Eating like champs-Check!
Gaining weight-Check!
Cold stress-Check!
Car Seat Test-Check!
Do I hear the word discharge in our future??
Come on babies! Keep up the good work for a few more days! Mommy wants you HOME!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
California Nursery
Since our overall goal is to get back to California, we're setting up the nursery there! Obviously, I'm not there to do the designing so it's all up to dear old daddy.
I made a few things for the nursery, including letters to hang on the wall. I'm going to work on a few other small crafts. Our good friend painted us a turtle picture to go with our decor. So Tom's job was to put the furniture together and hang everything on the wall. He did a great job!
Everything will obviously be coming off of the cribs, but things come in sets and who doesn't buy the entire set when really all you need is a crib sheet? The quilts will be great to toss on the ground for some belly time and play time though.
The last step is adding a glider and putting a night stand from our master bedroom furniture instead of the old brown dresser (which will eventually go to the guest room). I also need to get some baskets for the changing table/dresser to keep things in. Other than that, we're ready for some babies in California!
I hope the twins like it! We were trying to keep it gender neutral but still fun and colorful for them. I think it turned out great. Good job papa bear!
I made a few things for the nursery, including letters to hang on the wall. I'm going to work on a few other small crafts. Our good friend painted us a turtle picture to go with our decor. So Tom's job was to put the furniture together and hang everything on the wall. He did a great job!
The last step is adding a glider and putting a night stand from our master bedroom furniture instead of the old brown dresser (which will eventually go to the guest room). I also need to get some baskets for the changing table/dresser to keep things in. Other than that, we're ready for some babies in California!
I hope the twins like it! We were trying to keep it gender neutral but still fun and colorful for them. I think it turned out great. Good job papa bear!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Week 7
Where has the time gone? Seriously.
This week was actually one of the hardest. Not because of medical issues and problems, but because I'm so anxious for next week! I'm hoping my week 8 report will mention the word discharge associated with an actual day. Fingers crossed!
This week was good though, other than my crazy excitement for the next week or 2.
The big event was the twins leaving the hospital for the first time! They had to go to an eye appointment, about an hour away. They traveled by ambulance, and did wonderful. I met them at the office and got to hold them and take care of them during the appointment. There was a nurse there, just in case, but she mostly just hung out on the side while I took care of the kids. I loved it, in a weird new mom way.
Not many patients show up to the eye doctor like this so we got a lot of looks. The nurses all came over to see the babies. I loved that too, in a new mm kind of way. I haven't gotten to show off my babies so I loved everyone telling me how cute and sweet they are.
The purpose of the appointment was to look for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The nurse dilated their eyes before they left the hospital, then the doctor shined a light in their eyes to look at their retina and see how it's developing. Jack's eyes seem to be doing quite well, which is great since he was on oxygen longer than Amelia. But my poor Mia has between Stage 1 and Stage 2 retinopathy. We go back in 3 weeks. The doctor said 90% of the time, stage 1 and 2 correct themselves as the baby develops. If it doesn't or gets worse, she'll need laser treatment to fix her retinas. I'm hoping they're improving at our next visit, but if not, at least there is a treatment and her case isn't severe enough to lead to blindness. So that's where we stand on the eyes.
Week 7 feeding update: all men who are uncomfortable with breast feeding, this is another paragraph or 2 you want to skip.
We have to get serious with feeding them and have real expectations for them, because they can't go home with an NG tube. So this week, we're giving them bottles. Apparently preemies don't have nipple confusion. So far, they enjoy going to breast but just don't have the strength to really hang on to the nipple. They take a suck of 2 then it pops out. Their latching skills are non existent. Which is fine, and pretty standard. So when I'm there, I will breast feed them for about 10 minutes, then switch over to bottle. They take the bottle fairly well when they want to. The nurses give them the bottles when I'm not there so they get around the clock practice at eating, sucking, swallowing, and breathing. They only have to put a feeding or 2 a day down their NG tubes. So they're getting there. This will definitely be the biggest challenge they need to overcome though before they can go home.
Other random updates: Jack weighs 3lbs 14oz and Mia weighs 4lbs 4oz. They've grown so much, nurses who don't work full time hardly recognize them!
Mia is off of any drugs, supplements, everything except vitamins. She's breathing great, so as soon as she starts to eat well, she'll be ready for home.
Jack still takes a few things, they're going to try to get him off of as many as possible before they send him home, but none of it is something that I can't give him, so none of it should delay him from coming home.
This next week we'll just keep up with the feeding, then start to move on to cold stressing, car seat testing, and finally, get ready for discharge! It's exciting to see the end in sight. They'll have a few more big tests, like a repeat of the head ultrasound to see where Jack's IVH stands. Not really looking forward to that. But hopefully things look better. We shall see. I'm just hoping and praying they continue to grow and stay healthy so I can have my babies home with me soon!
Despite everything, it's been the best 7 weeks of my life, thanks to these 2 cuties :)
This week was actually one of the hardest. Not because of medical issues and problems, but because I'm so anxious for next week! I'm hoping my week 8 report will mention the word discharge associated with an actual day. Fingers crossed!
