Oh, happy day!!! Our sweet baby girl is HOME!! We are so grateful for the prayers during our NICU journey with our little miracle...Preemie Princess, Ryleigh Elizabeth! 78 days in McLeod NICU and 11 weeks old...our baby girl was finally discharged yesterday, Sunday, November 24.
On Saturday, November 23, 2019---Landon and I roomed in with Ryleigh. We went to the hospital (arrived around 3:30 pm) and scrubbed in for the last time...our last time entering the NICU to see our sweet baby girl. We then watched the video on CPR and practiced with the doll. The previous day, Friday (11/22), we watched several videos to prepare for discharge: ABC's of Safe Sleep, Baby Shake Syndrome, and Infant CPR. All of these videos were informative and I wish all parents, especially first time parents, had to watch these before going home...not just parents of children in the NICU. After watching the CPR video again and taking time to practice, we moved into a PICU room on the 3rd floor (same floor as the NICU) to spend the night with Ryleigh.
'Rooming In' is not mandatory for all parents...however, due to Ryleigh's neonatal apnea and coming home on a monitor, it was important that Landon and I were able to 'practice' being parents to Ryleigh on our own for the first time...using her at home monitor...this allowed us to have a nurse close by if there had been an issue!
Thankfully, Ryleigh had a successful night on Saturday and we were able to be discharged on Sunday. No sleep for Mommy, Daddy, or Ryleigh...but we were just grateful Ryleigh proved she was ready to go home! Ryleigh didn't have any (no major) spells and took her bottles well. There are several doctors and PAs in the NICU, however, Dr. Harlan was the Dr. on Sunday. He came in and shared important information about Ryleigh and her development based on her adjusted age (up to 2 years old) due to her being premature. We were finally discharged around 10:40 am.
After Dr. Harlan discharged us, we spent the next 1.5 hours taking graduation pictures and pictures of Ryleigh in her outfit that she was wearing to come home in. Our favorite, very special nurse, Katelyn, came to see us off and take a few pictures. We will miss her so much, but we know we will always stay in touch. We had a wonderful travel nurse, Teresa, for the weekend and we were so thankful that she was on top of everything and so supportive of us! GiGi and Grammie came to help see us off as well.
Annabelle spent the night with Grammie on Saturday...thank you, Grammie...so GiGi and Grammie went by to pick her up and bring her home after leaving the hospital. They were at our house with Annabelle when we arrived! I honestly thought that Annabelle would be hyper and interested in Ryleigh, but she only sniffed her a bit and didn't acknowledge her much the rest of the day. GiGi and Grammie stayed at our house for a few hours once we got home and settled so that Landon and I could take a nap...it was much needed after no sleep!
Before bed last night, Ryleigh had her first bath at home and felt the same way about it as she did at the hospital...not HAPPY! Mommy and Daddy snuggled with sweet girl a bit and then we went to bed as a family of 4 for the first time: Mommy, Daddy, Annabelle, and Baby!
We didn't get much sleep last night either...Ryleigh isn't normally a fussy baby and she didn't fuss much last night...mostly grunting from gas. Poor baby is having a time with her stomach from the formula that she is on. She has her first appointment tomorrow and hopefully they will change her formula to help her.
We are so happy to have our miracle at home with us. Our NICU journey felt longer that 78 days at times. On Ryleigh's onesie, you will see where I crossed at 76 days and changed it to 78. We were supposed to room in with Ryleigh on Thursday night and come home on Friday. Unfortunately, Ryleigh had a spell in the middle of the night on Wednesday/Thursday and we had to spend a few more days in the NICU so that the doctors/nurses could continue to monitor her. Although Ryleigh is home, we ask everyone to continue praying for Ryleigh (and us). She is still 1 week premature and could have a spell which is why she is on a monitor at home. We ask for no visitors at the time as we adjust to having our sweet girl home. It is RSV and flu season which is scary for any parents with babies, but ESPECIALLY for a preemie baby as her immune system isn't fully developed. We will let everyone know when visitors are welcomed. Thank you for the continued prayers and have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING! We are so blessed to have our baby girl home just in time for Thanksgiving!
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