Beckham bottle-feeding every time now!

Beckham was switched to bottle-feeding for every feeding and allowed to basically eat as much or as little as he wants. He has been eating a lot and is definitely improving his coordination with drinking, swallowing, and breathing. In addition, one of his nurses said that Haley could try breastfeeding him, to see how well he would do. The first time she tried he did awesome, he latched on and fed for about 30 minutes. Although this was a very cool thing, we were a little nervous to know if he got enough food, since we have always had to measure how much he ate. The nurse said, "We will watch how long he sleeps, and if he wakes up early and acts hungry. Then, he probably did not get enough." He ended up sleeping until the next feeding, so we assume he got enough to eat. The rest of the night he continued to do well, eating as much as 60 cc's sometimes. They said that if he continues doing so well, he will likely be going home in a few days. Yeah!!!!

Beckham has been doing awesome!

Some of the events, progress, and milestones that Beckham has accomplished in the last week. He went under lights for jaundice for a couple days, was doing every other feeding by tube, got off the lights, moved to an open crib, was eating all his milk at every bottle feed. So, on Friday morning the doctor decided to have him start trying every feeding by bottle again. He did awesome, and only needed the tube two times at the beginning of the switch to help finish the last 10 to 30 % of the bottle. But, he has been eating all his milk at every feeding since then. So, this morning, Saturday, the doctor said that because he has been handling eating every feeding by bottle so well they are going to remove the tube. She also said that because he is eating by bottle now, and finishing it all; that what we need him to do now is to completely get the hang of drinking, swallowing, and breathing with coordination. She said once he can do that consistently and he continues to be eating enough at his feedings he will be ready to go home. They had been giving him 38 cc's, but they wanted to let him eat as much or as little as he wants this last time, at 11:30 a.m., so they filled it up to 45 cc's; all of which Beckham ate. He is doing awesome and we are getting so excited because we can see that the end is near. We are so pleased with how well he is doing, and with the care he is receiving from his nurses and doctors; although we get very frustrated with them sometimes.

Baby Beckham

It has been a few days since we have updated the blog. A lot has happened since the last post. So, to recap, he had been bottle-feeding really well and generally doing well. He started to look jaundice, so on Sunday they put him under the bili lights. The combination of the lights and the jaundice uses more of his energy, so in order to conserve as much as possible for growing they started to feed through a tube every other feeding. He still feeds from the bottle really well and is up to 45 cc's a lot of the time. He has been digesting food, and his bowels are working; which helps rid the body of the toxins that cause the jaundice. It is funny to see the little guy under the lights, with his shades on (it looks like he is sun-tanning). All the nurses say how amazing he is doing for a 33 week baby (40 weeks is full-term); they also all say how cute he is and just go crazy over all of his dark hair. We are really pleased with how Beckham is progressing. We are also very appreciative of all the work his nurses and doctors are doing, they are on top of things and really want what is best for Beckham; even if Mom and Dad get a little frustrated now and then. We are trying to be patient and wait for that day when we can bring the little dude home.

Haley goes home!

Haley came home on Friday the 8th in the morning. And, it could not have been too soon. They bumped her out of her room into a closet, it was a "walk-in" though. Dad slept on a chair because there was no room for a pull-out bed. The reason we were bumped, we were told, was because it was 8/8/08; and everybody wanted to have their baby on that day. Oh, well. The good thing though is Haley is home now, and she is doing awesome, (but, what else would you expect from her). She is pumping and getting plenty of milk for Beckham; and Beckham has been eating really well still. They have been steadily increasing the volume of milk they wanted him to be eating and they wanted him to get up to 30 cc's. Which he did last night at 11:30 p.m. He has stayed in his open crib and has held his temperature still just fine. He is looking very healthy, and he is very alert. Haley was able to put him in his new outfit and hat yesterday, he looks so cute. Bridget is so excited that she has a little brother, although she is not sure why he is not home yet.

Beckham gets a new bed!

Beckham has been doing amazingly well. He has been bottle-feeding, breathing on his own, on room air, and has been holding his temperature. This morning after his 8:30 feeding, the nurse transferred him from the in-between isolette and into an open air crib with no heat. It is now the afternoon and he has been able to hold his temp on his own, in room temperature. He has been passing every test they throw at him. He truly is an amazing little dude! His feedings have been going very well. They have been steadily increasing the amount of milk that he needs to drink, and he has been finishing every bottle. So, Beckham is proof that you can be tough and cute at the same time.

Beckham is eating!

Beckham is still eating by bottle every 3 hours! He is doing really great. They are slowly transitioning him to an open crib. He is currently in-between an isolette and the open crib in an isolette-like crib, but with no heat to see if he maintains his temperature. He has been holding his temp really well in just room temperature. He is very content.

Beckham had his first meal

At about 11:30 Beckham was able to drink his first meal from the bottle. He is doing so good, in fact, he most likely will be changing beds moving from an isolette to an open crib later tonight.