Lydia has finally, as of today, surpassed her birth weight. On the day she was born, she weighed 660g (1lb, 7oz). That is just slightly heavier than a basketball. As of today, she weighs 688g (1lb, 8oz). She has grown 0.25 inches longer and is now 11.75 inches long (which is 2/5 the height of Mini-Me, Verne Troyer).
On the inside, she’s made a great deal of changes, too! She went off ventilator support the day after she was born, graduating to a bubble CPAP. After a bit of a mishap with her feeding tube, she moved from the CPAP to an NIV. The CPAP was the big plastic tubing that provided continuous support and made it easier for her to breathe. Lydia did all of the breathing, but the CPAP helped her lungs stay open between her breaths. The NIV provides more support by helping “trigger” breaths so she doesn’t have to work so hard to breathe. Although she was doing well on the CPAP, when she breathed in a bit of milk (aspirated it), it caused irritation in her lungs, That’s going to take some time for her to recover from. Lydia is also now eating “full feeds” which means, for her, right now, she’s eating 9ml of milk 8 times each day (a total of 72 ml or 2.5oz or 1/3 cup or 5tbsp) each day. She also poops and pees very well.
Lydia has a small PDA in her heart that the doctors haven’t discussed treating yet as small PDAs typically close on their own. Lydia has a small membranous VSD in her heart that will not be treated in the NICU. However, she will be followed by a cardiologist after she leaves the NICU. if the VSD doesn’t close on its own by the time she is 2 or so, we would discuss treatment options at that time. An untreated VSD is what will often cause the high school sport player to suddenly die while on the field. A middle school friend of mine passed away from a VSD while playing football in high school. In North Carolina, every baby, whether premature or not, is now checked for a VSD so they can be treated. The available treatments are very effective so it makes since to screen and treat VSDs.
Lydia’s brain also has the slightly enlarged ventricles in her brain. She will receive another ultrasound of her brain next week to see if the enlargement has increased, decreased, or stayed the same. For this, we are hoping for no change or that they decrease. The risk is that they grow and that puts pressure on her brain and hinders the growth of brain tissue. As of now, that risk is remote enough that the doctors aren’t concerned. I always tell my clients that they need not worry if I am not worried, The doctors say the same thing and I am trying hard to adhere to their advice.
Lydia’s personality is also showing itself. All of her nurses have told us that she is sassy. She is also incredibly strong, having achieved so much so quickly. The listing above may seem like she is weak and in grave danger, but for being born at 26 weeks, her progress is amazing. When the nurses do her care (change her diaper, adjust her tubes, listen to her heart, breathing and intestines, etc.), she expresses her displeasure for the parts she does’t like. Whenever they put the breathing support in her nose, she makes it clear she hates it and grabs on and tries to pull the tubes out. As soon as the nurses do what Lydia wants (wrap her up and tuck her in), she stops fussing. Her little cries are soft and sound like a kitten’s, but they’re full of emotion.