Day twenty-nine.

Elliot wasn't able to try the bottle today because he is still breathing really hard. His respiratory rate was in the 80s and 90s today, and even jumped as high as 120! The doctor said that as his belly fills with food and stretches, it is putting a lot of pressure on his lungs, making it harder for him to breathe. Once he starts breathing more comfortably, we can try bottle/breast feedings again, but until then, we have to gavage all of his feedings into his feeding tube.
Last night we went to a parent meeting which focused on feedings, and we got a lot of really useful information.
I talked to another lactation consultant after the meeting. She recommended getting a six hour stretch of sleep at night again, and also doing kangaroo (skin to skin) care once a day. If things don't start to improve soon, she can write me a prescription for a medication to produce more milk.
So today was my first day of skin-to-skin, where the mom reclines shirtless with the baby in only a diaper on her chest. Elliot fought it at first because he doesn't enjoy being on his tummy, but once he settled down, we relaxed together for a good hour. It was really nice. And boy, does he look cute in just his dipe! I can't wait to get him home and into his cloth diapers.
Kangaroo care is supposed to help regulate the baby's breathing as well as stimulate milk production... and we could use help in both of these areas, so let's hope it works!