5 Generations

We had an exciting weekend. Jason & I went to Blaire's wedding in St. Francisville. While we were at the wedding Grand D & Paw-Paw babysat, it was the longest Jason & I have been apart from Conner. Poor Jason had to deal with me crying on the ride to the wedding, but it was worth it seeing Blaire get married & spend time with my friends. Also this weekend, Jason's Grandma was in town from Arizona and all 5 generations visited.

4 weeks old - Dr's Appointment

Today was Conner's weight gain appointment & he passed with flying colors. He now weighs 7 lbs. 6 oz. - a gain of almost an ounce a day! Conner also grew a little taller & is 20 1/4 inches. The doctor checked his breathing & said everything seems normal. Conner doesn't have to go back to the doctor again until November 4th since everything was so great.

At home Conner has been wearing us out. He doesn't seem to ever reach a deep sleep, but the doctor said that's normal & we need to remember that Conner is only supposed to be a few days old right now. After a few weeks, Conner's sleep patterns should even out & he'll be able to sleep deeper and longer as he gets a little older. Let's cross our fingers that it happens soon.

Catching Up - See below

Sorry I didn't update for a while, but as you can read below life's been a little busy. I think I have caught up on all of our news & will try to do a better job from now on. Instead of having one really long post with everything that's happened over the past 3 weeks, I separated the updates into different posts so everyone can pick & choose what they want to read & what they want to skip over.

Our first week home.

So far Conner & I have been having a good time being home together. It is tiring but having to wait 2 weeks for him to come home makes me a little excited to be able to wake up for his 3 AM feedings. I am sure that will change. He has good days & bad days, but for the most part is only cranky when hungry. The hospital set his schedule for us & his body knows when it's time to eat. He was circumcised the Monday after he was released so we are still sponge bathing him. He is not a fan of sponge baths at all; hopefully he'll enjoy sitting in the water better. He's had a bunch of visitors & is starting to get spoiled with being held already.

September 9, 2010 - We're going home?!

Last night the nurse changed Conner's bottle nipple & ever since he has been finishing bottles in 7 minutes. Since Wednesday we were told over & over again that Conner would most likely be discharged on Friday, so it was a huge shock when the doctor monitored him today & said he could go home. It was such a shock that Jason & I weren't prepared at all. He & I were supposed to take an infant CPR class that night & the nurses ended up giving me the class in the Nursery next to Conner's crib. Conner was home by 3 PM & ready to watch his first Saints game.

September 8, 2010 - Eating & Breathing... at the same time.

Conner mastered the concept of eating & breathing at the same time today. Every meal has been via bottle & he is finishing most of them. Jason & I attended a class this evening about care for Conner after he has been released from the hospital that is required before Conner can be discharged. After the class, we went back to the Special Care Nursery to visit Conner & talked to the nurse about changing Conner's nipple he uses to eat. She said she would try different ones through the night & see if that helps him finish his bottles with out getting so tired.

September 7, 2010 - Learning to eat

Now that Conner has been moved from the NICU to the Special Care Nursery, he is no longer on any medications or breathing support. The doctors let us know that now we just have to wait for Conner to be able to finish his bottles consistantly for 48 hours. Of Conner's 8 feeding/day 6 of them were via bottle today & only 2 were via feeding tube. He gets tired very quickly, so it takes him 30 - 45 minutes to finish (if he finishes.) No pictures today because I spent the day taking care of Conner for the first time. I changed all diapers, gave him all bottles & rocked him to sleep when he was grouchy. It was the BEST day, but I have no pictures of it because I was so busy.

September 6, 2010 - Conner can breathe on his own!

Today Jason & I got to feel like parents. We were able to play an active role in Conner's care all day. We both fed him, changed diapers, & dressed him. All of Conner's breathing support was removed & he began eating 3 of his meals/day via bottle. His feeding were increased again to 50 ml every 3 hours. At 6:30 Conner was moved from the NICU to the Special Care Nursery.

