Week #4 - Set Backs

This past week was a good week for Brooklyn in the way of weight improvements and periods of wakefulness. As of October 19th, Brooklyn was exactly 1 pound over her birth weight at 4 lbs 12 oz. She has also been awake and alert for more of her feedings which is a wonderful blessing.

Last night she had her first "set back" since her birth. While bottle feeding her last night, she got a bit too aggressive with sucking and forgot to breathe. Once she realized she needed air, she began breathing too fast and sucked milk into her airway. This caused her stats to drop - becoming mottled (bluish-gray in color), pulse ox dropping below 55 and respers (breathing) above 100. Normal pulse ox is above 90 and respers should be below 50. With a bit of oxygen and a lot of rest, she was back to her normal self but when she tried taking the bottle this morning, she aspirated again. The nurses say that she's trying to tell us that she's not quite ready to take on the bottle. I have to remind myself that we've got to go at her pace and at barely 35 weeks gestation (as of tomorrow), she's doing wonderfully.

When I spoke with her nurse this morning and found out that she'd aspirated again and was going to have to be backed off of the bottle a bit, I felt completely discouraged. I called my sister to ask for prayer and then called my good friend Cathy from our church Life Group and after a wonderful talk with both of them, I feel so much more at peace. I have to remember that *I* am not the one watching over her but that God is the one in control.

I am looking forward to bringing her home in the coming weeks. God-willing, we'll be able to bring her home by her due date of November 25th, if not before!