Rhett Alan Ost was born on Friday, June 1st (his big brother Kellen's Birthday) at 9:07 am weighing in at 6lbs 14oz and 19 1/4'' long! What a little fighter he is! He stuck it out to full term even though I experienced a lot of pre-term labor issues starting at 30 weeks. So glad he hung in there to be as healthy as possible!
We are SO thankful to have found out that Rhett had a cleft lip and palate when I was 21 weeks along. Although it was an emotional roller coaster at times throughout the pregnancy, we are so thankful we knew ahead of time to be somewhat emotionally prepared. We also were able to research and gain as much knowledge as we could before the arrival of our precious Rhett.
Once Rhett was born at the Mother Baby Center in Minneapolis, he was having trouble with oxygen levels, so he was admitted to Children's Specialty care. They tracked his oxygen there and he was still having a lot of desaturations in his breathing. They decided that it was best for him to be transferred to the Children's NICU to be carefully monitored and watched. We were moved three times that day because of the difficulties Rhett was experiencing with his oxygen levels. It was very chaotic and traumatic at times for all of us.
As the weekend went on we were learning how to bottle feed Rhett since I am unable to nurse him with his cleft lip and palate . His oxygen levels continued to dip for a while, but then soon the level came back to normal ranges so never was put on anything to help support his breathing.
His breathing and oxygen issues have subsided and now we are working on feeding and jaundice. Rhett's intake of milk started slowly, but he has gradually increased the amount of milk that he can take at one feeding. We hope that he will soon reach the levels that he needs to gain his weight back, be healthy, and be discharged from the NICU. We are so excited that he passed his hearing test in both ears! God is good!
We have had lots of support from many different professionals and current updates as of this morning include all good things. Rhett is making progress and we may be able to get discharged as soon as Wednesday, June 6th.
We also have been surrounded with amazing love and support from our family and friends that have kept our minds positive and given us strength to get through the tough times both during my pregnancy and through these longs days and nights at the NICU. Thank you to all of you for the kind words, support, power of prayer and acts of kindness. It means SO MUCH to us.
The name Rhett means "advice" and will be our guiding light. We trust in God to give us what we can handle and know he will be with us to support and guide us on this new journey ahead of us with little Rhett's medical obstacles. Jake and I are so blessed to be this beautiful boy's parents' and have been anxiously waiting his arrival and to meet our little fighter. He is so precious and perfect (we may be a little biased) :)!
#Rhett Alan #cleftstrong #cleftcutie #1in700 #fighter #blessed #powerofprayer
