One Month Old

Gavin - One Month Old

Gavin's First Wellness Check!

Gavin's Stats

Height - 19 1/2 inches - 50%
Weight - 7 lbs. 6oz. - 30%
Head - 14" - 50%

First Bath

Gavin's First Bath at Home!  The pictures will tell the story.

 "Mom, this sucks!  Get me out of here."

 "I still don't like it!"

 "Well, maybe this isn't too bad."

 "Nope it still sucks!"

 "Awe!  Much better wrapped up in a warm towel!"

"Okay mom,  Let's just not do that again."

We're Finally Home!

Gavin was released from the Hospital around 2pm on Friday, March 4th 2011.  It was sad to leave the nice nurses and staff at Ridgeview NICU, but we were happy to finally have our family under one roof.

 Gavin ready to leave Waconia for the first time!

 Big sister loves having her little brother at home!

 Daddy and Son napping on the chair!

 Daddy with his babies!  Can you tell which one isn't sleeping?

 Kaitlyn feeding her baby a bottle with mommy's nursing pillow!

 Nana and Kaitlyn baked Gavin a birthday cake when he came home! Happy Birthday Gavin!

 Kaitlyn loves holding her little brother!

Our little angels!

Life in the NICU

Our little boy spent 16 days at the Level 2 NICU at Ridgeview Hospital in Waconia.  The NICU has been open for a year.  They partnered with Children's Hospital, so our little guy was in great hands.  Having your baby in a NICU takes some getting used too.  You learn very quickly what all the wires and tubes are for and what each monitor represents and what numbers are normal on each one.

Mommy holding Gavin for the first time!

Daddy holding Gavin for the first time.

Gavin was on a strict 3 hour eating schedule.  Before each feeding he would have to get a blood pressure, diaper change (which is weighed), and temperature taken.  As parents our jobs were diaper changes and temperature.  It's not easy to change a diaper with cords and tubes everywhere. 

Gavin was taken off the Oxygen after 24 hours, which was great news.  He still had an IV, feeding tube, heat sensor, heart rate, and a monitor to show oxygen levels in his blood.  We were also able to hold him and I was able to breastfeed.  He latched on, but wasn't too interested in sucking.  He had to take his whole feeding within 30 minutes.  Anything left would be given to him through his feeding tube.  (This is where I learned about the metric system.  Everything was measured in milliliters instead of ounces.)

Big Sister Kaitlyn visiting Mommy and Gavin at the Hospital.

Big Sister and Little Brother!

The Third day I was discharged from the hospital and our commuting to and from home started.  (Good thing we only lived 10 minutes from the Hospital.)  It was really hard for me to leave my baby at the hospital, but I knew he was in good hands.  The only nice part is that I was able to sleep in my own bed and only wake up to pump.  The nurses wanted me to get as much rest as I could before out little guy came home.  At the same time Kaitlyn really needed her mommy to be at home too.  Gavin also started showing signs of Jaundice and he was ordered to be on light therapy.  (His bilirubin level was 14.)

Gavin chillin under the lights with his cool shades!

The next day his bilirubin levels when up again to 15 and he was very sleepy and only taking his feedings through his feeding tube.

Sunday 2/20 - Record Snow Storm!  This was quite the day in the McNeilly household as well.  My sister left on her honeymoon Saturday and my mom was at her house watching her 3 puppies with Kaitlyn.  That morning my mom called me to inform me that Kaitlyn was constipated and had been crying for mommy and daddy all night.  So, now I have 2 kids needing to poop.  After some quick thinking... I decided to have my mom, Kaitlyn, and the 3 puppies come and stay at our house.  (I felt better having everyone under one roof, while Nate and I continued our back and forth to the hospital.)  So, now our house contains... 3 adults, 1 toddler, 1 cat, and 4 dogs.

Monday 2/21 - Gavin's Bilirubin started dropping.  He also had the IV removed.

Tuesday 2/22 - Gavin's Bilitubin dropped again but they continued with Light Therapy.  I was also able to fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans!  Yeah!  Nana came to visit Gavin for the first time.  Daddy also got Gavin to take his whole bottle orally and not through his feeding tube. 

Wednesday 2/23 - Bilirubin dropped again to 9 and he was taken off the light therapy.  Gavin is officially One Week Old!  He can also wear clothes and not just a diaper.  Daddy thinks he might be getting a cold, so he isn't able to come visit.

The remaining 9 days in the NICU were pretty much the same.  Gavin would take approx. 50% of his feedings either by breast or bottle.  He needed to be at 100%.  The nurses kept telling us that one day he will just get it and we would be able to go home!  Their favorite saying is: "We don't have any 1 year olds running around here, so they eventually get it and can go home.

Hanging out with Daddy!

Aunty Anny came to visit after her honeymoon!

Kaitlyn's first time holding her little brother!

I love this picture!

On Thursday 3/3 the doctor told us it was still going to be several days before we could go home.  She did recommend that I try an overnight to see if he does better breast feeding than taking a bottle.  So, we decided to stay over that night.

Friday 3/4 - Gavin is a Boob Man!!!  He took each of his feedings by breast and had gained weight... this means... WE GET TO GO HOME! 

A few things have to happen before we were officially discharged.  Gavin had to pass a Car Seat Test.  We had to put him in his car seat and he had to sit in there for one hour.  (We weren't able to move or touch him during this time.)  He had to maintain his heart and oxygen levels.  He of course Passed, so we began the check-out process.

Gavin ready to go home!