It’s hard to believe Peanut has been home for almost two weeks now! The entire time has been a blur. Despite the lack of sleep, we’re falling into a new normal routine here, and Peanut is growing like a weed. As of last Thursday, she weighs 7 lbs 3 oz.
Peanut holds us to a pretty tight schedule. In order to get her all of the milk she needs, without putting too much in her intestines at one time, we’re still feeding her every three hours around the clock – even if that means waking a sleeping baby. Peanut is still on TPN (IV nutrition) for 14 hours a day as well. This is done overnight so that Peanut is connected to the pump and IV tubing while she sleeps and can still enjoy her day time activities (like tummy time) without having to worry about getting tangled in the IV tubing.
Just because we’re home doesn’t mean that Peanut is out of touch with her care team. Peanut is currently on a 2 week rotation for her doctors at the UIHC and her local pediatrician. This means, one week we make the trip to Iowa City to see her GI team and Surgery team, and the next week we visit her local pediatrician. Additionally, there is a visiting nurse that stops by two or three times a week to help us with changing the dressing on Peanut’s central line. We’re also in frequent phone contact with the GI doctor to keep him current on Peanut’s day to day progress.
There was some discussion during our last visit at the UIHC that Peanut may be approaching a point in her progress that we could let her sleep through one of her feedings in the middle of the night. That night is still a week or two off, but definitely a goal worth working towards.
Great news, Jill and Nick! Peanut is getting so big so quickly! Wow! What a cutie all bundled up for warm sleeping. You two are a great medical team, with the best of the best to back you up!
You can sure tell that peanut is growing!! We were so happy to see the posting on the blog.We sure have been thinking of all of you and wondering how things were going. We’re glad the schedule is working and probably getting easier in time.
It was important to get to that point. We sure miss our visits, but know your routine needed to get established.Thanks for keeping us updated. Let us know if you need any help from driving to your appointments or holding Peanut!!