This week was good though, other than my crazy excitement for the next week or 2.
The big event was the twins leaving the hospital for the first time! They had to go to an eye appointment, about an hour away. They traveled by ambulance, and did wonderful. I met them at the office and got to hold them and take care of them during the appointment. There was a nurse there, just in case, but she mostly just hung out on the side while I took care of the kids. I loved it, in a weird new mom way.
Not many patients show up to the eye doctor like this so we got a lot of looks. The nurses all came over to see the babies. I loved that too, in a new mm kind of way. I haven't gotten to show off my babies so I loved everyone telling me how cute and sweet they are.
The purpose of the appointment was to look for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The nurse dilated their eyes before they left the hospital, then the doctor shined a light in their eyes to look at their retina and see how it's developing. Jack's eyes seem to be doing quite well, which is great since he was on oxygen longer than Amelia. But my poor Mia has between Stage 1 and Stage 2 retinopathy. We go back in 3 weeks. The doctor said 90% of the time, stage 1 and 2 correct themselves as the baby develops. If it doesn't or gets worse, she'll need laser treatment to fix her retinas. I'm hoping they're improving at our next visit, but if not, at least there is a treatment and her case isn't severe enough to lead to blindness. So that's where we stand on the eyes.
Week 7 feeding update: all men who are uncomfortable with breast feeding, this is another paragraph or 2 you want to skip.
We have to get serious with feeding them and have real expectations for them, because they can't go home with an NG tube. So this week, we're giving them bottles. Apparently preemies don't have nipple confusion. So far, they enjoy going to breast but just don't have the strength to really hang on to the nipple. They take a suck of 2 then it pops out. Their latching skills are non existent. Which is fine, and pretty standard. So when I'm there, I will breast feed them for about 10 minutes, then switch over to bottle. They take the bottle fairly well when they want to. The nurses give them the bottles when I'm not there so they get around the clock practice at eating, sucking, swallowing, and breathing. They only have to put a feeding or 2 a day down their NG tubes. So they're getting there. This will definitely be the biggest challenge they need to overcome though before they can go home.
Other random updates: Jack weighs 3lbs 14oz and Mia weighs 4lbs 4oz. They've grown so much, nurses who don't work full time hardly recognize them!
Mia is off of any drugs, supplements, everything except vitamins. She's breathing great, so as soon as she starts to eat well, she'll be ready for home.
Jack still takes a few things, they're going to try to get him off of as many as possible before they send him home, but none of it is something that I can't give him, so none of it should delay him from coming home.
This next week we'll just keep up with the feeding, then start to move on to cold stressing, car seat testing, and finally, get ready for discharge! It's exciting to see the end in sight. They'll have a few more big tests, like a repeat of the head ultrasound to see where Jack's IVH stands. Not really looking forward to that. But hopefully things look better. We shall see. I'm just hoping and praying they continue to grow and stay healthy so I can have my babies home with me soon!
Despite everything, it's been the best 7 weeks of my life, thanks to these 2 cuties :)
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
34
34 is my favorite number you know. It was my number in basketball when I was growing up. 34 has a whole new meaning now...34 is 1 week away from the earliest the twins can be discharged from the hospital!
Now it's a long shot they'll get discharged at 35 weeks to the day, but they'll probably be home by the time they turn 36 weeks, or so is the rumor around the NICU. We can't say for sure, I probably won't know until a day or 2 before when the exact discharge will be, but just the fact that as soon as they're healthy, they can leave makes me happy. No more waiting for that August 2nd date I've had in my head since they were born. It used to seem so far away and now it's just 1 week! I can't wait.
For right now, the twins are both breast and bottle fed. They won't be able to master breast feeding until closer to term so I breastfeed them and then we bottle feed them their real feeding. They can't go home with NG tubes so it's important that they can eat somehow, and gain weight doing it. So far, so good. Jack is a champion eater. Mia is watching her figure...or trying to win an award for most stubborn baby in the world. Either way, she takes a little convincing that eating is a good thing before she'll eat. But she's getting there ;)
Later this week (or probably more like this weekend, to early next week) they'll cold stress them and get them out of the incubators. I think they'll be fine because I have them out a lot to feed them, hold them, kangaroo them, and they're temps stay up. But they need to keep their temps in a healthy range for a few days and still eat for them to pass their cold stressing. Apparently a lot of babies stop eating during cold stress because they're not used to being cold. We'll see how they do.
A day or 2 before discharge, they'll car seat test them and make sure they can keep their oxygen saturation up while in a car seat for over an hour. We'll see how that goes. I'm not really sure how they'll handle that one.
They also spend a night with me, an no monitors, in the back in a little hotelish like room. This is more for me, to make sure I can take care of them on my own and if anything comes up, the nurses are there to help. We'll see how I do ;) I'm not too worried about it though since I spend all day, every day taking care of them myself.
