First Bath at Home

Our stay at Childrens

Welcome home!

Thanks everyone for the well wishes yesterday as we started our new journey as a family. Jett is adjusting so nicely to our home and his new surroundings.

Our first night last night went well! We have to wake him every 3 hours to eat unless he wakes on his own. Jett is a little night owl and really enjoys talking to us in his baby language at 2am.

He is wonderful and everything we ever wanted in a little boy.

Jett is right where he belongs! 

Today is the day!!!!!!!!

WOAH. Let's just say that preparing for discharge could possibly be more overwhelming and stressful than being admitted. Although nothing compares to that very first day Jett and I were separated the day he was born.

So far....

Jett has passed:

-newborn hearing test
-oxygen test
-car seat trial
-eating 100% by bottle (working with an LC for breastfeeding at home)

Mom & Dad has passed:

-Giving all 5 medications including 1 shot properly and on time. (Yes, the shot sucks!)
-CPR/First Aid and the Heimlich Maneuver for infants.
-How to properly install car seats and adjust car seat according to Jett's growth.
-Shaken Baby Syndrome and avoiding it at all costs (what to do when baby won't stop crying)
-Have oxygen tanks installed at home and know how to use them
-Stretching Jett's neck and shoulder muscles everyday as a part of his Physical Therapy

And lastly,

-We passed our 4 month long NICU journey!

Diaper bag and oxygen is packed so bring on the baby! 

Tomorrow shall be a bittersweet day, but it cannot come soon enough...

I came home from my last night of work last night and came home to a little surprise in Jett's room.

Thanks Grandma Wilson 

News

We have made it! The light at the end of our long dark tunnel is in site! We are preparing for discharge and our NICU journey will be done as we leave for home this Sunday! 

HAPPY DANCE!!!! 

Oh Happy Days :)

June 13th

Happy four months to our baby boy (on the 12th)!

We have some great news! Jett has officially moved to the NPCU or Newborn(neonatal) Progression Care Unit on the 7th floor of Children's. This is where he will work on going home! Right now Jett is currently practicing on eating from a bottle. He must drink at least 75-100% of his bottle and to be gaining weight appropriately in order to come home. We are so close! Last night he drank 100% of his bottle for momma perfectly! It was an exciting experience!

Jett is still breathing with a nasal cannula on the lowest amount of oxygen, but doctors believe he will go home with it. Both of us (mom & dad) will be specifically trained in dealing with a infant on breathing assistance. Although it is a very, very little amount, it is just enough for Jett. Both I and Travis feel very comfortable with it and have no worries. Jett breaths wonderfully even without the assistance but feel it would be necessary for home until he can do fine completely without.

We are thinking Jett will be able to come home within a week. He is doing so well and making us so proud! Thanks for all the prayers, wishes, thoughts and love! We are so excited and awaiting "that phone call" everyday 

*posted pictures of Jett's new twin sized room, equipped with beds for mom and dad to stay the nights before he comes home and get it some practice.

-6lbs 1.9oz. 17inches long
-dark brown hair is growing back
-broken arm has healed
-loves his bouncy seat & going for walks around the care unit.

June 7th

Remember when I said that Jett has Chronic Lung disease? And that it may take him some weeks (even months!) to learn to breath without any assistance? Well guess what?

Jett showed up everyone and decided he wanted to breath on his own without any help! (they keep a regular nasal cannula on him in case he forgets to breath, it's only been one day, give him a break, lol)! 

And you know what that means right??
It means Jett can start oral feedings! Woot! Yesterday we tried breastfeeding and bottle feeding for the first time. It went better than expected! The therapist said he is an "eager eater" and gets very excited to find that when he sucks, milk comes with it! With that being said sometimes Jett is too eager and swallows too quickly and gags on the milk. This is okay because it's his VERY FIRST time eating this way and he is learning the ropes.

A therapist will come by 3-5 times a week to monitor his progress. This is really the only deciding factor if and when Jett can come home. Once he gets sucking, swallowing and breathing down at the same time....he's coming home! (Can't believe I'm really saying that!)

Jett is now on the "waiting list" to go to the upstairs NICU or a step down nursery. Which means he is preparing for home while both parents and baby are learning and teaching each other. This gives parents and other family members the opportunity to ask any last minute questions or concerns, and baby must pass a car seat trial (parents have to pass tests too!) before leaving the hospital.

Holy schmooks! I never thought we would EVER see this day. Our homecoming is in the very close future and we are ecstatic!

What are YOUR guesses? When will Jett come home?

Daddy's guess: June 16th
Mommy's guess: June 25th

Asking for some last minute prayers to help with Jett's feedings. We are praying that Jett can effectively eat by breast and/or bottle without an problems. We also pray that he will learn easily to multitask the sucking, swallowing & breathing.

June 1st

Jett moved out of his heated incubator and into a big boy crib! He can keep his temperature without a heater and can wear clothes!

Still working on his breathing and continues to feed with a feeding tube.

Making lots of progress and we are getting so close!

Thanks everyone for all the thoughts and prayers!
They are working