Hospital Stay: Day 6

My production has increased. Jolynn's night nurse has always been very easy-going with me about coming down for feedings at the 2am time. She said at this point (because we don't have breastfeeding established) it is better to have me get sleep than come down. So last night I went to the 11pm feeding, then came back and pumped (around 15ml). At 2am I pumped again and got a little over 15ml. When I went down for her 5am feeding I brought all the milk and she was able to have an entire syringe of just breast milk. After the 5am feeding I pumped again and got over 30ml. They gave me stickers to label the containers now because most likely I will be producing more than she needs. Jon and I have been talking about our options if the breastfeeding doesn't take. I really want her to be on breastmilk. I would have loved to breastfeed, but the milk is more important. Eventually I would be going back to work anyway and she would be bottle fed, plus Jon would be feeding her occasionally by bottle also. So if she doesn't catch on soon we may switch to bottle feeding with breast milk.

Jolynn was a little trouble maker last night. She pulled her feeding tube out and had the monitor wires pulled off and in her mouth. They ended up putting the tube back in, but on the other side and used a different kind of tape that looks thicker. Then they put socks on her hands and taped them on.

8am feeding: Jolynn was taken off the bili light and nursed for 20 min! They did not hook her up to the syringe with the breast milk that I pumped (which I had enough for a full feeding again). Now the only thing I am concerned about is how much she actually took in. At least with the syringe we knew how much breast milk she consumed; with nursing, I know she was latched on the whole time and she was sucking and a few times I heard her swallow. How much did she actual take in - apparently you can only tell by weight gain. So far she has only been losing. This was a big hurdle though. I really felt like we accomplished something. I had to use the nipple shield again. This time we were both in a better place when using it. She was sucking and I was producing. I know we will have this down by the end of the night.

11am and 2pm feedings: still no bili light and no syringe feeding. At the 2pm feeding we decided to switch to on demand buffet style feedings. She falls asleep very easily when feeding so whenever she wakes up now she will be fed. Jon stayed down with her while I pumped.
5pm feeding: We were told if she didn't feed for a minimum of 15 min then she would be supplemented with 15ml of stored breast milk. They told us this could be given in bottle form. They mentioned this because we had asked earlier - Jon wanted to feed her, and eventually I would be going back to work so she would be on a bottle anyway. This was also asked when she was having trouble nursing. I was upset at first about her taking a bottle, but had a little talk with Jodi and felt better. Like for tonight - Jon says he is going to take the 2am feeding and give it do her in bottle form so I can sleep. I still get up to pump, but that is only 15min vs. an hour.

Grandma and Grandpa Benson brought dinner and then visited with Jolynn.

8pm feeding: She barely made it. I got the 15 min but then wanted to try for a few more minutes just for good measure. Not happenin. When she falls asleep she is out. We poke her tummy, rub the back of her neck and shoulder blade, or tap under her chin; trying to get her to nurse again. Lift her arm and it goes limp. Thank goodness she is still hooked up to monitors or I would wonder if she was dead. She has no response, no movement. A very solid sleeper.

11pm feeding: made the 15 min mark and went a little beyond. She fell right asleep when done.