The nurses are really just helping with a few things. Mostly, I take care of the babies during the day when I'm there and we've all been doing great. I feed them, burp them, change them, bath them, rock them, cuddle with them, put them to bed, and everything I would be doing with them if they weren't in the hospital. I'm excited to get them home and see how things go when they're not at the hospital...and I can't call a nurse if I get stuck with something. :)
I'll keep ya posted on things. By this time next week I should have a pretty good idea of how soon they'll be coming home. I'm hoping sooner rather than later :)
Now it's a long shot they'll get discharged at 35 weeks to the day, but they'll probably be home by the time they turn 36 weeks, or so is the rumor around the NICU. We can't say for sure, I probably won't know until a day or 2 before when the exact discharge will be, but just the fact that as soon as they're healthy, they can leave makes me happy. No more waiting for that August 2nd date I've had in my head since they were born. It used to seem so far away and now it's just 1 week! I can't wait.
For right now, the twins are both breast and bottle fed. They won't be able to master breast feeding until closer to term so I breastfeed them and then we bottle feed them their real feeding. They can't go home with NG tubes so it's important that they can eat somehow, and gain weight doing it. So far, so good. Jack is a champion eater. Mia is watching her figure...or trying to win an award for most stubborn baby in the world. Either way, she takes a little convincing that eating is a good thing before she'll eat. But she's getting there ;)
Later this week (or probably more like this weekend, to early next week) they'll cold stress them and get them out of the incubators. I think they'll be fine because I have them out a lot to feed them, hold them, kangaroo them, and they're temps stay up. But they need to keep their temps in a healthy range for a few days and still eat for them to pass their cold stressing. Apparently a lot of babies stop eating during cold stress because they're not used to being cold. We'll see how they do.
A day or 2 before discharge, they'll car seat test them and make sure they can keep their oxygen saturation up while in a car seat for over an hour. We'll see how that goes. I'm not really sure how they'll handle that one.
They also spend a night with me, an no monitors, in the back in a little hotelish like room. This is more for me, to make sure I can take care of them on my own and if anything comes up, the nurses are there to help. We'll see how I do ;) I'm not too worried about it though since I spend all day, every day taking care of them myself.
The nurses are really just helping with a few things. Mostly, I take care of the babies during the day when I'm there and we've all been doing great. I feed them, burp them, change them, bath them, rock them, cuddle with them, put them to bed, and everything I would be doing with them if they weren't in the hospital. I'm excited to get them home and see how things go when they're not at the hospital...and I can't call a nurse if I get stuck with something. :)
I'll keep ya posted on things. By this time next week I should have a pretty good idea of how soon they'll be coming home. I'm hoping sooner rather than later :)
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Week 6
I can't believe it's been 6 weeks since my babies were born! It seems like just yesterday. But the monotony of our lives doesn't help I'm sure. We've gotten into quite the rhythm. At least I know the twins will be on a great schedule when they get home! Although I think they're going to want a lot of cuddle time and I don't know if I'll be able to give one of them the full 1-2 hours I give them now of undivided attention when I don't have the nurses helping out with the other one.
Here's the update up until last Thursday. Sorry I'm so late. Anyway, this week...not a lot has changed, except with Jackson's breathing.
Jackson started the week on CPAP and ended the week on NOTHING! No CPAP, no oxygen, NOTHING. I'm so proud :) The doctor decided to start him on steroids last weekend. They help with the inflammation in his lungs from the respiratory distress he had the last time he was weened off of the CPAP. When the inflammation went down from the steroids, the diuretic he's been on for about 2 weeks kicked out all the extra fluid and he started breathing great! The bad part of steroids is that he dropped almost 3oz. He dropped down to about 3lb 5oz at the end of the week. He'll hopefully gain it back quickly. He also gets incredibly hungry and gets very fussy, which probably has accounted for some of the weight loss. Baby boy wants food and wants it every hour or so. Since he only gets food every 3 hours, he spends a good chunk of the in between time crying and fussing for more food. Poor guy. He's done with the steroids on Sunday, then hopefully he won't be as hungry and fussy and he'll still be breathing well. We shall see!
Baby boy with only his feeding tube!
Amelia, pretty little stubborn Amelia. All the nurses come over and tell her how pretty she is. It's going to her head haha. She seems so sweet as long as she's happy and you're not making her do something she doesn't want to do. I've never made her do anything until now. Now that I'm trying to nurse her, her true personality comes out. And behind that sweet little girl is a very smart, conniving, stubborn little girl. She knows how to nurse. 100% knows how. She's even been so crazy as to do it sometimes for 15-20 minutes. She gets 1/3-1/2 of her feeding when she does that. She does great. And then, when she realizes what is going on, she stops, and for the rest of the day WILL NOT even consider the idea of nursing. She will just clamp her mouth shut, close her eyes, and put this little grin on her face as if to say "ha ha ha you can't make me!" She forgets that I'm bigger and stronger than her though, and I will win this little battle. It's just going to take some tricks on my part. She has her tricks...the crying and whining and faking asleep. So now I just need to step up my game and figure a way around all of her tricks to just make her nurse. She has to eat somehow. Apparently taking away the feeding tube to force her to eat isn't very nice haha so I just need to be more creative ;) But she's doing great :) She's 3lbs 10oz at the end of the week and getting bigger every day!
Don't be fooled by her sweet face.
