more milk!

Good progress on Little Ella's Feedings.

Over the last week, she has gradually been given more milk and less IV fluids, and her belly is taking it. As of today, she is being fed 11ccs per hour which is almost a full feed. Over the next day or two, she will get up to the full feed rate of 13ccs/hr. At this point, she will no longer need her main IV line for feedings, so they could potentially take this out! She is now getting most of her medications through the feeding tube in preparation for taking out her last med line. Next steps will be to feed her in larger doses with short breaks instead of continuously, eventually working up to bottle or breast feeding.

Increasing her feedings is really important for her now, as her biliruben levels have been rising, and her skin is slightly yellow. She is now on two medications to protect her liver from damage. More feedings will allow her liver to process the excess biliruben and send it out with the poop.

She is getting older and more awake and aware. Sometimes not so happy - the nurses think that she has gas from the breast milk, and give her doses of baby beano, which seems to help out a bit. And the auto-rocker is her new ride (do they make this in big kid sizes?...).

Things seem to be going very well, and the doctors brought up the H word... Potentially we could be transferred to Elmira for the final weeks of recovery for Ella. Fingers are crossed.

Little Ella now weighs 4lbs 9oz.

Love Bill Denise Ella T