7 Days Old!

Bea is already a week old in the outside world or 33 weeks 2 days old since creation. She continues to impress across the board. She hasn't been under the jaundice lights for the last two days so we've been able to hold her longer. There has been at least two good periods of breastfeeding each day. She's beginning to recognize the pattern that after her diaper is changed and she comes out of the isolette, she gets to eat, thus she emerges from the isolette with her mouth wide open ready for some food. The feedings are strictly every three hours, so anywhere from 30-10 minutes before the hour she starts to wake up and get antsy.

Her body temperature is becoming stronger so they've turned down the heat on her isolette. When they let her come home, she'll be so small she'll probably need at least two layers of clothes plus a blanket to keep her body temperature up. She's doing so well that some of the staff have speculated whether she's really as young as she is. Earlier estimates of Melissa's gestational period during pregnancy indicated she may be as much as five days older than the current estimate. Either way we're not being picky.

I should also reiterate that she's never needed any oxygen and they haven't monitored her for oxygen since she was one day old. Her respiratory and heart rates are very consistent and strong, and while she's had very, very short episodes of low heart rates once a day or less, she hasn't had any apnea. I just knocked on some wood as I hope the splendid progress continues. Oh yes, she emerged at 3 lb 9 ounces and dropped to 3 lb 3 ounces on the third day. Since then she's gone to 3 lb 5 oz, then 3 lb 7 oz, then 3 lb 8 oz and today she's around 3 lb 9-10 oz.

Matt