Pic: Napping

Snoozing with Daddy

Pics: Christmas Shots

Both the "Merry Christmas" and "Bah Humbug" versions...

Pics: A Couple of New Ones

Sydney with Grandma and her new "pony, " and with a quilt from my grandparents

Pic: just another cute one

She's just too cute!

Pic: Chow Time

Nathan feeds Sydney

Video: For Grandma

Do some reason my mom can't get my videos, despite having the same phone. So, I'll put the video here!

Pic: Sleeping Sydney

She looks so peaceful!

Video: Attempting From Phone

Sydney attempting to eat her hand.

Pic: Thumb Sucker

Sydney sucking her thumb.

Pic: Pouty Face

Pouty Face

Video Attempt

I'm making an attempt to put a video of Sydney here on the blog. Hopefully this will work, and by the time you read this, you will be seeing her in motion!

Very Late Update

Sorry, it's tough to get in here and update once we are home! But, things are going well. My mother leaves to go back to Portland tomorrow. Sydney seems to be getting a cold. That scares the heck out of me considering the lung problems she had at birth. Hopefully it will just continue to be a snorkily nose.

In the meantime, here are some new pictures!

Going Home!!!

We are going home!!!!!!!!! More details later, gotta talk to the doctor.

Stuck Here a Bit Longer

How long? I don't know. They won't realease her because she isn't gaining weight. She's not losing, but just maintaining.

I've actually been stuck at the hospital for the last two days. I had my "rooming in" night on Friday night, but a snowstorm hit before I was released. So, it's turned into a 48 hour ordeal now. I'm completely exhausted. It's not just like how it would be at home, which is the idea behind the concept, I guess. I still have to weigh her before and after each time she eats, and constantly take her temperature. She's still hooked to monitors, so I can't walk around with her. She loves to dirty her diaper while she eats, so I weigh her before, stop and weigh her, change her diaper, weigh her again, feed her some more, and weigh her again. I probably took her temperature twice during all of that, too. Then whenever I get her to go to sleep, and I lay down to rest myself, a nurse or a doctor walks in wanting something. Then she wakes up, and the whole thing starts again.

My car is stuck in the parking lot at the Ronald McDonald house. My mom is trying to get it unstuck. I seriously need to get out of here. My mom actually walked in just as I was writing this. Yay!

At the same time, I feel horribly guilty for feeling like this. I want to be with my baby, but I can't deal with being stuck here anymore.

Hopefully we will get to go soon.

Pic: Sydney on Sunday

Sunday morning Sydney

Snowed in at the hospital!

Snow, freezing rain, and my mom got my car stuck. So, I'm stranded at the hospital :(

Pic: Sydney, of course!

She says hello, and thanks for all of the well wishes!

Pic: Syd in a Hat

Sydney on Thursday

Huge News!

Sydney took in 60 mls (according to weight checks) when I breastfed her this afternoon. Then after getting poked and prodded by the doctor, she ate some more.

Then the way fab news, her neonatologist thinks she's doing great, and has set a tentative release date for Sunday! Keep your fingers crossed that we don't get that potential snow they are talking about so that we CAN come home on Sunday.

This calls for dancing bananas!

The Whole Story

First of all, an update. Sydney is doing quite well! She's no longer on IV fluids and nutrition, and I was actually able to breastfeed her this morning. From weighing her, she took in about 12 mLs. She then consumed about 18 mLs from a bottle that Nathan gave her. The only issue is that she keeps falling asleep while she's eating, and has to constantly be woken up and reminded that she needs to keep going. But still, she's doing great for a baby that was five weeks premature.

Also, today is her one week birthday! It's hard to believe that it's been that long. On the other hand, I feel like I've been in this hospital for an eternity.

I have a few minutes right now, so I thought I'd tell a bit more about the chain of events that led to Sydney arriving earlier than expected. I'm on a computer just outside the NICU, and could get called in to feed her at any moment, so I may have to post and continue the story later.

