Stephen's Journey: Kangaroo Care

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Kangaroo Care

Today I got to experience a super special test thanks to Stephen's awesome nurse Connie. It's called kangaroo care and is basically skin-to-skin contact with your baby to help bonding between the baby and the mom or dad and helps to do all sorts of other things like calm the baby and help the mother with breastfeeding/pumping. Connie got the neonatologist to agree to change his respiratory care from CPAP to the nasal cannula during kangaroo care so that both Stephen and I would be more comfortable and it definitely worked out great. Basically Connie rearranged his room and machines so that we could get a lounge chair his room and then she placed him on my chest. It took a minute or two for him to settle down, but once he did, he snoozed away the entire time! And I loved every minute of it! At one point I told Bill that I was going to wrap him up and steal him away from the NICU. It was the best hour and a half I've spent in a long long time. Afterwards we wrapped him up in his snuggly sleep sak and put him back in his big boy bed. Stephen moved to the crib yesterday and as a result, we are able to swaddle him with blankets and sleep sacks from home. Even though I have to wash his blankets and things each day, it's been really great being able to take him some of his things from home. Not only can I bring his smells home for Mabel, but it makes me feel more like a "normal" mom being able to do his laundry and provide things for him.
Plus I can't wait to go buy him some more sleep sacks and blankets!

Here are a few pics from kangaroo care today. You can see that Stephen is continuing to lose some of the excess fluid. Each day he's losing a little more fluid and we're able to see little by little what our little guy really looks like!

p.s. Hasn't the other special man in my life done an awesome job taking beautiful pictures of Stephen?! Billy has done an amazing job at taking pictures with our new camera. He has certainly mastered it way better than I have and these pictures are definitely priceless!

10 comments:

DanielleJanuary 16, 2011 at 11:03 PM
You look so wonderfully happy it brings tears to my eyes!!! I'm so happy for you that you are able to hold your baby boy and love on him! Bill is doing a great job with the camera!! :)
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AshlyJanuary 16, 2011 at 11:03 PM
Love the new pics!!! So glad he's still doing well!!!
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UnknownJanuary 16, 2011 at 11:04 PM
I can't look at your blog without crying! These pictures are so wonderful. I'm thrilled you got to experience such a special thing! Still praying every day for you all. Much love.
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NaomiJanuary 17, 2011 at 6:04 AM
Fantastic post! The photos are beautiful x
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Kim & BrianJanuary 17, 2011 at 8:40 AM
It's great to see you so happy with Stephen! Even though Bill is not in the pictures I'm sure he's beaming, too. We're so happy for you right now!
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ciaraJanuary 17, 2011 at 8:45 AM
I am so thrilled for you both! What a special time it must have been - i can see it in your face! He looks so cozy with his mommy and in his swaddle!
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AnonymousJanuary 17, 2011 at 8:48 AM
So happy to hear things are going well. That the fluid keeps coming off, etc. Lindsey, you look beautiful! my kids loved looking at the pics of Stephen. they thought he was too cute!

We have a few things for Stephen & another "breakfast bread" for you & Billy. May be Greg can drop off later this wk. xoxo, ashley (callen)
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AnonymousJanuary 17, 2011 at 3:55 PM
Lindsey, you look beautiful--motherhood certainly agrees with you and Stephen certainly loves his Mommy. Glad to hear that things are progressing well. Billy, please keep those precious pictures coming. We look for them every day.
Love to all,
Uncle Dick and Aunt LuAnn
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{darlene}January 19, 2011 at 7:35 PM
great pictures!! Lindsey, you look beautiful and so full of joy! What a doll he is!
Praying!
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Megan HJanuary 19, 2011 at 8:31 PM
What wonderful photos of you two. I'm sure Stephen can feel your energy and strength. Keep smiling Linds, you're doing an amazing job!
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Our Crazy Kidney Life

As many of you already know, our son Stephen, was born with a very rare kidney disease called Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD). When the disease was discovered during my 27th week of pregnancy, Stephen was given a less than 1% chance of living more than a few hours past birth. He was to have such severely underdeveloped lungs that the doctors said he would likely not even take one breath. However, on January 4, 2011, we were granted our 1st miracle - and Stephen came into this world crying (and breathing!) and fighting for his life with fierce determination. At 6 days old he had BOTH of his kidneys removed and began peritoneal dialysis. Stephen came home from the hospital when he was 59 days old requiring 12 hours of dialysis every night as well as enteral (feeding tube) feeds during the day and overnight.

On May 9, 2013, we were granted our 2nd miracle, in the form of a new kidney from an extremely generous friend. Stephen received a kidney from a non-related living donor at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He spent 13 days in the hospital recovering from his big surgery and ever since has been living life the fullest! His life is still a delicate balance of medications and weekly lab work, but he's an extremely vibrant, loving, active 2.5 year old.

This blog is Stephen's journey told through my eyes (his mother's), thoughts, and emotions, with extreme highs and lows. But there's no way we would be where we are today without all of the support, thoughts and prayers from our family, friends, and readers! Thank you!!