Day 5 of Max in the NICU 9/8/12

Well Max's IV in his hand went bad in the night so it had to be replaced. I thought after a few pokes that they got one in the foot so I opened my big mouth and said good at least you didn't have to do it in the head I hate when they do that it is sad. A few seconds later Amy said well sorry we didn't get it in his foot and that is our next place... Guess I shouldn't have said anything!

So as the people in the NICU say, here is our little Unicorn! Max 4 days old!

Today was great! We got up and hung out with Max for a bit and then Dean went to work and to a priesthood meeting. I went to Lunch with my mom and sisters who were in Boise at time out for women. We went to the old spaghetti factory it was really good and very affordable! For 10 bucks I got bread, salad, pasta, and ice-cream! 

Then that evening we got what they call a rooming in room! We just knew it was a room that was like a hotel room with a bath, shower, and a mini fridge. It was awesome and so was the bed! Little did we know but it was a HUGE, AWESOME SURPRISE was that Max would get to stay in the room with us ALL the time, except for the doctors to do the assessment, when he needed meds, or when both Dean and I were gone! We were SO excited!

Day 4 of Max in the NICU 9/7/12

Today was a much better day! We had Mandi and Amy as our nurses again. Max is doing great just going through the rounds of Antibiotics like a champ. Dean went to work and I hung out at the hospital. My mom and Sisters came and visited for a bit and Dean came back that night to hang out again.

 Amy our nurse had us go on a date to get out for a bit since I hadn't been out of the hospital since Monday she thought it would be a good idea for some fresh air! It was so fun! We went to Sonic and got drinks! It was nice to be out of the hospital and on a date with my hubby!

I keep forgetting to mention also the hospital is super sweet that give the nursing mothers of NICU babies free meal because they had found out that some moms were not eating cause they didn't bring or couldn't afford food. So it was a nice comfort to know that my meals were covered. That way Dean could go to work and not worry about me and I could stay at the hospital and eat there.

Sweet Max 3 days old!

Day 3 in the NICU with Max. 9/6/12

Today was just another day in the NICU. I went to bed last night a lot easier realizing everything will be okay or they will call me. However I told the nurse to call me when he was hungry so they put me on a schedual of 12,3,6,9 for feedings. When they did this I was like, okay that is every three hours. What I didn't realize or think about was that it take at least a half hour to feed, and then in the NICU you take the babies temperature every feeding and you change their diaper. So some feedings I would only get maybe an hour in between each feeding, and since my room was not on the same floor as the NICU it took awhile to get back to bed. Needless to say I was TIRED!

Here is Max 2 days old.

Daddy and Max. The thing around Dean's neck is a blue tag parents get, to see their babies in the NICU. You have to had to have one of us with Max at all time unless the person had a visitors pass.

He loves to hold his Binki in his mouth. So Cute!

Love him! Just a little tired!

Sleepy little one!

 Today was pretty good! I was discharged but I was trying to get a room to stay in the NICU with Max so I didn't have to go home without him at night. They wouldn't know till later in the day if I got the room or not because there were 30+ babies in the NICU so they have take each situation into consideration but since I was breastfeeding I was a high priority :-) So the Mom/Baby unit told me I can have my room until 11:59 pm if I needed.

Luckily they were able to find me a room. It was a NICU room with 2 twin cots in it and a sink. I was so grateful just to be closer to Max. They apologized that I didn't get a room with a shower but they hoped to get me one with one with in the next few days.

Later in the Day as I packed up my stuff up from the Mom/Baby unit and made sure all my paper work was complete. It was Dean's first day back at work and it got kind of hard for me. I broke down and cried, (I think it had something to do with the fact that I had only slept 8 hours in the last 96 or so). Dean was going to go home for the night to get some good sleep but after me breaking down I asked if he would stay and of course he said yes. I also got a blessing from him to help calm me down. I didn't want to be there ANYMORE!!! After the blessing and Dean saying that he would stay and the support of my mom and loving family. I gathered myself up again and regained my composure.

While Dean was as work that day I had a lactation consult, and I had various nurses and case workers come and talk to me about the situation I was in and that the NICU is not an easy place to be. It felt good to know I really had a great support team, one at the hospital and one outside the hospital (family)

That night we had an AWESOME NICU nurse AMY. I told her what I did the night before and she said no,no,no. All I needed to do was feed him. She would change the diaper and do the temp, cause I would get to do that plenty at home. I was SO Grateful! I had a MUCH better nights sleep!
THANK YOU AMY!!!

Max's medical team today was,
 Nurses: Jenifer, Mandi, and Amy. (Mandi and I were actually in Nursing school together. She was in her first semester when I was in my last).
Doctor: Crayton.
My lactation nurses while I was there was Joan and Sheryl! Loved them! Joan even brought me a more portable pump to the NICU so I didn't have to go back to my room each time I needed to pump! SO grateful!!!

Day 2 In the NICU with Max. 9/5/12

(Disclaimer: I am writing things as I remember them and some of the days mush together so I will sort them to the best of my ability)

Today was a pretty good day. As soon as I woke up I wanted to go see Max! I told my nurse and she said that my Doctor would probably like to see me on his rounds before I go down! OH let me tell you he couldn't get there fast enough!!! Before we left the NICU the Night before our nurse said she would call us if there was a problem and she never called us so everything must have gone okay. 

However I called down to the NICU to make sure. The nurse said everything went well he is just very hungry and will be ready to eat as soon as the doctors give him the go ahead. OH I couldn't wait I could hear him cry so I asked Dean to go be with him until I was seen by the doctor!

So down the the NICU Dean went while I stayed in the room and ordered breakfast to try and keep my mind off of not being with Max! The doctor must have been delivery someone else cause it took him awhile to do rounds that morning. Eventually he came and talked to me, he was sad to hear about Max and was supportive. 

As soon as I was done with the doctor I headed down to the NICU to make sure everything was going good.

Our sweet Baby Max 1 Day old! When I got there I saw that they had taken him off of the O2 :-) I was happy one less cord!

After I saw that everything was okay, and the NICU Doctors had done their rounds. I headed back to my room to shower so I could spend the rest of the Day in the NICU. 

While I was in the room Dean sent me this picture in a text that said "hi mom"

After I showered I headed back to the NICU cause the doctors said I could feed him! I was one happy momma. 

Can't tell I was a little tired...

Look at the FACE!

Dean is the BEST DAD!!! Love him and all of his support through this!

He was quite tired too!

Today was a better and happier day then the one before. I think this was the day that we were told we may not need to stay the full 7 days. They came back later though and said they decided we should stay for the full 7 day antibiotic dosage because there was still junk in his lungs on the chest x-ray. I was okay with doing what we needed to to make him healthy!

Today my Nurse on Mom/Baby was Nichole and she did great! I also had a lactation appointment which I highly recommend. I ended up having 2 while I was there and they helped me SO much.

Today Max's Nurses where Emily and Joyce and his doctors were Doc Van Loy and Doc. Larisa. Everyone was SO kind and helpful!

I was very happy and impressed by the staff for our whole stay!
(I will write in the staff I can remember but there were days I didn't get everyone written down)

pics from Max Birth and first few days of life I got from my moms phone.

 This pic is a few days before I had max when I went in for false labor...

It's go time I got my epidural.

Love this pic. SO precious!!!

I was a bit tired...

Max in the NICU

Thanks mom for the pictures!