Day 45 Postpartum. Like, so over CPAP!

The last few days have been a bit of a disappointment in terms of Vinnie's progress with CPAP (or lack thereof!). He has now been on the steroids for over three weeks (initially a 10 day course) and every time they try to wean him off the drugs his O2 requirements go up, up and UP! On Saturday the doctors increased his dose again to sort out his oxygen... just when I think we are making progress Vinnie likes to remind us he isn't quite ready to go home.

While Vinnie is on the steroids to improve the inflammation in his lungs he will remain on CPAP. The consultant I spoke to this morning thinks he will be on the drugs for another two weeks, could be less, maybe longer, very hard to say. The poor little guy is so sick of those tubes going in to his nose and all the sticky tape on his face. I am sure he is sick of the hat too and probably will hate wearing hats as he gets older (my view anyway). Every six hours the nurse suctions all the mucus out of his nasal passages as they get a bit congested from the CPAP and he hates this with a passion. Some of the photos where he is crying are right after a suction. Don't blame him really, it doesn't look pleasant.

Despite his reliance on CPAP and the prolonged course of steroids, he is doing well. Vinnie is still putting on weight each day (now 2.4kg) and tolerating his feeds (still through the feeding tube - no breast feeding until he comes off CPAP. I possibly hate the pump as much as he hates the tubes!). He is getting very round though! A right little chubby cheeks... I am sure he would have been a 10 pounder if he'd gone full term ;-)