Mommy Baby Bonding and Brownie Bribery

Tonight I am ecstatic after spending time with Joshua.  Earlier this morning, James went in to do some kangaroo care, and Joshua didn't tolerate it so well.  He has had nasal congestion and blood clots suctioned from his nose (probably from trauma when the NG tube was placed), and his sats (oxygen level) were dropping.  He also has anemia (common in preemies), so he has tachypnea (fast breathing rate).  He was looking better by the time I got to the NICU this afternoon, so I got to hold him skin on skin.  After a couple of hours, he woke up hungry.  It was the coolest thing ever because he started nuzzling on me.  He couldn't latch on yet, but it was a great start down the path to breastfeeding.  For several minutes, I felt like a "normal" mom with a "normal" newborn baby.  The bond between a mother and baby really is miraculous.  I'm so excited for this step forward.  Aaaaaaaaaahhh....

Speaking of stepping forward...get this.  I was excited after my walk last night, and I wanted to do more today.  I thought I can't give up on Jeremiah riding in the stroller, but I don't know what to do.  Well, this came to me all of a sudden.  Jeremiah pulled a chair up to the "treats" cupboard, and he climbed up and pulled out a Fiber One brownie and asked if he could eat it.  I said no, but then just for kicks I said, "you can eat it if you sit in your stroller while we go for a walk."  Well, this kiddo who has stubbornly refused the stroller for weeks suddenly turned and walked downstairs, grabbed his shoes and walked to the door and waited for me.  I put our shoes on and opened the door, and he went straight to the jog stroller and climbed in, ready to go for a walk.  Just then, James came home, so we went on a family walk for the first time in months, just like old times, while Jeremiah enjoyed his brownie.  We walked 2 miles, and it felt great.  Bottom line....I found a new parenting technique:  bribery!  Works like a charm!  Back when I was a perfect parent with all the answers, in other words before I had children, I said I would never use bribery.  But hey, desperate times call for desperate measures, and I'll take whatever works.  Feeling a little guilty, I told James, "here we're trying to have Jeremiah learn to appreciate a healthy lifestyle, and I'm feeding him sweets...."  James immediately replied, "hey, he needs to learn that nutrition is half the battle in an Ironman."  Works for me!  I'm going to stock up on brownies now, just to make sure Jeremiah's glycogen stores are full for our upcoming workouts.  :)

James just called the NICU, and Joshua is doing well tonight.  He gained another ounce, up to 3 lbs 6.5 oz or 1540 g.