Next week we'll keep on nursing, the twins have their first field trip to the eye doctor and we'll see where things go. Hopefully by the end of next week we'll have a better idea of when they'll be discharged. At this point, they just need to eat better! Here's hoping!
Here's the update up until last Thursday. Sorry I'm so late. Anyway, this week...not a lot has changed, except with Jackson's breathing.
Jackson started the week on CPAP and ended the week on NOTHING! No CPAP, no oxygen, NOTHING. I'm so proud :) The doctor decided to start him on steroids last weekend. They help with the inflammation in his lungs from the respiratory distress he had the last time he was weened off of the CPAP. When the inflammation went down from the steroids, the diuretic he's been on for about 2 weeks kicked out all the extra fluid and he started breathing great! The bad part of steroids is that he dropped almost 3oz. He dropped down to about 3lb 5oz at the end of the week. He'll hopefully gain it back quickly. He also gets incredibly hungry and gets very fussy, which probably has accounted for some of the weight loss. Baby boy wants food and wants it every hour or so. Since he only gets food every 3 hours, he spends a good chunk of the in between time crying and fussing for more food. Poor guy. He's done with the steroids on Sunday, then hopefully he won't be as hungry and fussy and he'll still be breathing well. We shall see!
Amelia, pretty little stubborn Amelia. All the nurses come over and tell her how pretty she is. It's going to her head haha. She seems so sweet as long as she's happy and you're not making her do something she doesn't want to do. I've never made her do anything until now. Now that I'm trying to nurse her, her true personality comes out. And behind that sweet little girl is a very smart, conniving, stubborn little girl. She knows how to nurse. 100% knows how. She's even been so crazy as to do it sometimes for 15-20 minutes. She gets 1/3-1/2 of her feeding when she does that. She does great. And then, when she realizes what is going on, she stops, and for the rest of the day WILL NOT even consider the idea of nursing. She will just clamp her mouth shut, close her eyes, and put this little grin on her face as if to say "ha ha ha you can't make me!" She forgets that I'm bigger and stronger than her though, and I will win this little battle. It's just going to take some tricks on my part. She has her tricks...the crying and whining and faking asleep. So now I just need to step up my game and figure a way around all of her tricks to just make her nurse. She has to eat somehow. Apparently taking away the feeding tube to force her to eat isn't very nice haha so I just need to be more creative ;) But she's doing great :) She's 3lbs 10oz at the end of the week and getting bigger every day!
Next week we'll keep on nursing, the twins have their first field trip to the eye doctor and we'll see where things go. Hopefully by the end of next week we'll have a better idea of when they'll be discharged. At this point, they just need to eat better! Here's hoping!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Stroller Troubles
It takes 3 people to put together a double stroller. Just so you know.
One to read instructions aka look at pictures because the wording of the instructions is ridiculous.
One to run around looking for a knife or scissors to cut things open and hand things to #3
Who is stuck doing all the physical labor. This is better off being a guy, daddy or uncle possibly.
Thanks Uncle Deaneroo. I'm sure the twins will love the blood and sweat that went into your hard work. And I learned how to say "Click" in 3 different languages.
Ready for the most flattering picture of me ever? Ready, set, go...
One to read instructions aka look at pictures because the wording of the instructions is ridiculous.
One to run around looking for a knife or scissors to cut things open and hand things to #3
Who is stuck doing all the physical labor. This is better off being a guy, daddy or uncle possibly.
Thanks Uncle Deaneroo. I'm sure the twins will love the blood and sweat that went into your hard work. And I learned how to say "Click" in 3 different languages.
Ready for the most flattering picture of me ever? Ready, set, go...
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Week 5
So I'm a little late for the update on how things have gone this week but I've been very busy and you'll see why :)
The twins hit 32 weeks on Tuesday and at 32 weeks everything changes. If you're going to have a preemie, it seems like after 32 weeks is ideal. Not that anyone plans on having a preemie.
32 means the twins are off caffeine, so they have to stimulate themselves to remember to breathe (they're both doing really well with that...but they do get some caffeine in their breast milk ;) sorry guys but with the lack of sleep, mommy needs a cup a day). They also start getting babies ready to go home at 32 weeks. We still have atleast 3 weeks but with as preemie as my babies were, it takes awhile. So they need to be eating on their own, breathing on their own, sleeping out of the isolette, and doing everything a typical newborn does. The twins are also eligible for the "big kid" room in the nursery. Typically, that's where babies go to be discharged. Every time there's a big group of babies that come in, they move the ones ready to go home over there. So I'm, of course, always incredible jealous of the babies that get to go over there. If they get quite a few new babies who need extra attention, my babies are now considered big enough and doing enough on their own that they could possibly be moved over there! Woohoo! One step closer! Now, I know they probably won't be until they're closer to 35 weeks, but just the fact that they CAN be over there, makes me happy. Baby steps people!
