August 6, 2002 - Day 6 in the life of Angel Baby

Today is FULL of fun things!

Mama went to visit Angel Baby before going to her own Dr appt to have her staples removed. The nurse told her that Angel Baby was doing so well that they were taking her off the ventilator. Also they had taken the lights off of Angel Baby and took her little sunglasses off of her eyes. She had the most beautiful eyes! They were a dark blue. She would just look around and try tot ake everything in. She had the most beautiful eyelashes. They were a golden brown color and they were long! Mama was delighted!!!

By the time Mama got back from her Dr appt Angel Baby was breathing all by herself!!! She was on nasal CPAP. That was such a big step for her and it would usually exhaust a premie, but Angel Baby was doing great. Infact, she was doing so well that after resting during the afternoon Mama got to do three major Mommy things that night. The nurse showed Mama how to make Angel Baby more comfortable. She showed her how to clean around her eyes, nose and mouth. Mama learned how to clean out her nose and mouth, and then the nurse showed her that when Angel Baby gets her mouth cleaned that she likes to suck on the wet cloth. It was like eating ice chips to her. Then Mama got to change Angel Baby's diaper for the first time. Mama carefully undid the stickies and gently pulled her diaper off. Mama cleaned her up and put a clean diaper on. Then after taking care to make sure Angel Baby was comfortable, Mama was rewarded!!! She got to hold her little girl for the first time!!!

To hold Angel Baby there were a few requests from the nurse. First she needed to hold her for an hour and she should be held skin to skin with Mommy. So Mama sat in a cozy chair, unbuttoned her shirt and Angel Baby was placed on her chest, skin to skin, so that she could hear the familliar sound of her heartbeat. Mama was in heaven - cloud 9 for sure! Angel Baby was so cuddly. They ask that babies are held for an hour because the process of taking a premie from their isolet to the parent is like a 30 minute cardiovascular workout for a premie as small as Angel Baby. Angel Baby did very well. Her heart rate sped up until she got situated on her mommy. Mama wanted to tell Angel Baby a story, so she told Angel Baby the story of Cinderella. Then she told her over and over again how much she loved her and how special she was to her and how thankful she was to have her for her daughter. That hour went by way too fast. When they took Angel Baby off Mama's chest she cried. She didn't want to leave her Mommy! That was also the first time we heard her cry. When she was on the ventilator she couldn't cry, but on nasal CPAP she could. Angel Baby had the cutest cry. It was really feminine and she would crinkle her forehead and give a scowled look. Angel Baby would also move her mouth like she was sucking so the nurse gave her a pacifier. It was purple and so tiny. Angel Baby loved it. She went to town on that thing.

Angel Baby was supposed to have a catheter put in her vein for her nutrients - then they could take the lines out of her umbilical chord. But the nurse couldn't do it that night, so it would have to wait until tomorrow.

What a joyous and successful day for both Mama and Angel Baby!