September 5, 2010 - The turning point

Today Conner suddenly took a turn for the better & never looked back. Jason & I spent the whole day at the hospital again. I was able to hold & feed him today. It was so wonderful because I wasn't able to since he was born. He tried to eat out of the bottle but got tired & had to have a portion of it via feeding tube. His feedings are still every 3 hours but have been increased to 45 ml & bottle feedings are being incorporated. Conner's oxygen was reduced again to 1.0 LPM at 21% oxygen on a regular cannula (no longer humidified oxygen.)

September 4, 2010 - Moved to an isolette

Conner was moved to an isolette today because he was not a fan of being messed with & this allowed him to stay in the isolette to be weighed & prevent people from touching him too much. Conner's feedings were increased from 10 ml every 3 hrs to 40 ml every 3 hrs. His oxygen was decreased from 4.0 LPM at 21% oxygen to 3.0 LPM at 21% oxygen still on the vapotherm machine. The nurse continued to give Conner adavant every 3 hours to keep him calm. The cath was removed from Conner's belly today & Jason helped to hold him still while the nurses removed it. The photo-therapy light was removed today also.

September 3, 2010 - Setting up camp

The nurses had me bring blankets, a stuffed animal & clothes from home for Conner so that his hospital crib would be more comforting and that made me realize that Conner's hospital stay was going to be a while. It was the smack of reality I needed & we set up camp at the NICU. Conner's crib was decorated with a white sports blanket Jason's great-grandmother gave him & Jason picked out a stuffed football to go in Conner's crib. Today Conner held my finger for the first time. Also today, He started getting fed today instead of just having an IV. He was fed breast milk every 3 hrs via feeding tube & I got to help feed him one time. His oxygen was decreased to 4.0 LPM at 24% oxygen still on a vapotherm machine. The nurses added adavant to his medications because our "spunky" son kept removing the feeding & oxygen tubes from his face & they needed to calm him. Jason & I were kind of proud that Conner was giving the nurses a hard time.

September 2, 2010 - Baby Tanning

After a rough morning, I couldn't get moving & then Bridgette's car had a flat tire, we made it to the hospital. My brain finally came back today & I was able to comprehend what was happening at the hospital better. Today was an improvement as far as Conner's breathing. He was moved from the C-PAP ventilator to a Vapotherm machine (humidified oxygen canula.) Conner's oxygen levels in his blood were good so he was reduced from 4.0 LPM of oxygen at 37% to 35% at 6pm. (Ms. Linda, the Respitory Therapist, told us that this was really good because on September 1st he was on 97% oxygen.) A phototherapy light was added to the front of Conner's crib because his Jaundice levels were high. Conner seemed to really enjoy laying in the light.

September 1, 2010 - NICU/ Conner has premature lungs

First thing in the morning, I went to the NICU to visit Conner. While visiting the doctors came talk to me about Conner's status. After doing x-rays and testing his blood/oxygen levels, the doctors determined that Conner's lungs were too premature to allow Conner to try to progress on his own any longer. He was diagnosed with Respiratory Distress Syndrome (but we weren't told this until later.) They explained that it would be a few days before Conner would be released & that he would need increased treatment. They started Conner on antibiotics & did a surfactant treatment for his lungs. He was started on an IV of dextrose for his nutrition & was placed on a C-PAP machine (ventilator.) Conner was officially deemed "premature" and his treatment course would be that of any other premature baby with RDS.

August 31, 2010 - Our baby is where?

1 AM - After Conner was born and the family got to hold him, the nurse told us that Conner needed to go to the special care nursery for a few hours to monitor his breathing because he was retracting. (Retracting- pulling the chest in at the ribs, below the breastbone, or above the collarbones.) The nurse said Conner should be brought to our room around 3 AM.

2:30 AM - The pediatrician on duty at the hospital called our room to let us know that Conner is being moved to the NICU to be put on oxygen. They made it sound like it wasn't a big deal and he was only being moved because the nursery didn't have oxygen & once he was on oxygen for a little while he would be fine. We were given a new time of 5 AM for when he would be brought to our room. Jason & I tried to get some sleep so that when Conner came we would be rested.

