Emilia has a physiotherapist visiting her at home on a regular basis. We got this PT through CCAC. (We also have a visiting nurse from CCAC to check on her once a week). I decided to get physiotherapy for Emilia just to make sure she's physically developing normally and if there is any delay, we can intervene early rather than late when it's more difficult to correct the situation.
So far the PT says Emilia is quite good, considering her age and also the time she has spent just lying in hospital bed. However the PT showed me 3 more types of exercises I should be doing with Emilia for the next two weeks. When she was demonstrating, Emilia kept crying and screaming our ears off. Tears were rolling out of her eyes and she had pouty lips... what a sad face she was showing. I wonder if my heart will be strong enough to force her these exercises when she cries like that when I am by myself. I think that is why I need a third party person, like the PT, to come in and do the exercises for her.
Emilia was born on May 31, 2011, at 25 weeks and 5 days in gestational age. She came home on October 21, 2011 after spending 143 days in the hospital. Today she's a thriving, happy baby who continues to amaze us every single day. This blog records the journey of our miracle baby.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
Reflux Baby
Emilia has GERD (reflux) and though it is not a condition of prematurity, it partly comes from the fact that a feeding tube had to be placed through her nose and esophagus into her stomach for a long time. Also of course, the muscle between the esophagus and the stomach needs to be mature. I know a lot of term babies have GERD and the parents probably share the same story. It's very hard to hold the baby upright as the baby gets older and heavier. Emilia likes sitting in her bouncy chair but she gets restless after a while. If I put her down on her back, she starts refluxing and grunts and moans. My wrist is hurting so badly already and she's not even 2 months old yet.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Emilia is 7 weeks old corrected
Emilia now weighs over 11 lb (over 5 kg). She has grown a lot since she came home. I think she has adjusted to her home really well and quickly. She sleeps well at night (sometimes sleeping through night) and eats and plays well during the day.
All her life so far, her living space was limited to her bed space area in the hospital, in the same crib and around the same walls. Now she gets to move from one room to another. I deliberately let her spend the day time in the nursery, late afternoon in the living room and the sleeping time in the master bedroom (where her crib is). I want to take her out for a stroll in the backyard and the neighbourhood but this past week's weather was just too awful - either rainy or freezing cold for her. Unfortunately the weather will not get any warmer than this next several months.
She focuses her eyes more now. She actually looks at mommy and daddy. She now even looks at the toys hanging on her bouncy chair and looks intently into the mirror I put in her room. So far she seems to meet her milestones, for a 7 week old baby. I have to continue to give her lots of tummy time and hand exercises but it's so hard to find the time that she is awake AND calm/playful.
We need to go back to her paediatrician this coming Monday. Last Monday's appointment was cut short because the doctor apparently was having a very busy day because it was a PA Day in the local school board. He told us to come back another day for a full checkup. I was so disappointed in him - he should have seen that it was not easy for us to travel to his office with Emilia, with her oxygen cylinder and oxygen saturation monitor. It took two adults to take her to the doctor's office! He was just too insensitive, I guess. Perhaps I should've expressed my disappointment at the time but somehow I felt I should reserve it to myself as I don't want my baby's care to be affected (and it was the first time we met him). Let's see how the 2nd appointment goes.
(This week's pictures to follow in a separate post...)
All her life so far, her living space was limited to her bed space area in the hospital, in the same crib and around the same walls. Now she gets to move from one room to another. I deliberately let her spend the day time in the nursery, late afternoon in the living room and the sleeping time in the master bedroom (where her crib is). I want to take her out for a stroll in the backyard and the neighbourhood but this past week's weather was just too awful - either rainy or freezing cold for her. Unfortunately the weather will not get any warmer than this next several months.
She focuses her eyes more now. She actually looks at mommy and daddy. She now even looks at the toys hanging on her bouncy chair and looks intently into the mirror I put in her room. So far she seems to meet her milestones, for a 7 week old baby. I have to continue to give her lots of tummy time and hand exercises but it's so hard to find the time that she is awake AND calm/playful.
We need to go back to her paediatrician this coming Monday. Last Monday's appointment was cut short because the doctor apparently was having a very busy day because it was a PA Day in the local school board. He told us to come back another day for a full checkup. I was so disappointed in him - he should have seen that it was not easy for us to travel to his office with Emilia, with her oxygen cylinder and oxygen saturation monitor. It took two adults to take her to the doctor's office! He was just too insensitive, I guess. Perhaps I should've expressed my disappointment at the time but somehow I felt I should reserve it to myself as I don't want my baby's care to be affected (and it was the first time we met him). Let's see how the 2nd appointment goes.
(This week's pictures to follow in a separate post...)
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