Running on empty

It turned into daddy-daughter day. Just me and my girl...

Kiera and I had plans to drive out and see Belle in the early afternoon, but sometime after breakfast Kiera got the chills and started to feel nauseous. She checked her temperature and realized that she had a fever, so off to the walk-in clinic we went.

Kiera is exhausted, dehydrated, and likely has a case of Mastitis (inflammation in the breast that gets infected). She was showing all of the symptoms. We booked an ultrasound for tomorrow, and in the meantime the doctor ordered her to go home, lay down, and apply a warm compress.

Kiera was sidelined for the day. She felt guilty that she wasn't able to go and see her little Tinkerbell 😟

It's okay mommy. Don't be too hard on yourself.

So many feelings of guilt throughout this experience. Every hour you're away can feel like you're missing out on something very special.

It's not always easy to keep your feelings in check.

I've read that NICU parents often feel the need to martyr themselves for their children. We tend to forget about ourselves on occasion, and this should be a reminder to all of us. Your kids need you at your best - don't forget about taking care of yourself, too.

More than anyone, moms especially need time to rest, recover, and regenerate. Breastfeeding (and pumping) take such a hard toll on them.

Moms need to fuel-up more often.

Belle and I had two long cuddles today, and we talked about mom behind her back the entire time 😊

Thank goodness for technology! I was instantly able to update Kiera with picture messages and a few videos I uploaded immediately to youtube. 

Today, daddy obtained exclusive media rights to Arabella - and it was wonderful. We certainly made the most of it. 

Belle's last few days have been pretty good overall. Her sugars have been quite stable, so the meds look like they've started to work. She's slowly being tested on the lower pressures of the CPAP mask and we're hoping she can maintain a relaxed breathing rate as they wean her down. 

We're making progress. Baby steps!