5 AM - I'm WIDE awake ready for Conner to be brought to me. We sit & wait.

7 AM - We call for the nurse. She says she doesn't know anything except that Conner is in the NICU still. She tells Jason where the NICU is & he goes down to investigate. Jason visits Conner & talks to the staff in the NICU. They think he'll have to be on oxygen for a few days.

8 AM - I get a wheelchair & go to the NICU.

- Remainder of the day was up & down. He was taken off the oxygen for a few hours but was having a hard time breathing on his own so they put him back on. It was very hard to get questions answered about his status because the nurses didn't know what the doctor would decide in the morning. Jason & I spent the day going back & forth to the NICU and bringing family & friends to see Conner in the NICU. I don't remember a lot from today because I was so tired. I just remember being really upset & grouchy. We went to bed pretty early & very confused.

August 30, 2010 - Conner Joseph is Born!

On Monday, August 30, 2010, I had a 2:30pm ultrasound and a doctors appointment at 3:30. The BPP showed my amniotic fluid level was at 5.2. Leaving the ultrasound I knew I was going to be admitted into the hospital that night, but I didn't know if it was going to be to get fluids again or for delivery. I called Jason & put him on stand by, but he was pretty sure they were going to induce. Jason was right & Dr. Mullins decided Conner needed to come out as soon as possible. After looking at the ultrasound, Dr. Mullins decided Conner was big enough to be delivered immediately. I walked straight from the doctors office to the hospital and was admitted immediately. Janelle was the first to arrive at the hospital & held my hand while they started the pitocin (around 5pm.) Everything happened very quickly. By the time Jason got to the hospital at 5:45, the doctor had already broke my water & I was in labor. Jason & I planned a natural birth, but had discussed that if pitocin was needed that an epidural was the best option. Me being hard headed decided I wanted to try a natural birth anyway with the pitocin (craziest idea ever.) In an effort to progress labor as quickly as possible I was given a lot of pitocin and rarely had a break between contractions. Around 8:15 & 5 cm dilated, I caved & requested the epidural. Unfortunately, the epidural didn't work & it took until 9 before I had pain relief. After the epidural, the nurse checked me again & I was 10 cm. Time to push. We pushed for about an hour (I say we because at moments Jason was practically lifting me off the bed trying to help me push.) After an hour Conner was ready to come out, then we sat & waited for the doctor. The doctor came around 11 & Conner was welcomed into the world at 11:11pm.

36 weeks & We're back on track!!!

Sorry for the delayed update. I was taken off bed rest yesterday & I went straight to Reserve to see Haley because it had been weeks since I saw the little monster. Once I got home, I visited with Jason for a little while & crashed. I can't believe I slept so long (13 hrs.) At yesterday's appointment my AFI went up to 8.9!! Dr. Mullins was very surprised that my AFI leaving the hospital was 6.9. He was under the impression that it was around 13 when I was discharged. Thank goodness for misunderstandings because from what the doctor said I should have been kept in the hospital through the weekend with an AFI under 8! I was given a copy of my chart & admit papers for the hospital because I can go into labor any day now which is exciting & scary at the same time. The doctor said I am 1 cm dilated which is progress from last week, but he wants me to go on short walks at night to get me moving again & to encourage progress. He thinks gradual progess over the next few weeks will help me stick to my goal of having a natural birth by reducing the amount of progress that could happen on the day of delivery. Above all he wants me to continue to drink water as much as possible to keep my fluid levels up. I'll have another ultrasound on Monday & hopefully my AFI will stay up.

Conner's Nursery is Finished!

35 weeks - Night at the Hospital & Bed Rest Again!

Yesterday's doctors appointment was no fun. My AFI level was 5.7, so I was admitted into the hospital. Jason & I stayed the night at the Hospital. (Poor Jason slept on the tiniest chair ever made.) This morning Jason had to go to work so I had a nice quiet day. While there they gave me 2,613 ml of saline fluid with dextrose over the course of 21 1/2 hrs. It raised my level to 6.45 which isn't great but is getting better. They also measured Conner's size & he's now 5 lbs 2oz. I was released this afternoon to go home & stay on bed rest until further notice.

