Routines

Here was our routine in the hospital.

1. Feed Orla.
2. Express (up to 20 minutes).
3. Label and refrigerate EBM.
4. Clean and disinfect expressing equipment.
5. Struggle back to room.
6. Toilet.
7. Eat and drink.
8. Rest.
9. Back to Orla - change nappy, take her temperature.
10. Feed Orla.

This was in a three hour cycle over the 24 hours (or until Orla woke, whichever came first).

Now we are doing:

1. Feed Orla.
2. Eat, drink, toilet - even attend to personal hygiene!
3. Rest, or do something with older children, or do tasks like updating my blog.
4. Back to Orla when she wakes, or no longer than three hours later - change and feed.

This happens maybe 8 times over the 24 hour period. The scheduling thing is due to her prematurity - she needs to be constantly topped up in order to thrive. As she matures we will be able to do the more flexible demand feeding that I am used to. Once she's over 3 kilos we are allowed to leave her to sleep for one 5 hour period each 24 hours (unless she decides she's hungry first of course!).