Progress!

Nora is 18 days old. 

Tonight will be our 19th night away from home, and here at the hospital. 

Great news though, it looks like our count won't surpass night 21! HOOORRRAAAYY. 

Let's just go ahead and get to the good stuff....

Last night this happened:

47 mls !!!

Nora ate her ENTIRE feed by mouth. Just when we thought that Nora Grace was for sure going home with a feeding tube in her stomach she decided to show us who is really the boss around here. She very slowly has been making progress in her feeds. Eating the whole bottle at every feed is still a very big goal, and she is sometimes eating far less than that, but I haven't seen a number less than 20mls in days! HOORAY!

Yesterday Nora had her swallow study, and she passed! She didn't pass with flying colors by any means, but a pass is a pass. When eating on her back Nora is aspirating (getting formula into her lungs) just a smidgen. Not a ton. When eating in a right side-lying position with an upright angle she isn't aspirating! That means we are safe to continue feeding by mouth in that position, and while using the correct settings on her fancy bottle. So many fancy things for this little one. 

Now, we continue to practice eating. We are being trained in how to insert and remove and NG tube from Nora's nose, we're getting home therapies set up, follow-up appointments, and all of the necessary supplies to continue feeding this way at home. All of this because they are sending us by Thursday or Friday this week! 

YAY!

This is how Nora shows her excitement!

Look! Nora does have two eyes!!