Toaster Head 2/4/13
Melissa
Hattie is 30 weeks gestational age today! We continue to be optimistic and grateful for Hattie's progress. Please pray Chris and I are good examples of faith for Hattie and that we will be good parents and teachers for her. Lord, please let your grace and love fall over Hattie and continue to give her strength for her journey ahead. Yesterday afternoon Nurse Shanna changed Hattie back to her Z-Flo mattress to allow more cushion for her head. Since Hattie typically lies on her belly with her head flat facing one way or the other, she is starting to get what the nurses call "toaster head," sort of a flat, elongated head shape. The Z-Flo was short-lived; it lasted less than 18 hours. Hattie is too mobile to be back in the Z-Flo; she moves her head on her own a lot and was face planting and causing herself to lower her heart rate and desat. She's now comfortably back in her snuggli. Soon we will start training Hattie to sleep on her back (she will need to sleep on her back once we're home and she's not hooked up to the monitors) and the "toaster head" will fix itself.
Dr. Alexander saw Hattie today and informed me she'll have her first eye exam sometime during the next week when she's 31 weeks gestational age. A neonatal ophthalmologist will come to Hattie's bedside to do the exam. I understand they will use metal contraptions to hold her eyelids open and dilate her eyes. It sounds pretty scary and the nurse told me it is very stressful for the babies. Dr. A does not foresee any challenges with Hattie's eyes, especially because she spent no time on oxygen. Dr. A also discontinued the Lotrimin for her rash from her diaper because the nurses couldn't figure out where to put it. I guess that's a good indication it is healed!
Hattie is starting to recognize when she's getting hungry. About a half hour before her feed she starts sucking the air like a bird, grunts and gets a little antsy. She is still a good eater and now weighs 1,309 grams or 2 pounds, 14 ounces.
Our good friend Katie was so nice to come spend time with us tonight. We were all laughing at Hattie's grunts and squeaks while Chris kangarooed her. Hattie was practically planking on Chris with both arms and legs pointing straight down!
