And the magic number is..

6lbs 9ozs!!!!!!! so, between the fortifier and the increased feedings we're heading in the right direction. Ryan's reflux is still pretty bad so we're going to make an appointment with a pediatric GI doctor to see the extent of the reflux and determine if he needs more meds. We're also going to see a hematologist to see if Ryan's anemia is just a result of his prematurity or something else.

We're ecstatic about the weight gain and hopefully we'll continue down this path!

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Hi everyone,

Well today's doctor's visit was very productive. Ryan gained weight (5lbs 4ozs) but not as much as we would like, so we're going to go back to fortifying his milk. They did this in the hospital and it adds calories to the breast milk to increase his caloric intake. We'll do this with every other feed and try it for two weeks and see what happens. We' re also going to increase the frequency of his feeds to every 2-3 hours instead of every 3-4. So, hopefully w/ the combination of all of this Ryan will really start to pack on the pounds!

The best news was that we can stop Ryan's caffeine. He hasn't really had any episodes of apnea or low heart rate, so the doctor said to stop the caffeine, see how he does and hopefully he'll be off the monitor in another month or two!

Here are some pics of Ryan's first trip in the stroller - can't wait for the weather to stay this way so we can make more trips!

A Step in the Right Direction

Hi Everyone,

Well it seems like the Zantac was the answer. Ryan is up to 5lbs 2ozs and continuing to gain. We go back again next week for another weight check, so hopefully he'll continue to pack on the pounds and he'll grow and grow. He got two more shots today and he's now done until May (thank goodness!)

For now, we'll enjoy our play time and hope for the best next week!