One Week Old

I have been bad on updating, Lyla is one week old today! Here is quick look at the past week:

Lyla was born Wednesday April 6 at 9:53 a.m. Her Apgar score was 8 then 9. She was put on a CPAP Machine (I believe that's what they called it) to help her lungs not collapse and help her to breathe. I believe they also put some kind of protein in her lungs to help them out. I was kind of out of it that day from the medication and being so tired from being up all night. The picture of her on the CPAP machine is on the top right. I saw her in the Operating room and then visited her that night at 10 p.m. when I was feeling well enough to get up. Unfortunatly I was nauseous most of the day so I couldn't see her earlier. Bracken got to be with her right after and Mimi and Grandpa Dane visited that evening.

Thursday April 7 they had turned down the rates of breaths on the CPAP machine and she was keeping up with the difference.

Switched to Nasal Cannula tube, breathing on her own with some extra room air on the 8th (bottom right picture). I got to hold her for the first time that morning and in the evening she met Grandpa Paul & Grandma Niece.

Breathing on her own and first bottle feed on Saturday the 9th. She also got to meet Hayes & Kamri Saturday night. They were so excited to finally meet their baby sister!

Moved to Special Care Nursery (a step in the right direction to get home) on the 10th

Went tanning under the bilirubin lights on the 11th. Her bilirubin levels were just a little higher than they wanted but went down after being under the lights for a day.

Had her IV was taken out during the night of the 11th

The 12th they slowly lowered the temp of the isolette until it was at the room temp to see if she could regulate her own body temp and she has been doing great.

Last night (the 12th) we also brought in onesies for her. Her first outfit! Right after she got done bottle feeding with Dad.

They have slowly been upping her feed amount from the bottle by a few cc's every day and decreasing the amount she is being fed through the little tube in her nose. She started out with 10 cc's and now is up to 40 cc's. Before they were feeding the difference through the feeding tube in her nose but the past three days she has eaten all 40cc every three hours and hasn't had to be fed through the tube. She is eating like a champ! I've been going up every other feeding and Bracken has been coming to the one at 9pm when he is home from school.

It has been so much fun to have some little improvement or good news every time we have visited the NICU. We must be weird NICU parents because we are just so excited that she's here and healthy and the fact that she is 34 week was exciting for us. The past two days she has been wide awake for the feedings and has kicked off her blankets and is sucking on her hands waiting for me when I show up. I already know she is a daddy's girl because every time Bracken comes and she hears his voice she smirks. Every single time!

The kids can't wait until she gets home, they keep asking when she will be home. When Kamri saw her on Saturday she said I want to get my sister out of there!

Lyla Hope Longhurst

Lyla Hope Longhurst

April 6

5 lbs 1 oz

17.5 inches

We made it to 34 weeks! It would have been nice to make it a bit longer but we are SO happy that Lyla is safely here. She will be in the NICU for awhile and hopefully the next few days will give us more of an idea of how long. We've been told to expect anywhere from 2-6 weeks. I wish it would be one but will plan on six weeks... although so far she is doing great! A big thank you to everyone that has helped us with our kids, brought us meals, and prayed for us. We'll keep you updated!