So the big reason I've been so busy is I'm spending most of my day at the hospital to stay there for a few feedings. The babies are now starting to learn to breast feed and get rid of their feeding tube soon! It takes time, things have definitely been far from successful but it's a step in the right direction. The first day or 2 they were both completely uninterested in the process, but they seem to be getting the idea now. They lack the strength and coordination, so we really need to build them up, but they're getting the hang of it! I'll be feeding them more and more over the next week or so and eventually, we'll switch them over to nursing and bottle feeding completely. Since they're still so tiny, they'll probably need to be bottle fed for awhile after they're breast fed. The bottle will drip the food into their mouths more so they don't have to work as hard. It also makes sure that they're getting enough calories and I'll add any extra vitamins they might need to that. By their actual due date, they should be able to handle just being breast fed. 40 weeks also hopefully means no more pumping for me unless I want to ;) No more cleaning and sterilizing all these parts 8+ times a day! woohoo!
Both babies are also over 3 pounds this week! We threw a little 3 pound party for them and I brought in cake for all of the nurses.
I can't seem to figure out how to flip the picture but you get the point...
The twins also are up to new tricks. Mia's tricks involve doing anything possible to get out of breast feeding. Her plans have included crying, whining, spitting, faking being asleep, and faking being asleep while putting her head in any place she can get it so she'll face directly away from the nipple. She's a smart one, I'm telling you. She just forgets that I'm bigger, can move her head against her will, can pinch her when she's being a faker, and will continue making her eat even if she's crying ;) Sorry sweety. Mommy loves you, but you gotta figure this out or you'll never get to come home.
Fake cry. You can tell because she stills looks a little happy ;) Real cries, she looks miserable and her face turns bright red.
Jack likes to breast feed when he's awake. Waking him up just to eat is a challenge, but if he's up, he'll do what he can and not cause a stink like his sister. His fun trick though is trying to lift his head around a lot. Baby boy has a long skinny neck, which is not good for lifting his big ol' head. He struggles with it. When he's kangarooing though, he likes to put his arms under his head and prop them up. Only problem is, if he wants to adjust his head at all, he can't do it, it's too heavy. So I have to lift up his head, he'll turn it where he wants it, then I put it down. It's so funny because he gets to determined, frustrated and then so happy when he gets settled where he wants to be.
You gotta get a little bigger baby boy, then you'll be able to do it ;)
So that's our week in a nutshell. Their weights have been fluctuating around 3lbs 3oz, 3lbs 4oz. They're doing a little gain 10 lose 5 kind of game. So every night they bounce around but it's always going in the up direction so I don't complain. They're burning more calories, doing more for themselves, and building lots of muscles to help them get ready to go home so now that they're doing more work, their weight bounces. We're on the right track though. Hopefully in about 3 weeks, I'll be writing about how they're getting ready to go home! We shall see!
Happy 5 weeks Jack and Mia! :)
The twins hit 32 weeks on Tuesday and at 32 weeks everything changes. If you're going to have a preemie, it seems like after 32 weeks is ideal. Not that anyone plans on having a preemie.
32 means the twins are off caffeine, so they have to stimulate themselves to remember to breathe (they're both doing really well with that...but they do get some caffeine in their breast milk ;) sorry guys but with the lack of sleep, mommy needs a cup a day). They also start getting babies ready to go home at 32 weeks. We still have atleast 3 weeks but with as preemie as my babies were, it takes awhile. So they need to be eating on their own, breathing on their own, sleeping out of the isolette, and doing everything a typical newborn does. The twins are also eligible for the "big kid" room in the nursery. Typically, that's where babies go to be discharged. Every time there's a big group of babies that come in, they move the ones ready to go home over there. So I'm, of course, always incredible jealous of the babies that get to go over there. If they get quite a few new babies who need extra attention, my babies are now considered big enough and doing enough on their own that they could possibly be moved over there! Woohoo! One step closer! Now, I know they probably won't be until they're closer to 35 weeks, but just the fact that they CAN be over there, makes me happy. Baby steps people!
So the big reason I've been so busy is I'm spending most of my day at the hospital to stay there for a few feedings. The babies are now starting to learn to breast feed and get rid of their feeding tube soon! It takes time, things have definitely been far from successful but it's a step in the right direction. The first day or 2 they were both completely uninterested in the process, but they seem to be getting the idea now. They lack the strength and coordination, so we really need to build them up, but they're getting the hang of it! I'll be feeding them more and more over the next week or so and eventually, we'll switch them over to nursing and bottle feeding completely. Since they're still so tiny, they'll probably need to be bottle fed for awhile after they're breast fed. The bottle will drip the food into their mouths more so they don't have to work as hard. It also makes sure that they're getting enough calories and I'll add any extra vitamins they might need to that. By their actual due date, they should be able to handle just being breast fed. 40 weeks also hopefully means no more pumping for me unless I want to ;) No more cleaning and sterilizing all these parts 8+ times a day! woohoo!
Both babies are also over 3 pounds this week! We threw a little 3 pound party for them and I brought in cake for all of the nurses.
The twins also are up to new tricks. Mia's tricks involve doing anything possible to get out of breast feeding. Her plans have included crying, whining, spitting, faking being asleep, and faking being asleep while putting her head in any place she can get it so she'll face directly away from the nipple. She's a smart one, I'm telling you. She just forgets that I'm bigger, can move her head against her will, can pinch her when she's being a faker, and will continue making her eat even if she's crying ;) Sorry sweety. Mommy loves you, but you gotta figure this out or you'll never get to come home.
