Now that all of Nathan's intravenous lines are out, we can bathe him as well. When his lines were still in, he got sponge baths.
The NICU has 2 main sections. The part they call the NICU, which is where Nathan has been for the past month, and the other half called Baby Steps. Nathan now has a new address in Baby Steps! Although Nathan slept through the move, this is a Major step towards coming home. The qualifications for Baby Steps are somewhat flexible, but primarily the baby needs to be off of any intravenous medications and treatments, not on assisted respiration like the ventilator or CPAP, and able to digest his full feedings. He is still in his incubator to maintain his temperature and he is still on his nasal cannula to assist with oxygen flow when needed.
In Baby Steps, Nathan will learn how to take feedings through a bottle and learn how to suck, swallow, and breath all at the same time. Us parents will be formally learning all kinds of things as well.
We are happy to be moved into the Baby Steps section, but very sad to leave some of the NICU nurses that we have become so close to. We loved sitting with Nathan and visiting with the nurses. Nathan also had to leave one of his preemie friends Katlyn behind in the NICU as well. We were sad that Katlyn and her parents couldn't move with us yet, but hopefully we'll see them in the Baby Steps section soon.
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