Dear Family & Friends,

Your support & love during our pregnancy has been overwhelming. Jason & I would like to thank you all for being so wonderful the past few months.

-Special thanks to our moms who have helped so much especially with cleaning and painting the house to get it ready for Conner’s arrival. He is one lucky grandson!

-Thanks to my sisters and brother-in-law who have been amazing, as usual, helping at the house and being my shoulder when I need one.

-A big thanks to Zack & Jay for helping us move, Beth & Adam for making our move less stressful by helping us find the essentials we needed, and Kallie & Dustin for bringing us water when the U-Haul broke down.

-Thank you to Bridgette for all you’ve done especially visiting while I was on bed rest. You really saved my sanity!

-Thanks to all of our family & friends who have been so helpful. We are blessed to have such loving people around us & are so glad you’re going to be a part of Conner’s life.

We Love You All!!


Because most people who are planning to come to the hospital will be driving 30 minutes or more to meet Conner, we thought we’d share the rules and regulations on visitation Woman’s Hospital has told us about, so there are no surprises later and no one drives out of their way to have a frustrating visit.

Basic Info:
Visiting hours are from 9 AM- 9PM. Mother/baby rooms are located on the 3rd, 4th & 5th floors. Parking is available in the garage for a flat rate of $2 & has a walkway to the hospital on the 2nd floor. There is free parking around the hospital in parking lots also. The hospital cafeteria is on the first floor by the lobby & there are vending machines throughout the hospital. There is also a Subway on the first floor of the Physicians Tower. The hospital has free wireless internet available. To call the recovery room from outside the hospital dial (225) 231-5 + the room number. For patient room information call (225) 924-8157.

Labor:
During labor only four people (Jason, his parents & my mom) are allowed to come into the room. Please understand that the hospital makes this rule (not us.) During the delivery, only Jason & I will be in the room.

Visiting:
After Conner is born the hospital will notify our family in the waiting room by paging the family member with the hospital beeper (yes, like at a restaurant.) We decided to trust Conner’s Nanny with the beeper, so once Janelle is paged she will share the news with everyone in the waiting room. Generally visitors are limited to one or two at a time. (We are going to talk to the nurse about this because we realize this is going to be hard with our large families & people driving to visit.) Because of this rule we ask that only family visit the day of delivery so we don’t get in too much trouble for having too many people in the room at a time.

Very productive Sunday!

Today was great!! Jason woke me up with breakfast in bed. It was so sweet. We spent the day working on the house (surprise, surprise right?) Jason was in the yard ALL DAY. It was the first time he's had a chance to work outside the house & he accomplished a lot. I spent the day inside. It's crazy that I'm still organizing everything, but we're really close to being finished.

Melissa came visit after Sigma's Bid Day, so I got to hear about their very successful week. I'm so happy for them. It was fun to just sit & talk for a while. & she got to see the progress on the nursery.

Janelle & Wayne came by again today to bring some things from Reserve. (Thanks Aunt Juliette for the bottles!) They also helped Jason & I put up Conner's shelf. Thank you guys! We're so lucky Conner is going to have family like you.

Arts & Crafts - Charissa & Aiden Visits

Someone needs to keep me away from Hobby Lobby. I went to buy wooden sports pieces to put on Conner's shelf to cover the hearts that were originally carved & got creative. I made inexpensive closet dividers (take that Babies R' Us for trying to sell them to me for $10.) to match Conner's nursery.

Janelle & Wayne brought the bed & shelf that are going to go in Conner's room. I feel like things are starting to come together. I can't wait to have the crib set-up & the room finished.

This evening Charissa & Aiden came to visit. Aiden & Jason bonded over Madden '11. If Conner has the same interest in TV & video games as Aiden, we should have no problem entertaining him. Charissa also let me know that I have my glider set-up incorrectly, so now I'm in a mission to figure that beast out. It was so great to sit & visit. It makes me really happy to be back in Hammond.

** I figured out the glider!! That sucker is tricky. **

Still working on the Nursery!

