14 july

So I am about to take Zulu for a walk as she is a MANIAC who desperately needs attention, but before I do so, I just had to give a quick update... Because I posted that huge post yesterday about the joys of pumping... and then my shout out to Laura Keegan for her awesome book, Breastfeeding With Comfort and Joy, guess what.... Valentina started her very first bottle feeding, and breastfeeding attempt!  HA!!  Before last night, I had only read the book twice.  Now I will be studying and memorizing every last word!!!  

When I first walk in and open her incubator, I always say,
"Mama's here."  This is the face I get! HEART HEART HEART
(Actually last night I got a bigger smile, but I didn't pull out my camera fast enough!)

A few weeks ago, Nurse Nadiya helped me and Vivi with a "prequel to breastfeeding," where I brought baby to my breast, and helped put my nipple in her mouth, and she just kinda looked up at me like, "Wha?  Whatcha want, Mama?"  So, like I said, it was a prequel.  She was only about 34 weeks gestational age then, and the whole sucking/ swallowing/ breathing combo was still in the early developmental stages... HA!!  But now that she is off the oxygen, gaining weight like a champ, and now nearly 38 weeks (gestational age), she is even better prepared to start this last big hurdle of NICU life!    

So last night, Nurse Liliana (hope I spelled it right?) helped us get set up, helped me place baby, and we tried!  Valentina definitely suckled a little, she knows "what to do," but as she was hungry (35 minutes past feeding time!)  We started with the breastfeeding, and admittedly, my fault, we didn't try too long as poor baby was a little fussy, sleepy and used to her belly being filled at the exact same time every day.  I thought I had more time to run and grab a bite to eat and pump a little before our first feeding attempts, but as baby is now eating 8 times a day, her feeding schedule has changed, and Mama was late.  I didn't want to force it too long without giving her the rewarded milk...  Technically speaking, she has never "tasted" milk before, as it always goes directly into her belly via feeding tube, so I felt that it was a great first try.  Today we will try again, and I won't be late, and she won't be so fussy and hungry.  But with last night's first real go at it, I am happy!  I am confident with maybe one or two more tries, we will be very successful breastfeeding!  I plan on Kangarooing her for awhile before feeding time, so we will be super calm, snuggly and hopefully just flow right into a natural rhythm, the way both our bodies are intended to work together!  And the sooner this click! happens, the sooner we will be coming home from the hospital... OMG!!!  

OMG milky goodness.... Obrigada Enfermeira Liliana!

We were VERY successful bottle-feeding last night though!  Valentina drank about 20 ml of her milk in her "baba," we had some great burps and she was a very happy girl!  

In the last week, baby has come off her oxygen (one week yesterday!) and has started to bottle feed and pre-breastfeed (I am a positive thinker... hAhA!).  And when changing her HUGE diaper last night, I noticed something epic has happened to her tiny body:  weighing 1700 grams now, VALENTINA HAS A BUTT!  Before, she just had this tiny little flat bottom.  Last night I noticed that she has two little chubby butt cheeks!  Granted she is still smaller than most toy baby dolls... But she is developing perfectly, strongly and beautifully!  She is filling out and you can literally see a difference, day to day!   My heart is soaring!  We have a Real Baby!  Haha!!!

Valentina Lee's First Bottle
Friday, July 13th, 2012
7 PM.
<3

I love you sweet baby!

*grow.baby.grow.*