Kehlani's NICU Progress: Week 1

Since I neglected to do this daily, here’s her progress day by day. 

6-14-20 – Birth: Kehlani was immediately intubated and on bipap and surf, and had a UVC central line put in through her belly button.
She weighed 4# 9.7 oz.

6-15-20 – Day 1: Kehlani got her own room and began sleeping and growing in her new Isolette machine (incubator). at the 8:00 feeding, Mom was allowed to hold her for the first time! It was incredible!.
She weighed 4# 10.1 oz. 

6-16-20 – Day 2: Today they started TPN and Lipids and she got even more mama cuddles because Mom forgot how to change a diaper and Kehlani took advantage of the free air and wet the bed! It gave me a free snuggle so it ended up being a blessing! On this day, I (Mom) got discharged and got to leave the hospital for the first time which meant I got to spend the afternoon with Kai! I took her to the Heartwell park (aka our duck park) and we fed the ducks some bread that Nana sent for us. We read books in the pickup and also played legos. It was a great bonding time! Being able to be a mommy to Kai also helped my milk come in so Kehlani only had to have 2 feedings of donor milk! I used a lot of Lavender and Immortelle Blend Essential oils, ate oatmeal, and slept with Kehlani’s blankets so I tried everything I could think of to help it along.
Kehlani weighed 4# 3.6 oz. 

6-17-20 – Day 3: Kehlani’s jaundice level was high so she started on the bili blanket. Daddy came over in the evening so Mommy could go home to spend a night with Kai! Daddy and Kehlani got their first ever cuddles in and skin-to-skin time! Meanwhile at home, Mommy and Kai were spending quality time together and with Kona and Mele (our yellow labs).
Kehlani weighed in at 4# 2.5oz

6-18-20 – Day 4: This was an uneventful day as the central line (UVC) was still in, she was still on the bili blanket, but she has been eating great! Mommy came back and Daddy went home to be with Kai.
Kehlani weighed 4# 2.2oz

6-19-20 – Day 5: Kehlani finally got off the bili blanket! She also got taken off antibiotics and the UVC was removed! This was a huge day for her! This means that now, we get to hold her for every feeding instead of just once per day. This was so much needed for our bonding!
She weighed 4# 1.6oz

6-20-20 – Day 6: Kehlani hung out with Mom on this Saturday while Daddy took Kai, along with Uncle Nate, to the Lincoln Scheels so he could spend this as his Father’s Day with Kai. They also picked up Mom’s order at Target and came home with a bunch of diapers, a few adorable onesies & swaddle blankets, and Kehlani’s carseat! They also put the first onesie on Kehlani and it was a little bright yellow, Hawaiian-looking one and it was ADORABLE!
Kehlani weighed in at 4# 2.5oz

6-21-20 – Day 7: FATHER’S DAY! Daddy came last night to spend the night and today with Kehlani! And her IV got unhooked! The IV is still in her head but it’s not hooked up to anything anymore! It looks kind of like a pony tail from the top of her head. The funny-looking hat/guard is still there too. Mommy went home to spend the night with Kai and play legos as Nana Donna gave Kai a gift card to Scheels to pick out a new toy. She choose “Frozen 2” Legos! Kai is really into legos these days. Her imagination and story-creating is absolutely amazing to watch and listen to.
Kehlani weighed 1.1oz today

 

Kehlani on the left at 1 day old and Kai on the right at 1 day old

NICU Baby Kehlani
Father's Day in the NICU
Audra Leichleiter with Kehlani in the NICU
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