Darbi is on milk... Clint is on crack

Monday, March 9, 2009

I am SO frustrated. For a number of reasons. The biggest one is that pumping is just about to get even MORE frustrating!!! I was in a rhythm of pumping and had a basic schedule going. NOW, they only want to use my hind milk to feed Darbi. This is actually a very good thing for her and I'm extremely happy to do it. It just makes it much much harder for me to get ANYTHING done. Hind milk is the creamiest, fattiest part of the milk that only comes in near the end of each pumping. The morning is the least fatty so that stuff goes straight to the freezer after each pump. Starting around noon everyday, I have to pump for about 5-7 minutes, stop, change bottles, and finish the last 13-15 minutes trying to get as much milk as possible. The reason it is so frustrating is because my first letdown (the 5-7 milk) comes out fast and there is a ton of it. Once I switch bottles, there is maybe half of the amount that I just barely pumped. This "hind" milk is all they will be feeding Darbi for a while until we can get back onto fortified milk. So after every single time I pump, unless there is enough for more than one feeding, I have to run it down to the hospital for her next feeding. So basically my day is a cycle of pump, stop, pump, run to hospital, run home from hospital, work on something for maybe an hour, pump, stop, pump, run to... etc. ARGH!!! This will only last for about 2-3 days until I get a good supply of hind milk built up at the hospital. But then, this will all start over again once they start going up on the amount of milk she gets every feeding. And she said that I have to eat more fish... NOT going to happen. So I will be taking fish oil pills to fix that little disgusting issue.

Darbi is having an OJ tube placed right now, as I type this. An OJ tube goes in her mouth, down her esophogus, past her tummy, and into her small intestines where the milk will end up. I was a bit nervous when the doctor told me this because the procedure for placing this tube is very similar to how they tried to place the first tube that punctured her esophogus. I told her to be VERY VERY VERY careful!!

Then, tomorrow she is having a gastric enema study done (not sure if that's really what it is called but it's good enough...) It's supposed to be at 10AM and they will be putting a dye through her intestines to make sure that they are structurally and funtionally working properly. The doctor said he doesn't think they will find anything major but it's just to check.

Clint's update -- She still has no hair; she's got a good firm handshake.. like a crab;
She loves her mommy; she loves her daddy more (don't tell mommy); she told me she can't wait to get bigger because she can't wait to play dodgeball and tetherball... but no softball. She doesn't want to be one of those girls. She's so smart and has so much to say.. we have a lot of daddy/daughter bonding time when we have our long chats. She's not a smart cookie because she's bigger than a cookie.. more like a smart hogie.. I wonder if she'd stay warm wrapped up in a hogie bun... Hmm..

He didn't type that.. I just now asked him if I was forgetting any updates on Darbi and he started rambling off all of this stuff so I just starting writing it all down. I think he's a little loopy from his cold meds.. He cracks me up!!

3 Wisecracks:

Justina Selim said...

You sound like one busy woman. Pumping is a pain. I pumped a lot when Aiden was born. Not fun. My friends baby's name is Caleb. I think he was right across from her.
No worries about not calling back. I know things are crazy for you. I would love to do anything for you though. I could a meal over or something. Let me know :->

Unknown said...

Sounds awesome ;)!! I guess we will be seeing you more often in the NICU then as well. Thanks for letting me take care of her...she is the sweetest.

~Carly, Darbi's nurse from the other night :)

Megan B ♥ said...

Why are they bypassing the belly for now? Is her belly giving her more trouble than her intestines?

Hind milk. UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH. I was "fortunate" enough to not have enough of a milk supply to do that with :) They tried, but I really really quickly backed away from it and fortunately it all worked out. I am SO SORRY. That would have done me in as far as pumping goes. It sucks enough as it is. You have my sympathies.

PS, she is looking so cute!