Parker... Day 3

Here is a quick update on Parker's progress...He is still making little strides to come home. His respiratory rate is still too high to let him start bottle feeding so he is on the feeding tube. He has been doing really well processing his food so the Doctor doubled his feeding amounts this evening to 16 cc's. All his cultures came back negative so the Doctor stopped his antibiotics. His weight is hovering right around his birth weight at 4lbs 12 oz and his bilirubin levels are great (no jaundice)

The plan from here is to keep increasing his feedings and subsequently decreasing his IV until we can eventually get rid of the IV. They will also watch his respiratory rate and once it gets under 70 they will start him on the bottle. Once he is off the IVs and can tolerate the bottle, he will be able to come home.

And now for a few daily pics... We were hanging out in Parker's room today and all of a sudden he got startled and raised his legs in the air. He left them there for about 5 minutes... what a strong little guy!
Mom and dad were able to get in several feeding holdings today.

And dad got to hold Parker for the first time.

He spends most of the time sleeping during those holdings.

Carter also came by for a quick visit. He was much more active than his past visits and entertained the nursing staff with his animal sounds, high-fives and waves. He also liked to point at the baby and was very curious about his monitors.

On a side note, mom was discharged from the hospital today and is loving being at home in her own bed! Hopefully the whole family will be home together soon!