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Many people have asked and we were curious as well...what are the requirements that Briley Kate needs to meet before we can come home?

She has to weigh at least 4 pounds (usually they like to send them home around 4 1/2 pounds)...and she has to be able to maintain her own body temperature outside of the warmer. She is still in the warmer now, but they will move her out once she reaches 4 pounds.

BK needs to be off of the caffeine for at least 2 weeks with no apneic or bradycardic (when her heartrate drops) spells that she can't bring herself out of. We've been off the caffeine for at least a week and she's done well.

Lastly she has to be able to take the appropriate amount of milk at each feeding through a bottle. This is the one that might keep us here the longest. She took a whole bottle for me the other day!! But she is really only able to take it about once a day and it just wears her out. Right now they are letting her take what she can in a 15 minute feeding and then giving her the rest through her NG tube.

I have to remind myself that while it's a slow process she is making some serious progress. Barring no set backs the doctors said they expect her to go home around 37-38 weeks gestational age which is around the beginning or mid-june. So with patience in tow, I wait for my little darling. Praying all the while that she will continue to grow stronger and will have no major setbacks. We love you Briley Kate...you have a whole family waiting here to meet you!