An Update on Kaden

I realize I haven't told you anything about little Kaden John other than the fact that he was born. I am planning on writing out his birth story as I did both his sister's and Maelle's (parts one, two, and three), but for now I will share a little bit about the boy himself.

Kaden John decided he wanted out of the womb and into the world on January 12, 2012 at 0015. He was born at 34+2 weeks gestation and he came out kicking and screaming. His mom, dad, auntie, four nurses, a doctor and a pediatrician were all there to welcome him.

We weren't sure how he would be doing SOOM (straight out of mom), but he came with gusto and Mandi was able to hold him skin to skin for seven minutes before they took him to get checked out on the baby warmer. His apgars at one and five minutes were both 9 and he was having no difficulty breathing.

He has been in the nursery since, but has been doing incredibly well -- everyone is impressed with him! Mandi has been breastfeeding since day one and Kaden hasn't needed a feeding tube. Mandi feeds him for twenty minutes and then we top him up with expressed breast milk. On day one and two we used a syringe for the top up, but now he has been taking the bottle. He eats every three hours and wakes up ten minutes before Mandi walks in the nursery so that schedule seems to fit with his schedule. Mandi weighs him before and after breastfeeding to see how much he has eaten and tops him up with the bottle to ensure he is getting enough milk. He has been taking an average of 20ml from the breast and then he needs about 25-30mls to finish his feed. I think that when he is home he may just need to eat more often -- he doesn't have much of a chance to really have his own schedule in the hospital. He is gaining weight though and he will be able to take more from Mandi the bigger and stronger he gets. Things are looking good.

Kaden has been in the incubator since last Thursday, but we are able to take him out for eating and cuddles. He did develop a little bit of jaundice a couple days ago so he was under the lights, but he hasn't needed any extra attention. As of yesterday he was only +/- 50 grams off his birth weight and he may be coming home at the end of the week!

I think they are going to take Kaden out of the incubator today and keep him in a cot in the nursery. One step closer to coming home!

These photos are from yesterday. Sawyer slept over on Sunday night and yesterday brought her to visit Mandi in the hospital and then we dropped her off at her Oma's before going to see Kaden. I was gone on the weekend so I hadn't seen Kaden in 2.5 days and he already looks a little chubbier. I think he looks like an old-man-baby-sawyer. He definitely looks like his sister.

 My first time feeding him his bottle. Isn't the milk a pretty colour???

I can't help but be in awe of this little person. And of God's handiwork. All of Kaden's miniature features are adorable and perfect and he is surprisingly healthy. God was certainly in control of the circumstances surrounding his birth and in taking care of him since then.

I finally have a little man to dote on -- I am quite pleased about that. He has captured my heart and I cannot wait for him to know how loved he is.