Julia Update - 4 1/2 Months

Julia is four and a half months old now... that is crazy! I remember praying to get through one week at a time and now here we are. We have had a rough couple months with her. She was often very fussy, screaming if we put her down and struggling to eat. Because of the lack of good medical care here, we were left to guess what her problems were and pray God would heal her and help us out. The one good thing that helped us get through the hard days, were Julia's good nights. She is a great night sleeper. Eli was a nightmare, but Julia goes to bed around 8:00 or 8:30pm and sleeps until around 7:30am (although sometimes until 8:30 or 9:00!), waking only once for feeding. This past week, we were able to take her to a German pediatrician who has experience with preemies. She is looking to open a practice in Moshi, but was willing to see us in her home for free. It was so reassuring to see her. She had heard about Julia and was amazed at her progress and good health. She took measurements of Julia and Julia is right on track for a two and a half month old (as opposed to a four and a half month old) which is to be expected. She is in the 50th percentile for height, length and head circumference. Julia is twelve pounds six ounces now! The most helpful thing we learned from the appointment that answered many of our questions was that it looks like Julia has reflux, a common condition in preemies. It explains her pain while eating and fussiness when being put down. The good news is that it doesn't usually require treatment and goes away on its own with time. Already this past week, we are seeing a new Julia. She has less pain while eating and is tolerating being put in her chair or laying down on her own for a bit. She is happy most of the time, smiling and cooing a lot. I think we had turned a corner and perhaps have easier days ahead. Here are some recent pictures of our little cutie...