He eats and speaks ...

CURRENT WEIGHT -- 1 lb, 12 ounces
CURRENT HEIGHT -- 12 5/8 inches

Truman had outgrown the tube on his ventilator and needed a bigger one. Since they had to extubate him to do that, they decided to try him on nasal prong ventilaton (basically C-PAP with 20 reminder breaths every minute). So, he now has two prongs in his nose and no air tube down his throat. He's doing a lot of the work breathing, with the machine assisting. Without a tube hindering his vocal chords, he can now make noise. He's hoarse from a month of having a tube in his throat, so he can only squeak at the moment. The picture above is his attempt to scream. Although he was mad, the sounds were quite cute. It was so wonderful to hear his voice for the first time since he was born.

What is also great about being off a conventional ventilator is that we have gotten to see his full face for the first time without ventilation tubes. Although the prongs have a little strap that obscures the middle of his face, unlike the tube down his throat, his nose tubes are removed periodically for suctioning his nose and other tasks. He can handle some short periods with no ventilation assistance.

Truman will most likely have to go back on the conventional ventilator at some point over the next few days to a week. He is still a little small to be on nasal prong ventilation, but the physicians thought that since he had to be extubated anyway, they'd give it a shot. Also, a lot of preemies get pretty tired from all the work that breathing takes and just get worn out the first time off the ventilator. So far, he's doing well with it.

Ben got to change his first dirty diaper last night. Some of the remaining the meconium finally passed on its own, and Ben had the pleasure of getting that sticky stuff out and off of Truman. It was a great initiation to many more stinky diapers in our future.

Ben did not get to try kangaroo care last night. With the change in ventilation, we needed to give Truman a break before we stressed him out by taking him out of his cozy isolette again.

Truman also started breast milk feeds again yesterday. He processed the first one, and we haven't heard on the subsequent ones, so keep your fingers crossed. At latest count, Truman gained another ounce to 1 lb, 12 ounces and he has grown an inch to make him 12 5/8 inches long.

--Kara