This past week has been a time of growth, progress, and challenges for Benjamin. He's doing really well, steadily gaining weight, and showing signs of improvement each day.

Feeding Milestones Benjamin is tolerating his feeds wonderfully. He began receiving breastmilk last week, initially at 1ml an hour. Every 12 hours, the amount was increased by 1ml, until he reached 16ml an hour. The best part? He hasn’t been sick at all, a promising sign considering reflux is common for babies with Benjamin's condition. The next step is moving to three-hourly feeds, so we’re hopeful this transition will go smoothly.

For now, Benjamin is still receiving his milk through a feeding tube in his nose. We’re eagerly awaiting the contrast X-ray to check if his surgical repair is holding up well without leaks. The surgeon has been cautious about proceeding with this until Benjamin is off oxygen, which has been providing him with breathing support. Thankfully, this morning, he was taken off the high-flow oxygen and is now on a low-flow option. If he tolerates this well, the contrast X-ray will go ahead, and we’ll be one step closer to moving forward with oral feeds—a significant milestone!

A Move to HDU In another positive development, Benjamin has been moved out of the ICU and into the HDU (High Dependency Unit). The atmosphere in his new room is much calmer, with fewer beeping machines and a more peaceful vibe. This step forward feels like a huge relief and another indication of his progress.

No More Lines or Needles In an exciting turn, Benjamin has had the long line removed from his arm. This was providing him with nutrition while he wasn’t on full feeds, but now that he’s on track with his feeding, he no longer needs any lines or needles in his body. This also means he can wear adorable baby grows, which is a huge milestone for us.

Personal Challenges While Benjamin’s progress has been encouraging, I’ve had my own share of challenges. Yesterday, I developed mastitis, which led to several trips to the maternity ward. The doctors recommended IV antibiotics and staying overnight, but I just couldn’t bear the thought of being admitted. After a lot of emotions, I pushed for oral antibiotics instead, and I’m feeling a bit better today after some much-needed rest. Thankfully, Ed had taken Esme back to Whalley, so I was on my own, but my mum unexpectedly visited, and I was incredibly grateful for her support. She sat with Benjamin while I got some sleep and even made me food, which was a lifesaver.

Esme: A Wonderful Big Sister Esme has been absolutely amazing during all of this. She’s so gentle with Benjamin and loves helping me change his nappy. In fact, when she’s with him, she asks every ten minutes if his nappy needs changing! Her care and attention have been such a comfort during this time.

We were all very proud to attend Esme’s nursery graduation. Here she is with her little bestie Betsy.

Support from Family and Friends We were also fortunate to have Rachel visit last week, both to help with Esme and to meet Benjamin. It was a lovely time for all of us, and it was especially meaningful that she could attend Esme's nursery graduation along with my parents.

On Friday morning, we went to register Benjamin’s birth, and afterward, we treated ourselves to a breakfast at Dishoom. For a couple of hours, it felt like we had a small taste of normal life, which was a welcome change.

Tales from a NICU Journal, week four of thirteen.

Rachel Green’s Birth: Everything Wrong with Birth Culture?

Why would you choose to give birth away from a hospital?