4 Month Checkup
Hello to everyone!
Xavier had his four month checkup to today. Here are the status:
- Weight: 6 pounds, 12.4 ounces! (Glory to God!)
- Length: 19.5 inches. This is half an inch longer than his length measured two weeks ago
- Cranial circumference: 37.5 cm; this is 2 cm more than two weeks ago
- Oxygen saturation: 93% (and he was being squirmy during the measurement!)
As expected, blood was drawn to measure Xavier's liver statistics. This was done via a catheter in his right arm. Several vials were taken and Xavier did not like any of it one little bit. One nurse held his arm from moving while another nurse drew the vials while dad held Xavier's left arm and both legs. He complained with screams of protest the likes of which we had never heard before! Can you blame him? I have not seen him turn so red since the night of his delivery. (It might be a good thing I haven't learned to translate baby; the words he was using were certainly not kind).
Xavier also got his four month immunization boosters: four pokes and one oral. The pokes, the two nurses doing two shots at the same time to minimize Xavier's experience, went into his thighs. Each thigh got two pokes. It was a much different experience from the NICU nurses doing the same thing two months ago. Xavier has much more chub on his thighs, but that did not ease his complaining. And, he did not get any sugar water before the injections. What's up with that?!
Xavier will be on his high-calorie formula mixture for a while. We asked about going to a lower calorie mixture because it was such a big decision for the NICU doctors and dietitians (it took a week for them to decide to go to the 26 calorie we are using), we wanted to make sure we don't lose track of this and inadvertently program Xavier's body with a weight management problem later in life (which was the NICU doctors' concerns). His current mixture is doing him well. His is getting some chub, and he is growing. Dr. Abbey said he wants to see a little more chub on Xavier.
The introduction of solid food is probably four months away. Apparently, we have to use a "preemie" scale and add two months for solid food, but that may change as Xavier grows.
In the midst of this, Rebecca acquired a cold over the weekend. It was one of those blind-siding colds that overtakes you in a matter of hours. We're praying Xavier does not get it.
Mighty is our God, Who always leads us in triumph in Christ Jesus!