Baby Bo Has Hit Four Pounds!

Our little guy is growing up.  His weight today was 1842 grams or 4 pounds 0.9 ounces.  A big victory to celebrate on the same day as Auntie Corrina's birthday!

Bo is now 3 pounds 12.04 ounces.   I introduced him to the breast for the first time.  No suck swallow.  Just a proper first introduction.  He was transferred to Bay 4 this afternoon.  This is a more family driven unit.  It encourages parents to room in with the babe and provide all the cares.  This is right up my ally.  The nurse showed me how to get Bo in and out of the isolet by myself.  The nurse made me feel like a real mother, taking care of my baby.  I have held Bo for every feeding today.  This "isolet" bed is what keeps him warm enough that he won't waste his calories trying to keep warm.  He can be out for short periods of time during each day.  

Holding our son for the first time!

Bo is 3 days old. The doctors have slowly reduced the oxygen in his nose. He is now being fed 8ml of breast milk every 3 hours. We have found that he digests better on his side or laying on his belly.
This was the first time I was able to hold Bo. When the nurse asked me if I'd like to hold him, my eyes filled with tears. I was finally going to hold our little boy! This made the moment real. We were really parents. Heath just grinned as he watched me cry with happiness. This was a moment I will never forget. Bo felt tiny and warm as I cradled him in my arms. He was connected to so many tubes that we had to sit still as statues. I was able to hold Bo for 30 minutes. Best moment yet! Daddy was able to hold Bo for his first time later in the evening.
I was finally discharged from the hospital. Heath and I checked into the Ronald McDonald House down the road from the hospital. This is a facility provided to families of babies in the NICU.

First Family Photo

Time to Visit Our Son

4:00AM I woke up and saw that the 24 hours had passed. I was finally off of bedrest and able to go see our baby in the NICU. I sat up in the hospital bed and my legs were like jello. Heath helped me stand. He ran bath water for me and I sat in the whirlpool. It was like heaven to finally soak my hoo-ha. Heath helped me wash my hair and scrubbed my back. Soon, I was in a wheelchair being pushed by Heath on our way to meet our son in the NICU. The anticipation for this moment was more than I could take. As we wheeled to the NICU I was trying to imagine what he looked like. Heath had been taking pictures and bringing them to my hospital room just to pacify me. But, now I will be able to touch him, and smell him.
Finally he is in front of us. Laying so peacefully in his baby bed. He was naked and tiny. Perfectly proportioned. His head is so perfectly round. A little note card that said "bo" at the bottom was tucked near his feet. It read "It is nice to meet you Mommy. I slept very well last night. I like to lay on my left side the most. My diaper was dirty at 2:00 AM and I really let the nurses have it with my strong, loud cry."

First Video of Bo-Boy

Bo Preston Brandt is Here!

After three days of induction our son was born at The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics at 3:57 am. He as 3 pounds 12 ounces and 17 1/4 inches long. I was able to see him right after he was born, he was soon taking to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. He required a little assistance with breathing and keeping warm. I wasn't allowed to go see Bo for 24 hours after he was born because my blood pressure was too high. That was a day and night of torture. Heath would go over to the NICU and take pictures of Bo and bring them back to me in my hospital room. It was such a surprise to see he was a boy! I was 100% sure that he was a girl! Heath was 100% he was a boy! Heath was right!