Jack likes to breast feed when he's awake. Waking him up just to eat is a challenge, but if he's up, he'll do what he can and not cause a stink like his sister. His fun trick though is trying to lift his head around a lot. Baby boy has a long skinny neck, which is not good for lifting his big ol' head. He struggles with it. When he's kangarooing though, he likes to put his arms under his head and prop them up. Only problem is, if he wants to adjust his head at all, he can't do it, it's too heavy. So I have to lift up his head, he'll turn it where he wants it, then I put it down. It's so funny because he gets to determined, frustrated and then so happy when he gets settled where he wants to be.
So that's our week in a nutshell. Their weights have been fluctuating around 3lbs 3oz, 3lbs 4oz. They're doing a little gain 10 lose 5 kind of game. So every night they bounce around but it's always going in the up direction so I don't complain. They're burning more calories, doing more for themselves, and building lots of muscles to help them get ready to go home so now that they're doing more work, their weight bounces. We're on the right track though. Hopefully in about 3 weeks, I'll be writing about how they're getting ready to go home! We shall see!
Happy 5 weeks Jack and Mia! :)
Monday, July 11, 2011
A Day In the Life Part II
What do you do when you have your babies 3 months early?
Attempt to decorate their nursery when they're 1 month old. Obviously.
This makes me think of everything I need to do yet to get ready to bring these babies home! And as if getting everything we need isn't enough, we have California things that need to get done and Pennsylvania things, since they're most likely going to be in PA for a few weeks before we take them to Cali. So that's 2 nurseries...or at least 1 legit nursery and 1 makeshift nursery.
We have cribs, a dresser/changer and some basic decorations in their real nursery. Their names will hang there when I finish them. But we still need things like a changing pad, sheets for that, extra crib sheets, a pack and play, sheets for that, maybe a bouncer or swing or both, and many other miscellaneous items.
To bring them home we have to have some basics that the NICU requires like car seats, clothes, and receiving blankets. All of which we have, so as far as the NICU goes, we're good to go home in Pennsylvania.
To keep them in PA, we need somewhere for them to sleep, clothes, diapers, blankets, stroller, and many other little trinkets. We have some clothes, blankets, a few too big diapers (we'll get smaller ones when we see what size they are at go-home time), and a stroller. We're begging, borrowing and stealing the other things we need. Ok, mostly the borrowing, but I would beg if I needed to. Probably not steal, I have 2 babies I need to take care of. Jail would be a bad idea. We have 1 bassinet, but it looks like one baby is sleeping in a dresser drawer for right now.
So one day at a time, but now, a month into their lives, we're slowly getting together everything we need to bring them home to PA and then bring them home to Cali! Hopefully, we'll be using all of these things in a month or so!
This makes me think of everything I need to do yet to get ready to bring these babies home! And as if getting everything we need isn't enough, we have California things that need to get done and Pennsylvania things, since they're most likely going to be in PA for a few weeks before we take them to Cali. So that's 2 nurseries...or at least 1 legit nursery and 1 makeshift nursery.
We have cribs, a dresser/changer and some basic decorations in their real nursery. Their names will hang there when I finish them. But we still need things like a changing pad, sheets for that, extra crib sheets, a pack and play, sheets for that, maybe a bouncer or swing or both, and many other miscellaneous items.
To bring them home we have to have some basics that the NICU requires like car seats, clothes, and receiving blankets. All of which we have, so as far as the NICU goes, we're good to go home in Pennsylvania.
To keep them in PA, we need somewhere for them to sleep, clothes, diapers, blankets, stroller, and many other little trinkets. We have some clothes, blankets, a few too big diapers (we'll get smaller ones when we see what size they are at go-home time), and a stroller. We're begging, borrowing and stealing the other things we need. Ok, mostly the borrowing, but I would beg if I needed to. Probably not steal, I have 2 babies I need to take care of. Jail would be a bad idea. We have 1 bassinet, but it looks like one baby is sleeping in a dresser drawer for right now.
So one day at a time, but now, a month into their lives, we're slowly getting together everything we need to bring them home to PA and then bring them home to Cali! Hopefully, we'll be using all of these things in a month or so!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
1 Month Birthday!
I can't believe it's been 1 month since I gave birth to the most beautiful babies in the world! Ok, maybe I'm just a little bit biased. As much as I would have liked to skip this whole NICU thing and just had 2 healthy full term babies, I would do it all over again to have my wonderful babies.
Here's a quick look at where they started...
And today...
Jackson
Length-40cm (15 3/4inches)
Head-27cm
Weight-1308grams (2lb 14oz)
Amelia
Length-39cm (15 1/3inches)
Head-27.5inches...she would get my big head. Sorry baby girl!