Finally got the time to paint Conner's name on the wall. His crib will go under it. I'm not a Cubs fan, but Jason is so he is very happy about the logo. I am glad we found a fun way to put Conner's name in his nursery & it matches the colors on his bedding.

Hopefully soon I'll be able to share pictued of the completed nursery.

34 weeks - Getting better

Today's appointment went well. The ultrasound was quick (just checking fluid levels) so I barely got to see Conner. The ultrasound tech pointed out how low Conner has dropped (it was hard to see his face around my hips) & that made me realize just how close we are to his due date.
My AFI level is up to 8.1 from 6.4, so I no longer have to be on bed rest (WooHoo!) My levels are still considered low, so I have to keep hydrating like crazy. Jason, aka the water nazi, is making sure I drink as much water as my body can hold.
I gained a pound from last week, but I am still 6 pounds below where the doctor would like me to be. As a result the doctor added Ensure to my diet to try to get some extra pounds on me. Yuck! But whatever works.
Since my weight & amniotic fluids are low I have to go back next week & have another ultrasound (Yep, #8.) If my fluids are okay, it should be my last ultrasound of the pregnancy. Hopefully by next week my AFI will be 10 or higher.
On Sunday we're going to tour the hospital. Thank goodness we'll have a chance to get familiar with it before Conner is here.

I hate water & being in bed

I am miserable! Hopefully it'll work & tomorrow's appointment will go well. I just don't think I can do this any longer. I am not made for bed rest or to consume this much water. Ugh - thank goodness Bridgette came visit today for a while or I would have lost my mind!

Yay! Progress is being made in the nursery.

Well, one side of the nursery is done. After tomorrow hopefully we'll be a little further along. Poor Jason has worked his butt off today. I am drinking as much water as I can, but gosh I hate it. Mrs. Susan sent me a recipe for Adele's Green Drink so tomorrow when the organic/health food store in downtown Hammond is open Jason is going to pick up the ingredients & hopefully that'll help. Today's fruit of the day has been grapes. Yum! Conner has been passing the movement tests that the doctor asked me to do. (After each meal I have to count his movements. If he moves less than 8 times in an hour I need to call the doctor.) It usually only takes 5-10 mins for him to reach 8 movements. Hopefully tomorrow will be as sucessful as today.

33 weeks - Bedrest

I had a doctor's appointment today at 9 am. I lost 2 lbs (most likely from working on the new house so much recently) and Conner's heart rate was low again, so we did an ultrasound AGAIN. Jason thinks we are going to set a world record for the most ultrasounds in one pregnancy. We've had 6! During the ultrasound we found out that Conner now weighs 4 lbs 9 oz & is the cutest thing ever. He kept playing peek-a-boo when the tech was trying to get a picture of his face. The ultrasound also showed that my amniotic fluid levels are low. Darn this Louisiana heat! To try to get my levels up, the doctor has put me on bed rest until I have a follow up ultrasound on Wednesday (that's right #7 is already scheduled.) While on bed rest, I am going to try to hydrate as best as I can & hopefully that will get my levels up. Jason's going to get me a watermelon on the way home to help get more fluids in me. Yum!

First Post

This blog has been created in an effort to try to keep all of our family & friends updated on the progress of Conner's development. Instead of posting a bunch of pictures & stories on facebook, this will be the place to find stories about what's happening with our pregnancy & updates on how Conner is doing after he is born. If I fall behind on the updates (which I may in the craziness) please send me an e-mail meredith_triche@yahoo.com and remind me to update everyone. I am hoping this will also help us keep our out-of-town family in the loop.



State of the pregnancy (07/26/2010)- Happy 15th Birthday Emily!

As of right now, everything is normal & on track with our pregnancy. On Friday, July, 23rd, we had a doctor's visit & had a little scare, but once again it was just the Nurse Practitioner testing my ability to handle stress. She tried multiple times to measure Conner's heart rate and it was low (110) every time. To make sure everything was okay she sent us to do an ultrasound & a BPP (Biophysical profile.) During the ultrasound Conner's heart rate strengthened (130) & he passed the BPP.