Since my husband, like most husbands, gave relevant but minimal details, I want to share a few added highlights.
Montana Faith Ford joined the family on Sept 15 @ 10:34 am. She was 6#4oz and 18.5”. (I still say they got the latter part wrong. She has the longest legs I’ve ever seen on a newborn!) Because she had pooped prior to birth (happens when umbilical cord gets squeezed for extended period), there was meconium in the amniotic fluid. They were concerned if, and how much, she had ingested. Long story short, she was born not crying and they had to suction her out with a tube before she drew her first breath. The silence was deafening. The minute, or so, that passed, felt like forever. When her cries came, they were sweet and very welcomed. They gave her a little oxygen.
A little later in the day, she started doing faster, shallow respirations. That lasted only a short time and it appeared all was well. The family headed back home around 9:30pm. Libby called me the next morning to relay what had happened during the night and the concerns the birthing center staff had. They had done some testing and it appeared some of the fluid was in her lungs and no matter the source, it was determined she would be in the special care nursery for a week and treated intraveously with 2 different antibiotics. Libby was shaken and asked me to come back to Wichita and stay with her since Nathan had no vacation time. There was also some concern that Libby might have an infection.
I came home on Saturday and Sunday in order for Lib and Nathan could have some alone time. Montana has made huge progress. There is no blood infection, no jaundice, and she is halfway through her antibiotic treatment for any possible lung bacteria/problems. She is a good nurser and loves to be cuddled. And how can one so little already be expressing an opinion? She even smiled while sleeping when I was holding her. SO incredibly cute!! (I know I’m biased but the jury is in. Even the nurses say so)
Libby and Nathan have had some scary moments. It has been my privilege to walk through this with them as a mother/daughter, mom/son, mom/mom, and woman/woman. Thankfully, Libby has been given a clean bill of health and was “dismissed” to the room Montana is in, to be the primary caregiver. We take turns sleeping in the night. We watch, we talk, we keep charts for the nurses and, of course, we take pictures.
Please continue to pray for Lib’s physical healing, for rest and spiritual peace in the days ahead and for the financial burden this could create. If all goes according to plan, Montana should be dismissed Wed, or Thurs at the latest. Please pray to that end.
Thanks for your loving concern and prayers. We ALL sincerely appreciate them.
Blessings & love - until our next report.