Weight-1367 grams (3lb 0oz)
What big babies they're becoming! Slowly but surely :)
A lot of people have asked me how big they have to be to go home. They don't have to be a certain size as much as meet certain criteria. Obviously, they have to be able to breathe on their own with no help at all (so Mr. Jackson needs to get rid of that CPAP). They also have to be eating on their own, either at breast or by bottle, and gaining weight while doing so. The minimum size is around 3 1/2 pounds and gestation is 35 weeks. They also have to be able to keep their body temperature while out of the incubator and keep their heart rate up while sitting in a car seat for over an hour.
When they meet all of these simple little tasks, we can discuss discharge. They meet 0 of them right now. But I'll keep you posted as we check things off the list and get closer to discussing the big "D". Obviously, we have at minimum, about 3 1/2 weeks to go since they are currently 31 weeks and 4 days...or would have been had they stayed in my belly. Their development is similar to being in my belly though, their sucking skills, alertness, and certain other development areas follow along so that's why the 35 weeks date is still important. Their growth and other development, like their lungs, are slowed or changed because of their early birth though. So they still follow along with my gestation, even though, technically, it's over.
So that's the basic idea...and here are some funny pictures on their 1 month birthday! They might hate me for these when they get older...at least Amelia will. Bahahaha I love being a mom! Wait til I get out the matching outfits! :)
Here's a quick look at where they started...
And today...
Jackson
Length-40cm (15 3/4inches)
Head-27cm
Weight-1308grams (2lb 14oz)
Amelia
Length-39cm (15 1/3inches)
Head-27.5inches...she would get my big head. Sorry baby girl!
Weight-1367 grams (3lb 0oz)
What big babies they're becoming! Slowly but surely :)
A lot of people have asked me how big they have to be to go home. They don't have to be a certain size as much as meet certain criteria. Obviously, they have to be able to breathe on their own with no help at all (so Mr. Jackson needs to get rid of that CPAP). They also have to be eating on their own, either at breast or by bottle, and gaining weight while doing so. The minimum size is around 3 1/2 pounds and gestation is 35 weeks. They also have to be able to keep their body temperature while out of the incubator and keep their heart rate up while sitting in a car seat for over an hour.
When they meet all of these simple little tasks, we can discuss discharge. They meet 0 of them right now. But I'll keep you posted as we check things off the list and get closer to discussing the big "D". Obviously, we have at minimum, about 3 1/2 weeks to go since they are currently 31 weeks and 4 days...or would have been had they stayed in my belly. Their development is similar to being in my belly though, their sucking skills, alertness, and certain other development areas follow along so that's why the 35 weeks date is still important. Their growth and other development, like their lungs, are slowed or changed because of their early birth though. So they still follow along with my gestation, even though, technically, it's over.
So that's the basic idea...and here are some funny pictures on their 1 month birthday! They might hate me for these when they get older...at least Amelia will. Bahahaha I love being a mom! Wait til I get out the matching outfits! :)
"Look what I can do!" He's such a little show off ;)
haha she made cuter faces while posing but this one is too funny to pass up on. I love you Amelia darling :)
Friday, July 8, 2011
Week 4
I'm happy to report this week flew by! Thank goodness! Week 3 was rough. Really rough. Week 4 was dealing with a lot of repercussions of week 3...like the possible lung issues Jack might have and the possible medical attention he might need when he's discharged. The big change for the week was pretty much Jack's lungs.
When week 3 ended he had to go back on the CPAP and they were trying to ween him off again. It was incredibly unsuccessful. Like to the point that all of the weening might have done more harm than good. He went back on the CPAP 24/7 and was needing more oxygen than before the first time they weened him off. Not a good sign. He was down to 21% before and now he was needing 30%. They did a chest xray and found fluid in the lungs. They've been treating it with diuretics and so far have had good results. He's back down to 21-23%. But the long end of the deal is that these issues can keep coming up. He might not be off of oxygen completely for a very long time. He might be going home with it. He might have chronic lung issues. Everything is a might for right now, but things aren't looking good. For right now, no plans to take him off of the CPAP again. He finished his lasix treatment and is switching to aldactazide. No plans on when he'll be off of that. We just have to wait and see how baby boy does. Poor baby boy.
Between the diuretics and all of the blood work done, Jack also needed a blood transfusion. This didn't exactly make me happy, but he pinked up afterwards, got his energy back and was doing much better afterwards. So I'll quit my whining.
Mia and Jack are both doing great. They're eating well, gaining weight, breathing relatively well (Mia atleast), and doing what they're supposed to. We just have to wait and see what happens next. I've learned that every day is a new adventure.
In really exciting news...Mia ended the week at 2lbs 15.8oz...what a tease! And Jack was 2lbs 14oz. I think she's waiting for him so they can have a 3lb party together. What a nice sister :)
I think they are really starting to look like twins. :) What big babies you are! (Obviously my idea of "big" has gotten a bit skewed in the past few weeks.)
