{NICU #2}

Saturday evening we started to introduce breastfeeding. He wasn't interested at all. He would rather sleep than try. Throughout the night the nurse and I keep trying different techniques to get him to latch on. We tried to have him latch on and then we would use a syringe to feed him some colostrum to help get him interested. We tired the football hold, and the nurse tried to hold him with one arm on his side using a syringe with some formula. With all this, he still wasn't interested. Every hour they would take him away and prick his heal to check his glucose levels. For a while his levels were well and the nurses weren't worried.
By Sunday afternoon, they placed him in the NICU II with a feeding tube through his nose and down to his stomach. He was also constantly hooked up to monitoring equipment. It just broke my heart seeing my son like this. I knew that it was the only way he could get his nutrients. Sunday at 7:30pm I started to introduce the breast every 3 hours for about 15-30 minutes without success. The nurses would then put formula into a 2 oz syringe and feed him.
On Monday I continued to introduce the breast every 3 hours (7:30, 10:30, 1:30, 4:30 am/pm) then they would feed him with formula through the feeding tube. The nurses would add what I pumped out of my breasts into Ryker's formula. We still weren't having any luck with him latching on.
Tuesday the pediatrician had me try feeding him every other feeding. (7:30 and 1:30 am/pm) It was causing a lot of stress on both of us trying every feeding. By me only trying to nurse every other feeding, it would give him time to rest and be ready to try again the next time. By that afternoon we had a break through. He latched on and started to suck. He did this for a good 5 minutes (not continuously, but in total). At the next feeding, once again latched on for an little bit longer. Oh the joy that I felt knowing that he just hasn't given up on feeding and is working hard. Doug and Blanche got into town around 2pm and came over to see their grandson. Ryker really liked Papa & he could put him right to sleep.
We were so tired of staying at the hospital and paying $35 a night for a hard hospital bed and a hard fold-out couch; so we decided it was best for us to go home and sleep in our own bed. We did stay in the hospital Tuesday night making it an additional two nights on top of the three nights we already stayed.
Wednesday Doctor Spencer our Pediatrician came and said that he wanted to cut his "tongue tied" frenum. Its the string that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth. His tongue couldn't go past his gums due to this. After the quick cut, we continued with the every other feeding. Each time I fed him he would continue to progress and stay latched on for longer. During an early morning feeding he ate from me for a 20 minute span. My mom came to visit me while I fed and to spend time with her grandson. He did show her how well he can feed. From that time on he continued to eat well for about 15-20 minutes each feeding. My poor in-laws took turns taking me and Dave to the hospital during the early morning feedings.
On Thursday morning Dr. Johnson came in and was very happy that Ryker was feeding as well as he was. He suggested we start doing every 3 hours again and if all went well then tomorrow he could come home. Dave asked him why Ryker couldn't go home later that day if he was feeding continuing to feed well. The doctor asked why, and Dave answered, "my parents are in town and we are tired of being here." The Doctor relented and told us, "after two more feedings, if the nurse feels he is still feeding well, we will discharge him." We were both so ecstatic. Dave and I stayed at the hospital until after his 10:30am feeding. Doug came and got us so we could get changed and eat before the 1:30pm feeding. We were home for about an hour before we headed out again. We understood that if he did good for the 1:30 feeding we could take him home. The nurse said the doctor actually ment after the 4:30pm feeding. We asked her to talk to the doctor to see if we could just go home after this feeding. The nurse asked how I felt about it and I told her I feel comfortable and that one more feeding wouldn't make a difference. She called the doctor and he said that it would be fine to take him home and we needed to make an apt with Dr. Spencer for Monday to have Ryker evaluated for weight gain. Doug and Blanche waited in the waiting room while we got Ryker ready. As the nurse was going over all the discharge information she came across that since he was under a certain weight he needed to do a 90 minute car seat test. If his heart rate and breathing have issues while he is in the car seat during that time, they would have to send home an oxygen tank for use while in the car seat. The nurse felt so bad that she over looked that, but we assured her it was alright and that we would go get something to eat. We went to Los Hermonos and then headed back to the hospital. Once we got there the nurse said he passed with fly colors and we are now able to take him home. It is protocol for the nurse to come to the car with us to check it to make sure it is installed correctly. By 5:30pm we were heading home.
We are so blessed that everything went well and he was able to come home within 5 days of being born. We are also grateful for parents who have gone far and beyond to help us.