September 14
This morning they tried Samuel on room air (i.e. no breathing support at all) a couple times. He did well for 5-10 minutes. That's a start. They won't try again for several days. He just needs more time to build up lung capacity.

This evening we gave him his first tub bath! We wrapped him in warm blankets and put him in the tub wrapped up. Then we just unwrapped the parts we were washing. This way he stays warmer. He absolutely loved it! Since he was so calm and content, it was much easier to bathe him as well. :) He sure squealed when we took him out, though!

Samuel likes to play a pooping game. He'll have a dirty diaper, so I'll change it. As soon as I get him wiped off, he'll go again. Even if I wait a bit, he seems to like to save it for a new diaper. Generally he'll repeat this pattern 3 or 4 times! Fortunately, this happens only every few days, not several times a day, so I still think it's hilarious! :)

September 13
This morning they turned his air flow down to 1/4L. Also, since he's gaining weight so well, they decreased the amount of high calorie formula he's been getting mixed in with his breastmilk. Today's weight - 4lb 110z. He should be double his birth weight within a few days! :)

September 12
Today they increased Samuel's feedings again. He's also been working on learning to nurse. We're told it can be a slow process with a preemie. He seems to be doing pretty well, but he's not getting enough to measure yet. Samuel weighs 4lb 10oz today.

September 11
Samuel decided to freak Mommy out tonight. Around 8pm, his breathing was sounding rattly, so the nurse suctioned out his nose a little bit. I guess since he's not on the heated Vapotherm anymore, the airflow can dry him out. Then we started Kangarooing, but he still sounded really rattly to me. He also seemed like he was working really hard to breathe. Usually when we Kangaroo, he settles in and sleeps like a rock. This time after an hour, he was still awake and restless. I put him in his bed and went to find a nurse. Of course it was a really busy night, so it was another 15 minutes before anyone came in. By then, I was miserable, just holding him and crying and praying. After listening to his lungs, our nurse went and got the charge nurse. She said before they got the doctor they should suction him out again. Good call - they got a couple huge buggers out! He immediately started breathing better. :) If only I had known that's all it was!

He also had another eye exam today. They found the mildest possible signs of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), which is when the blood vessels in the eye grown abnormally. They will check again in a week to see how things are progressing. It will probably go away on its own, but unless it gets a lot worse, the only effect would be needing glasses at a young age.