Sometime in the weekend before Thanksgiving, Sydney dropped into position to start heading out into the world. I panicked, so I grabbed one of my pregnancy books, and it said that this typically happens many weeks before birth in first time mothers. So, that made me feel better. My doctor confirmed this at my routine appointment on Tuesday, Nov 20th. I figured I still had several weeks to go.

At 1:00 A.M. on Wednesday morning, I seriously thought that I had just been unable to make it to the bathroom on time. I had consumed a ridiculous amount of water and lemonade at childbirth class the night before, and assumed that it was coming back to haunt me. I also was having severe pain in my lower abdomen that I attributed to my meal from Taco Bell. It wasn't until nearly dawn that things started clicking in my head. I didn't wet the bed due to drinking too much with a weak pregnant bladder, nor was I having bad gas pains from eating at Taco Bell. My water had broken, and I was having contractions. But, it was still too early, and I took some of the medication (Terbutaline) that my doctor had prescribed to ward off premature labor. I probably should have gone to the hospital then, but it was almost time for the doctor to open, so I just lied back down.

At 8:00 A.M. when the doctor's office opened, I left Dr. Meyer a message asking what to do. His nurse called me back immediately, telling me to come in. I was still clinging to the hope that I just had poor bladder control and Taco Bell induced GI distress, so I went in assuming that I wouldn't even be there all day. I got dressed and threw on a baseball cap, not even taking the time to find a headband.

My doctor examined me, then sent me to the hospital for monitoring and tests. At first they thought that I was just low on amniotic fluid, and intended to keep me overnight on IV Fluids to attempt to rebuild the fluid volume. The idea of spending the night in the hospital distressed me. If I only knew! An hour later, I lost more fluid, and the tests came back that the amniotic sac truly was broken. So, I then knew that I was headed to Sioux Falls, SD to deliver, as nothing earlier than 36 weeks gestation is delivered in Spencer. I asked if I could run home to get things before we drove over, and to take the dogs to my work. The nurse informed me that I would be taken by ambulance. I called Nathan to tell him to start rounding up bags for us and to get the dogs to the clinic. Then my doctor came in and informed me that the helicopter would be there for me in about a half hour. HELICOPTER?????

Unfortunately, I was so bundled up and strapped down on the helicopter to really look around, so that was kind of disappointing. Not that it would have mattered much anyway. I had a mild contraction shortly after takeoff. By the time we reached Sioux Falls, I was having extremely painful contractions about five minutes apart.

I'd had visions of attempting this without pain relief before going into this. That went out the door shortly after arriving, and I asked the nurses for some sort of pain relief. They told me that I couldn't have anything until the doctor examined me. But unfortunately, she was in surgery, so I would have to wait. I think I called Nathan a few times asking if he was here yet at this point in time.

The doctor finally arrived, about two hours after I had gotten there. She examined me and determined that I was in labor. I could have told them that! She authorized an epidural, but I needed more fluids first. I think Nathan arrived sometime around then, and they moved me to another room to deliver.

They wanted to give me a 600 cc bolus of fluids, but I kept occluding my line by curling up into the fetal position whenever I had a contraction, which were coming at one to three minutes apart. So, I didn't get my epidural for another 2 to 2.5 hours. By this time, I was exhausted and pretty much out of it.

After the epidural, things went much more smoothly. Even still, when it came time to push, I was exhausted. I was falling asleep between contractions, even though they were only a minute or two apart. I felt that I had been asleep for much longer, however, and was surprised to find everybody hovered over me each time I woke up.

Sydney finally arrived around 5:40 A.M. on Thanksgiving morning. Right after she was born, I got extremely nauseated and started vomiting, so I did not get to hold her right away. I held her for a minute or two before they took her away for blood testing and an exam. That was the last time I saw her outside the NICU. While they were checking her over, she started showing signs of respiratory distress, as her lungs were just not mature enough to function properly without assistance.

