days. He still gets uppity just like he would in vitro. He was actually trying to push the nurse away when she was changing his diaper. He is going to be a hand full when he gets bigger. His color is looking much better since he was put on phototherapy.The signs are what the nurses make to show his name and politely give info as to what not to do around him. Once he gets into a regular incubator I am wanting to print out some of the family pics so he has something to look at as well as his little stuffed frog with the goofy grin.

2nd Day in the NICU

My son is now on an occilator to increase his O2 levels. Even though he cried at birth they discovered after an Xray that his lungs are very tiny and not quite developed enough. It is so hard just standing there and not being able to touch him today. They are wanting him to relax and not get over stimulated so his body can concentrate on healing itself. All I want to do is hold my son and I cant because he is so small. Some good news out of the bad is because of his low birth weight he automatically is prequalified for SSI and the Tennessee version of Medicaid. We also now have his unofficial birth certificate so we can get him registered with WIC and his social security card has been requested.The official spelling of his name is Drayke Alan Crom. The NeoNatologist told us today the first 72 hours are the hardest and he is still such a strong little boy. He moves all the time and mom actually got to see him pee while he was baking under the phototherapy lights (used for jaundice).

Drayke was born

Drake was born into this world on 4-28-08 @ 9:58 Am. He weighed 1 lb 4.7 ozs and was 13 inches long. He was born 12 weeks early because of issues with his cord. Mom was in the hospital for almost 4 weeks resting so that we could make it to at least 30 weeks but the Dr's saw a need to deliver him at 28 weeks. I was called to the hospital and the moment I got their they took mom to get a spinal block. I was then allowed in to be with her. It only took about 30 minutes before Drayke was delivered via c-section. I have never seen a baby so small in my life. When they took him over to the table I got a look and he was so tiny. I heard a small cry from him. I knew right there he was going to be my strong little boy. Drayke was then brought over so that mom could see him. They did not intubate him because he was breathing on his own. Mom told me to go with them to the NICU so that I could be with him. I was torn because I wanted to be in both places but I ended up going with Drayke.

They got Drayke into a isolab bed and started to work on him. After a few moments they told me that I had to go because they needed to put a tube in him. I went out and waited for mom to get back to the room. After a mom rested a bit we went down to see our newborn son. He had so many wires connected to him. We spent some time with him. I still could not believe how small he was. I think i could have put him in my pocket.