Child Birthing Class?

First time to hold on Saturday

Mom and C

Wide awake on Sunday night (CPAP not even in and doing great)

I woke up to my cell phone this morning...  There was a reminder notifying me about our child birthing class on Monday night.  Oops.  Katie and I argued about the necessity for me to attend this class.  She told me that I perform better when I am prepared.  Whatever...

Caroline had a great weekend.  She is breathing room air through her CPAP almost all of the time.  They sometimes have to turn it up if she is agitated or when she has a full stomach (harder for her lungs to take a full breathe with a full stomach).  Her pressure through the CPAP was reduced both Saturday and today.  If she continues to do well, she may graduate from the CPAP machine in as soon as a couple of days to a week.

Katie and I both held Caroline this weekend for a couple of hours at a time.  They like us to hold Caroline against our skin ("skin to skin").  Research proves that it is good for the baby and the parents, especially the Mother.  There are actually several benefits.  One of the many issues that premature babies face is regulating their body temperature.  The incubators that Caroline sleeps in are very, very expensive.  In fact, the first incubator that Caroline slept in was worth about $40,000.  She is now in a cheaper incubator - $20,000 or so.  Think about premature babies born in third world countries where they cannot afford this kind of equipment.  Mothers have to sleep with their baby next to them to keep them warm, or hold the baby close as the baby is transported to the nearest hospital that can care for the baby, which may be very far away.  So, when you see the pictures of us holding Caroline, she is against our skin, or in my case, my hairy chest.  Sorry Caroline!  She is actually down the neck of my tshirt.

I have been looking through some of our baby gifts tonight.  As Katie says, I perform better when I am prepared.  She is going to regret saying that.  I decided to give the Baby Bjorn a test run...

I am going to be a great tourist.