HE POOPED!!!!!!!

This is a big deal! Terran can’t start his feeding program with Mama’s breastmilk until he checks a few boxes – one of which is a poop. Unfortunately, this poop was meconium and therefore probably came from the lower part of the intestines so it doesn’t “count”. Well I’m still excited about it.

• 

• 

Terran’s checklist to start feeding on breastmilk:

1. Convincing poop (proof of a connected & functional intestinal tract)

2. Farts (proof that the intestines are “active”)

3. Bile tube runs clear (proof that bile has stopped backing up into the stomach)

This could take 6+ weeks to complete. But it could also take much less… it’s all up to Terran’s surgical area recovering and his body to creating something substantial from just IV waste & bowel secretions (yes, apparently you can make poop without eating anything).

In the meantime, I’m pumping and storing my breastmilk for his feeding program. Pumping has become the worst part of my day. It’s not difficult, it’s just so time consuming. Assemble, pump, store, clean, repeat. The whole cycle takes about 30-45 min and I need to do it every 3 hours. So that’s about 2 hr 15 min to NOT-pump before I need to pump again. It’s risky to drink beer or caffeine too close to a pump session because it’ll show up in the milk and get Terran all buzzed. 

As a consolation prize since the surgeon said they weren’t satisfied with his poop, they let me begin SKIN TO SKIN! This is a game-changer. Sure, holding swaddled Terran was great, but skin to skin is another level entirely. It’s calming for both of us. We literally laid there for hours, the only constraint being my next pumping session… ugh.