The Light at Home

I could have/should have made this update yesterday, but we had our hands full. I’ll see if I can back-track and give you the day as it unfolded on Saturday.

Kathy didn’t sleep again the night before, as her sister Dawnell stayed the night with her in the hospital helping out. Narcotics for pain usually knocks out most people. But, for Kathy is does the opposite. It’s like a ‘5-Hour Energy’ shot. So, her options are to stay on her meds to feel better – and have it absolutely deprive her of sleep; or cut back on meds in order to sleep and feel worse. It’s a punch in the face or a kick in the crotch. And on Friday night (into Saturday morning), Kathy was determined to stick with the diligent program of breastfeeding Karissa at every opportunity throughout the night. Karissa simply isn’t latching on good, despite the best efforts and seemingly round-the-clock assistance from hospital lactation specialists. By the time I showed up on Saturday morning, Kathy had had a rough night. Karissa, as it turned out, was down to 6 lbs. 3 oz. – 10 ounces below her birth weight, but which was still not more than 10% of her original birth weight so we were still on schedule to be discharged. Kathy was actually cleared to leave early on in the day, but Karissa was going to be a close call with her weight and also since she was showing some jaundice.

By Noon, everyone had the clear to leave, then it took another two or three painful hours in order to get all the paperwork done for us to leave. Kay (my stepmother, Kole’s ‘Gram’) was with Kole back at the house, making it a complete full-circle of Grandma duty for the week. There were several key players that made this entire feature film possible. But where Kathy and Karissa had their names on the marquee as the stars of the film, the three grandmas were the directors and producers with the most important behind-the-scene roles, as well as Aunt Kelley and Aunt Dawnell. All sacrificed their time, effort and personal bank accounts to make sure that Kathy, Kole and myself were cared for – during and after the whole birth process. It’s love that is shown with actions, not words, and we are forever grateful.

We actually arrived home by about 4:00 in the afternoon, and immediately had to hit the ground running. Since Karissa isn’t latching onto Kathy’s fun-feeder, she’s pumping her milk so we can give that to her with a bottle. As of now, more than 50% of what Karissa’s eating is breast milk and formula is just supplementing where Kathy can’t keep up. Pumping also helps Kathy, as her jumblies are becoming more and more engorged and she’s actually producing quite a bit – an ounce or more for every 30 minutes of pumping. Karissa’s only taking about two ounces, or maybe a little more, per feeding.

Kole has taken to Karissa very well since we’ve brought her home. Where at the hospital it was a different story, he has been very receptive to her around here. He smiles and talks to her and gently places his hands on or around her. When she cries he gets a little freaked out, but eventually he starts mocking her cry and giggling.

And I almost hate writing this (big knock-on-wood) but last night Karissa was as good as she could have been. After a 10:30pm feeding, she awoke and cried for feedings around 1:30am and 4:00am and pretty much went right back to sleep afterwards. I did both of those graveyard-shift feedings, as Kathy took Ambien and tried to get some sleep. On both of my feeding shifts Karissa pooped her diaper – and peed on her onesie, needing changes on both. So, as that goes, both feedings took a little more time and effort than I hoped, but as I said – both times she rewarded us by going right back into a peaceful slumber.

Thankfully, my mother ran into a garage sale around our neighborhood while watching Kole on Wednesday/Thursday where a woman was selling baby clothes – including some Preemie onesies. Karissa actually fits into those best right now. The outfit we picked out for her to come home in swallowed her up. She is an itsy-bitsy little girl, but she is beautiful beyond belief, she is healthy, and she is now eating well and has spent most of today in her Papasan sitting on our coffee table with all the blinds open – getting some indirect sunlight, which will help her jaundice situation.

We covered all our bases as best as we could before hand – one of the benefits of having one newborn baby experience under our belts. We knew a little more of what to expect, then again – the grandmothers and aunts really picked up the slack on all the rest.

We are in great shape and are finally at the light at the end of that long tunnel that we started on back in January. As it turns out, that light was gorgeous sunshine and an 83-degree day with the fresh smell of rain on the grass from the day before. We are in a great place right now. The love of our families bonded together to make this as good of an experience as possible, and now Kathy and I can more easily focus on each other, Karissa, Kole, and the great days ahead.