I think the rest of the blog tells the rest of the story. Sydney continues to improve, and I am hopeful that we will get to go home sometime early next week. I am enormously grateful to my husband, Nathan, who has been nothing but wonderful through this entire experience. I couldn't have asked for a better labor coach during the birth, and he continues to be immensely supportive when it all starts getting to me. My mother flew in on Sunday, and keeps me busy when Nathan has to return home to attend to things. Nathan's family has also been extremely supportive. I don't think I could have handled this without so much caring and support around me.

I guess I had better take off. I've spent a long time writing this post, and it's about time to go try to feed Sydney again.

Pic: Another of Daddy & Baby

Pic: Sydney and Grandma Johnson

My mother and Sydney. This was taken a couple of days ago when Syd was still on oxygen.

Pic: The Three of Us

I can't wait to have my make-up and hair dryer back, at least for pictures.

Pic: Nathan & Sydney

Nathan came back today after getting some stuff done at home. Sydney was happy to see Daddy!

Wednesday Morning Update

Sydney on Weds morning. She's taking bottles of breast milk now!

Pic: Sydney as of 11-27

Sydney as of the evening of 11-27. No longer on oxygen and doing great!

Another New Picture

She still doesn't have the hang of eating on her own, but we will get there!

A Few Blog Changes

I've made it look a little more baby friendly. As in, no skull faces! I've also deleted all of the old posts except one, a post I made after the death of my friend, Lora. I left that up so that folks can know a little bit about the wonderful person that inspired Sydney's middle name.

And yet STILL more good news!

Sydney is totally off the oxygen, and they are going to observe how she does without it. Let's hope she continues to do well without it!

Also, her nurse gave her a bottle of breastmilk, her first consumed on her own, this afternoon. Unfortunately, she got pretty excited about it and started breathing rather heavily after having it, so they were reluctant to give her another. Her next feeding was through the gastric tube in her nose. The lactation consultants, however, want me to try nursing her, so I will be doing that in about an hour. Hopefully that will go well.

I will keep everyone posted!

Sydney has been taken off the bili lights, and has a blanket instead. Her O2 has been lowered even more, and they have more than doubled her food amount!

Good news! Sydney has been moved to a NICU unit for less critical babies. She had her first breast milk via tube feeding. She's slowly improving!

Family Portrait

Nathan, me (looking terrible), Sydney, and my mother. I don't know why she is lurking behind the chair.

Family Portrait

Nathan, me (looking terrible), Sydney, and my mother. I don't know why she is lurking behind the chair.

Showing Off Her Pretty Eyes

Too cute!

The Chopper Part Deux

Another view of the chopper. I'm glad she took these so that I can put them in her baby book.

The Chopper

Photo taken by my aunt of the helicopter that took us to Sioux Falls.

First Hair Accessory

Sydney's nurse put a bow in her hair. Is that cute or what?

One Cool Baby!

Either being treated for jaundice, or getting ready for prom! And, the stomach tube is out!

Sydney - As Seen on the Hospital Website

Sydney's birth announcement and picture has made it to the hospital's website. You can see it at...

http://www.averamckennan.org/amck/services/birth/babyphotosdetail.aspx?BabyId=75239baf-a044-43ba-93f9-30108b2f5319

How they managed to snap those when her eyes were open, I have no idea. She never opens them for us! I've barely seen her pretty little eyes.

Sydney picture - no trach tube

This was taken Saturday morning, but I've been unable to send pics until now.

Another of Daddy & Baby

Nathan and Sydney

Daddy & Baby

Nathan and his new daughter, Sydney

HUGE Progress!

Sydney had the ventilator removed, and is doing GREAT! Hopefully she will be able to start eating soon, instead of getting all of her nutrition through an IV. I will update soon with new photos!

I will be able to keep this blog more up to date than other spots on the web as I can do it from my phone, so, check here for Sydney updates.

Yet more on Sydney

Sydney was delivered after an emergency helicopter ride to Sioux Falls from Spencer.

More on Sydney

Sydney is currently on a ventilator due to lung issues common in premature babies.

Welcome Sydney!

Sydney Lora Clark, born 11-22, weighing 5 lbs 14.5 oz. Five weeks premature.