Hi everyone, Lisa and I have decided that a Blog would be a great way to let all our friends and family know how our little girl is progressing in her first few tough days, weeks and months.

This is Olivia Grace Earp's story and we would love you to enjoy the highs with us and keep her in your thoughts during the lows.

I apologise for the rambling nature and somewhat thrown together appearance of the Blog but I don't have much time at the moment!

********You need to read from the bottom up with Blogs so the newest post is always at the top. Look to the right of the page and click on "Olivia's Story Post Archive" for the earlier posts***********

We are proudly supporting the Cots for Tots appeal to raise £1 million for vital equipment at St Michael's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Please have a look at the website and donate a few pounds if you can.

http://www.cotsfortots.org.uk/

James and Lisa xx

Friday, 4 February 2011

Day 17- A Slight Wobble

After the great news of yesterday we were hoping to ride the wave well in to the weekend, all was looking good until 6pm this evening when we fell off the board (that is the end of the surfing analogies I promise).

Olivia had a very good start to the day with the surgeons deciding that as she had kept down every feed from yesterday her milk intake could double from 5ml to 10ml every three hours with Lisa trying to get Olivia to latch on to her breast after each feed.  The first 3 feeds went very well with her aspirates remaining low and clear, she didn't quite master the latching on  but... slowly, slowly, catchy monkey!

The 6pm feed threw a spanner in the works......Lisa was trying to draw off and measure the fluid in Olivia's stomach before the feed (any more than 10ml or if it was tinged with green or brown then the feed wouldn't happen).  Lisa pulled the syringe out once and nothing came up so asked the nurse if she should try again, the answer was yes so she tried again and still nothing.  At this point another nurse got involved and tried herself, Lisa said she pulled very forcefully and managed to get 3ml of fluid up that was a muddy brown colour.  The nurse got very animated and decided she must show the doctor straight away as it was not a good sign.  When she returned still brandishing the syringe she said that the feed would not happen and that was that, no real explanation and no sign of the doctor.  Lisa was understandably a little upset at the news and was still not very happy when I arrived just before 7pm.  One of the other nurses suggested that it could be some old blood from when the tube was inserted the day before but I wasn't convinced.

We left the hospital slightly deflated but were telling ourselves it was just a hiccup and the 9pm feed would pass without incident.  We agreed to call Olivia's nurse just after 9pm to find out how it went.  James and Jess had prepared a beautiful spag bol for us so we scoffed that down and then called the ward......  It was good news!! Olivia had been given the full 10mls, they didn't even use the tube up her nose but a tiny cup so she could experience her first real taste of milk.  We were delighted and will sleep well knowing that she is back on track.  All we need now is a dirty nappy to end the week and we'll be very content parents!

Quick piccy form this evening then I'm off to sleep, sorry they all seem to be of her with her eyes closed, she always seems to be asleep when I get to the hospital. :-)

James x
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1 comment:

  1. Auntie Pam4 February 2011 at 19:52

    Reading the blog from afar in the North of Scotland, the milk this week is fantastic news.
    It will be a relief to hear of the next dirty nappy!

    lots of love from us all

    ReplyDelete

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