We have begun an exercise program (http://www.babybuilders.com/) for her to help strengthen her neck and trunk muscles; both of which we have already seen improvement.
She is also gaining coordination in her hands. She often times now prefers to suck on her fists instead of her paci.
We also purchased a tucker sling and wedge (seen in the pictures) for her to help with the reflux She seems to like it quite a bit. The reflux has once again improved, but is certainly still there.
She has also begun cooing occasionally in response to me talking to her which is very exciting. I am still trying to catch her when she is laughing or smiling to get a photo, but I have not yet been quick enough :-)
She is nursing about 10 minutes at a time several times a day now, and seems to enjoy that time quite a bit. Though she is certainly not consuming enough milk to sustain her, it is such a blessing none-the-less!
NO MAJOR APNEA EPISODES IN 7 1/2 WEEKS!!!
We are frequently asked when she will undergo the reconstructive surgeries. And the answer to that is that Al and I are not sure yet. The first surgery (lip) is mostly for cosmetic reasons and at this point we would prefer to wait a few months and let her grow stronger before putting her through this surgery. The lip surgery will still need to take place before the more important palate surgery, but the palate surgery will not probably be done for another 8 months or more.
Prayer requests:
that God would continue to guide and direct our every step!
that God would continue to help Ali grow healthy and strong, specifically in regards to her heart, lungs, and neurologically.
that she would begin to eat more orally.
that the reflux would be completely resolved.
that my milk supply would be more than sufficient to meet Alli's needs.
and that Ali would start going back to sleep easier after her middle of the night feed around 3 am. (Often times we are still up 1.5-2 hours for that particular feed.)
We continue to thank and praise God for the blessing of our precious little girl!!!
Jill
Posts
Thank you so much for bringing us all up to date on Alegria's progress. I am praising the Lord for your good report, and I'll be praying for your requests. I really enjoyed the photos, too. Ali is a doll!! :)
ReplyDelete