March 23, 2009: BIG News!

We have big news for everyone... Cohen has been moved to the Step Down Unit! While the move means Cohen is one step closer to coming home (and officially dubbed a 'feeder-grower'), it also means we left the comfort of our NICU home and all the nurses we’ve come to trust and love. The step down is on the 8th floor of the main hospital and is the old NICU location. And boy, when they say step down, they aren’t kidding! We went from a room shared with one other baby, complete with couch for me to sit on and a window to one large open room with 12 babies lining the outer wall, the nurses “desk” in the middle and NO place for me to sit all day! There is one curtain that provides a semi private area for breastfeeding and such, but not much more than that. Oh, and did I mention that it is loud?! Ugh. What’s worse is Cohen’s primary’s couldn’t follow him to the step down unit, so now I have to meet (and get used to) a completely new nursing staff. My real pet peeve is we were not told about the move at all. I walked into the NICU yesterday morning and was told to check a list for our last name. It was on the list and it was then they told me he was moved (along with 12 other babies) to the step down unit. Talk about completely out of the blue…the doctors didn’t even mention it to me as a possibility! The really sad part is we didn’t get to say goodbye and thank you to our primary and other favorite nurses. I will check in daily to try and catch them when they are working to thank them in person.

Okay, back to Cohen. He is 5lbs 4oz and looking bigger and bigger by the minute! His anemia is slowly resolving itself (well, with the help of iron and the shots) and he is getting stronger every day. His color is looking better as well and will not have to go off breastmilk! Cohen will be 35 weeks gestation tomorrow…and after bringing Carter home at 36 weeks I am trying my hardest to convince Cohen’s doctors that I can handle a 36 weeker again! He still needs to be monitored for the caffeine, get his eyes checked again and learn to really eat before we can talk about leaving.

As of now, if Cohen wakes up for a feed he will be able to breastfeed (if I am there) or nipple a bottle (at the nurse’s discretion). However, if he does not wake up, he will be gavaged. When Cohen reaches 36 weeks gestation, the nurses and I will be able to wake him up to eat and that should get things moving in the oral feed department!

We received the neatest box from my good friend Kari…it had something for everyone (even our nurses)! She is so creative, I love her! (The Ronald McDonald staff thought the decorated box was cool!) She was able to find some adorable nautical fabric and made Cohen the most perfect blanket. I love it and Cohen does too! Cohen also got some pretty adorable preemie clothes that fit perfect because there are no feet :) It was an amazing gift and we can’t thank her enough! Thank You Kari!!

I had my 6 week follow up appointment with my OB in Moscow. This was the first time I have seen or talked to him since my last appointment in January. (He wasn't even the one who sent me to Spokane, it was another doc in his practice) He walked in and the first thing he said to me was "I hear you are causing problems" Ha! We spent a good 30 minutes just reviewing everything that happened, talking about the silly reports that the hospitalists gave him when I was on bedrest (apparently "Type A", "strong willed", "animated", and "opinionated" were words that were commonly used to describe me). My Dr said that the hospitalist who first informed me I would be on bed rest for 6-7 weeks, didn't write like he enjoyed me very much at first but warmed up to me as the days progressed and actually had nice things to say about me in his last report (I am still very relieved that doctor didn't deliver Cohen!). I tried to defend myself by asking my doctor what he expected my reaction would be about being on bed rest and his response was a laugh and that he was glad he wasn't the one who had to put me on bed rest! I was reassured that this premature delivery was a fluke and I am no more likely to have it happen again than any other pregnant woman. Though he did say that my next pregnancy will be considered very high risk and that I would have to do all the prevention tactics we tried with this one PLUS be on restricted activities sooner than normal. My favorite part of the entire visit was when he told me I should probably wait a good 6 months to a year before becoming pregnant again! Ha Ha, my response was "try at least five years!" I absolutely loved my doctor and I was really bummed he didn't deliver Cohen...but I don't think we will be waiting around in Moscow for five years so he can deliver our next child.

Well, John and Carter will be going back to Moscow in the morning and I will return to my routine…which will include better blog coverage! I had so much fun with the boys last week and I cannot wait until the FOUR of us are all together.