New Digs

Hi everyone,

Team Beatrice had yet another big day today (one of these days she'll have to take a breather!). Her mommy and daddy went in this morning for her regular cares and ended up watching the docs take out her breathing tube. We heard her cry for the first time -- it was the most beautiful sound. We all lost it. Little Bea tried to breathe on her own for a few minutes, but was working pretty hard, so they put on something called a CPAP. The CPAP goes over her nose and helps open her airways so that she doesn't have to work quite so hard when she takes a breath. It is a major leap from the ventilator and she will be closely monitored over the next few days to see how things go. It isn't unusual for preemies to have to go back on a ventilator for a bit, since they really aren't supposed to be breathing at this point.

Bea also got new digs today and moved into an isolette (incubator). Though it seems contained, it is a step forward. The isolette provides babies with a warm, quiet environment so they can get much needed sleep. It is hard not to be able to lean over and kiss baby Bea whenever we want, so this new set-up will take some getting used to. Hopefully, as her breathing stabilizes, we'll be able to hold her every few days. Daddy is anxiously awaiting his opportunity to hold his baby girl.

We'll post a pic of Bea in her isolette tomorrow. Keep the emails and comments coming!

For now, to bed.

-Carol (on behalf of Team Beatrice)