Ahhh! March 23. That was the last time I blogged. It's a bad sign when you have to read back a couple posts to see what you wrote last! We have had some great progress in these past few weeks!
BIG NEWS: I got a call from the pulmonlogist today cancelling our appointment for Beckett's next synagis! Turns out RSV has really decreased, and they aren't giving the next dose now. I asked if it was an insurance thing, and that wasn't the issue at all. I am happy, yet still a little nervous! So I asked what that meant in regards to RSV isolation, and she said "well, I wouldn't be completely relaxed just yet, but the cases are fewer, so the risk is lower." So we shall see...you might start seeing the Gramkows out and about. Baby steps though, baby steps. I do still have an immune-compromised baby, and still have to be cautious. BUT at the same time....EXCITING STUFF! I know it's probably weird to understand...wanting to be out of RSV isolation so badly, but then at the same time...now the reality has come to enter the wild, I mean world. :) Mixed feelings really. Still going to have the fears of him getting sick. I think that just comes with the preemie territory, honestly.
I may or may not be looking back at his sticker calendar (that has now turned into his appointment calendar) to see what has happened!
Sunday, March 25: He kept his head mid line while in his swing for the FIRST TIME! And he BAT at his first toy (on the play mat) for the FIRST TIME! Celebrate. This is a big deal in preemie world. As far as developmental stuff, we just wait and see. So yes, "mini-milestone" celebrations are definitely necessary. I posted this on Facebook last night. (Apparently I get sentimental and reflective late at night when it's just me and Beckett. Honestly, I was marveling at his wrists. He now has that pudge...you know the fat on the wrist that makes it look like he's wearing a perma rubber band. And to think that Ben's ring fit around that wrist when he was born...)
"I would never wish preemiehood on anyone, but I wish all parents could
have perspective thru the preemie parent lens. Every little gain of
weight, every breath, every developmental mini-milestone...celebrated. I
pray that parents wouldn't overlook or take for granted the things that
come easier for others, but instead thank God for his true miracle. Seriously, all babies are just amazing!"
Physical Therapy on March 27 with Kelli went pretty well. We did notice he was still prefering his head turning to the left, but she was WAY impressed with how well he was holding his head in the middle while on his back!!! His neck muscles are getting stronger, so we got to add to the Beckett sandwich, by holding his shoulders while facing us. This way he can work on the bobble to the left and right lean-age. So working on getting rid of our bobble "nod yes" and now we've added project "no more nod no."
I may or may not have had to take a TV time out from blogging to A) feed Beckett and B) put in our wedding DVD for Ellie to watch AGAIN. I think this might be like the 8th time in the past three weeks (would have been a lot more if family wasn't in town last week).
Ok, back to PT talk...we also started to help him with the roll motion, but supporting his hips, and supporting his upper chest to finish the roll to the tummy. So fast forward to TODAY's PT appointment. Impressive. Seriously, it is so fun seeing Beckett do new things each time Miss Kelli puts him to the "challenge." He tolerates the therapy quite well, but you can tell he gets tired of lifting that big head. Don't blame him, but he is getting SO much better. On tummy time he can hold his head up for about 8 seconds before he starts to bobble. AND he has now lifted his head higher AND will look side to side while holding up his head. He is nearly on track for development of a 3 month old (which is what his adjusted age is).
She noticed today that he today really liked turning his head to the left (which we had been over correcting before), so now we will just try and alternate, making sure he is doing both ways. It's harder now though since he can keep his head mid line so well! A good problem though. Not complaining here! The BIG challenge that really impressed me today was she supported his hips to roll over, and he got those arms to come over AND he got his arms in army crawl position AND lifted up his head! (although, you have to have patience and give him time for him to realize..."oh, this feels awkward, maybe I better bring my flailing arm over") I as "mom therapist" struggle with this, as I just want to correct, and support him too soon often times. Seriously, nothing like giving your baby a work out...and then you get the sad faces...just breaks your heart. But then a part of me says "buck up boy" ..."you gotta do this." He is seriously starting to master this whole multi-tasking body moving thing.
So our homework for these next two weeks is:
1. More Beckett sandwich, but we can support his chest and back LOWER because the neck is strengthening.
2. Practice the rolling with the hip support, and lift shoulder with finger if needed.
3. Tummy time by holding hips down to help him lift his head more. This phenomenon is so interesting. We are practicing shifting weight. I know right? I wish I could shift weight to my toes. I'd be ok with large toes. But when B started to gain more head control, he would do an amazing seal impression, where his feet will lift up too. But as they learn to balance and shift their weight down their body, it'll get easier for him to keep his head up, and his tush and his feet down. He is able to lift his head a little higher when I basically hold down his bottom.
4. Finding his FEET! He has lifted his feet up at the same time, a few times. Nothing intentional though, I'm pretty sure. So this week, we are working on discovering how cool our feet are. He has found his hands, and it's pretty funny watching him stare at them, and twist his fists, and stare again. Feet it is. Bending will help the belly bulge. We are still working on getting rid of the belly bulge. DRG, that belly bulge is just going to be the last to go, I just know it! (FYI: DRG used to pick on me because every day I would ask about the belly bulge. It bothered me SO much, and every time he would say, it's soft, no hernias, it's not concerning me. But I would still manage to ask again, and again. :)
5. Still working on tracking and batting at toys. Side-lying reaching for toys.
Kelli did notice that he is opening and closing his hands more with his right hand, where as the left likes to stay in the fist pump position. Just something we will continue to watch, again because of the brain bleed.
So this week, my dad asked me a question about the difference in OT and PT, so I thought this link might help explain. We probably know more of Physical Therapists that help with gross motor skills. Occupational therapists help with the fine motor skills. They mention speech therapy as another common preemie therapy, and we are so thankful that Beckett didn't qualify in this area. He has got a good grasp on suck, swallow, breath. And he does like to eat, which is SO good for a preemie! http://www.babycenter.com/404_what-therapies-can-help-my-premature-baby-develop_10304025.bc
"Occupational therapy can
help your baby gain competence with the basic activities of her everyday
life – what occupational therapists call "activities of daily living"
(ADLs). Examples of "baby ADLs" include eating, playing, and interacting
with others. Depending on your child's strengths and needs, the
occupational therapist may help her learn to manipulate toys, develop
her feeding skills, improve her fine motor skills or manage "sensory inputs" such as touch, sounds, and lights.
So we had to take a week hiatus from Occupational Therapy because lovely insurance said they were denying our services. Well, apparently changing the coding from "prematurity" and developmental delay to "developmental delay due to short gestation." I am very thankful they got it figured out, and we got notification that indeed it is covering OT, and so we went back this past Friday. Poor Beckett was a little on the tired side, so he fussed some. Debbie had never seen him cry. Usually he just LOVES the infant massage. (Some research states the infant massage helps preemies gain weight better) And I do believe it helps with the bowel movements. (Speaking of BMs, Beckett has picked it up even more in that area. We give him about an ounce of juice a day, and we've had about 10 in the past three days! We don't know what to do! HA! But it's better than seeing him really struggle and cry when he is trying to poop every week or week and a half! Ok, more on that when I talk about our nutrition consult!)
Back to OT....we learned some infant massage techniques for the back, which I am NOT steller at because you actually place them on your lap, and criss cross applesauce is a little stiff for this lady! Apparently I am not as flexible as the good old days.
Ok...will have to continue later...I'm late for Bible Study!
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