Collin is moving to Elephant pod!

Last night was a long night because they changed Collin's feeding schedule so it caused my pumping schedule to change as well. We did not get as much sleep because of the new schedule because I had to catch up with Collin's new schedule.

This morning was an eventful morning though.

I decided to sleep a little more after my 5 am pumping before getting up for the day. Chris ran over to Starbucks to get us some coffee once I finally got up around 9 am. We were sitting in the cafe in the Ronald McDonald house and Matt, the guy in charge of the Ronald McDonald house here, came in and told Chris and I that he was going to transfer a phone call for us. Chris answered the phone and it was Kelly, Collin's nurse, calling to ask if I wanted to breastfeed for Collin's 10 AM feeding.

Collin wasn't too sure what to do but he was at least alert and responding to my voice and he maintained his respiratory rate in the 40-60 range while trying to figure it all out. We ended up feeding him through the feeding tube because he couldn't quite figure it out, but he at least stayed calm and seemed content while we were trying.

The Dr. came by after I had tried to breastfeed him and said that he wanted us to try a bottle for one of his feedings today and see how he did with that before we tried breastfeeding again.

After our attempt at breastfeeding, we were able to dress Collin in his own clothes! This is the first time he has had clothes on besides the little t-shirt they put on him the other day that swallowed him up. We put one of his preemie outfits that Mee Mee bought him on and swaddled him up in a blanket. Collin was also moved from the incubator type crib with a heater to a regular crib!

Collin in his first outfit

Tonight at shift change (6:30-7:00) Kelly, his nurse, will move him to a different pod in the NICU. Currently Collin is in the Rabbit pod but tonight he will move to Elephant, which puts us one step closer to going home...Elephant is the first pod you get to when you walk into the NICU so he is close to the exit! We have now learned all the pods in the NICU, at least we think we have a good understanding, (Duck, Bear, Giraffee, Rabbit, Sheep, Cat, Elephant) in order of increased severity to decreased severity. Collin started out in Giraffee his first night here.

We have been really fortunate the past 2 nights because we were able to get one of the rooms through Ronald McDonald House on the same floor with Collin. I just found out that we have a room again tonight so we will be here with him again. It has really been such a blessing to be able to be so close to him and to be able to take his bottles right down the hall when it is time for his feedings!

Since Collin did not breastfeed, I was able to pump for his next feeding and it bought Chris and I some time to run home today and get more clothes for the next few days and bring a few things home. Today was the first time I have been out of this hospital in the past week. It is a beautiful day outside so it felt good to get away even if it was only for 2 hours.

Chris is now back there with Collin trying to feed him his first bottle so I will try to post another update later.