Day 4 in the World

I got to have "Kangaroo Kare" time with Link today. It was AWESOME! Extensive studies have shown that skin-to-skin contact between baby and mommy dramatically increases the health of little preemies. It is said to help with lactation, breathing, sleep, weight gain, creating antibodies for the new environment, etc. So, today, I got to hold my little guy against my bare chest and recline in a comfy chair and just enjoy. It was fantastic, and it made Lincoln so calm and content. We did it again at my evening visit, and it proved to be equally satisfying for both myself and him. Link's nurses continue to comment on his vigor and good health. They call him "feisty" because he likes to wiggle so much. They curl all sorts of rolled up blankets and shaped pillows around him to make him feel contained as though in the womb. He's now taking 6 ml of my milk at feeding times, and seems to be gaining weight! Brent helped me in a difficult moment to recognize a blessing in the midst of this hard time. Had Lincoln not come early, that's two months less that we would have had to enjoy his little Spirit. Sure, he would have been in the womb...but the bond and reality of a child-parent relationship obviously grows far more once the little guy comes into the world. We get bonus months!!! I love my boys.