When week 3 ended he had to go back on the CPAP and they were trying to ween him off again. It was incredibly unsuccessful. Like to the point that all of the weening might have done more harm than good. He went back on the CPAP 24/7 and was needing more oxygen than before the first time they weened him off. Not a good sign. He was down to 21% before and now he was needing 30%. They did a chest xray and found fluid in the lungs. They've been treating it with diuretics and so far have had good results. He's back down to 21-23%. But the long end of the deal is that these issues can keep coming up. He might not be off of oxygen completely for a very long time. He might be going home with it. He might have chronic lung issues. Everything is a might for right now, but things aren't looking good. For right now, no plans to take him off of the CPAP again. He finished his lasix treatment and is switching to aldactazide. No plans on when he'll be off of that. We just have to wait and see how baby boy does. Poor baby boy.
Between the diuretics and all of the blood work done, Jack also needed a blood transfusion. This didn't exactly make me happy, but he pinked up afterwards, got his energy back and was doing much better afterwards. So I'll quit my whining.
Mia and Jack are both doing great. They're eating well, gaining weight, breathing relatively well (Mia atleast), and doing what they're supposed to. We just have to wait and see what happens next. I've learned that every day is a new adventure.
In really exciting news...Mia ended the week at 2lbs 15.8oz...what a tease! And Jack was 2lbs 14oz. I think she's waiting for him so they can have a 3lb party together. What a nice sister :)
I think they are really starting to look like twins. :) What big babies you are! (Obviously my idea of "big" has gotten a bit skewed in the past few weeks.)
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Amelia June
Oh my little girl, Baby B, Amelia Bedelia, and our Mia bug. She is pure sugar, as sweet as can be. And the most laid back little thing in the world.
She was named after her grandma June, who was also a twin, with a twin brother, who was born in June, almost 3 months early. Her birthday was the day before the twins were born...also the day my grandpa died that Jackson is named after.
Amelia is just a darling, a cuddle bug, a love bug, a june bug, and the sweetest baby you will ever meet. She will let you flop her around while you bath her, let you change her diaper while she sleeps, and let you practically do jumping jacks while you're holding her, all without making a fuss. She will just lie there sleeping and squeaking. She is quite the squeaker.
Unlike her brother who will cry when he has a dirty diaper, she'll find a way to work around the situation. Her newest trick is scooching around until her diaper comes off of her butt. She kept scooching up to the top of the incubator the other day and I kept putting her back down and wrapping her bendy around her tightly so she would stay put. Then she'd scooch back up again and drag her butt. Eventually I noticed her diaper was coming off and it was dirty, so I changed her, put her back down where she was supposed to be. Obviously, then she stayed put. No cries, he fits, no fighting with you while you changed her, just quiet little Mia trying to solve the problem herself. Future engineer like daddy? We'll see :)
She's been a cuddler from the beginning and loves to kangaroo. She won't move an inch as soon as you get her out and she realizes its cuddle time with mommy. She's always been such a quiet happy little girl. Maybe it's because she's not getting poked and messed with as much as her brother. But it's very interesting to see the contrast in their personalities.
Mia's after bath photo shoot....
She was named after her grandma June, who was also a twin, with a twin brother, who was born in June, almost 3 months early. Her birthday was the day before the twins were born...also the day my grandpa died that Jackson is named after.
Amelia is just a darling, a cuddle bug, a love bug, a june bug, and the sweetest baby you will ever meet. She will let you flop her around while you bath her, let you change her diaper while she sleeps, and let you practically do jumping jacks while you're holding her, all without making a fuss. She will just lie there sleeping and squeaking. She is quite the squeaker.
Unlike her brother who will cry when he has a dirty diaper, she'll find a way to work around the situation. Her newest trick is scooching around until her diaper comes off of her butt. She kept scooching up to the top of the incubator the other day and I kept putting her back down and wrapping her bendy around her tightly so she would stay put. Then she'd scooch back up again and drag her butt. Eventually I noticed her diaper was coming off and it was dirty, so I changed her, put her back down where she was supposed to be. Obviously, then she stayed put. No cries, he fits, no fighting with you while you changed her, just quiet little Mia trying to solve the problem herself. Future engineer like daddy? We'll see :)
She's been a cuddler from the beginning and loves to kangaroo. She won't move an inch as soon as you get her out and she realizes its cuddle time with mommy. She's always been such a quiet happy little girl. Maybe it's because she's not getting poked and messed with as much as her brother. But it's very interesting to see the contrast in their personalities.
Mia's after bath photo shoot....
"I'm clean and pretty and I know it."
"My name's Mia and I'm sooooo big! Look at me stretch!"
"What is going on??"
I have the cutest babies in the world. I love them :)
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Jackson Thomas Martin
Our sweet baby boy, baby A, and Mr. Action Jackson as the nurses call him. I know they say you can't tell a babies personality until like 6 months or something, but there is definitely personality in this boy. It'll be very interesting to see how his little characteristics turn into his real personality later on.
So a little about Jackson. He's named after his daddy and grandpa and great grandpa on the hubby's side (Thomas) and his great grandpa on my side (Martin) who died the day before he was born. We knew he was watching over our little guy and Jack definitely needed a guardian angel so we wanted to name him after his great grandpa to keep his memory with Jack. It was a last minute add in but we think it's a great name. It also keeps up with family tradition using Martin because my brother has 2 middle names, one of which is also Martin.
So after Jackson was born, of course he was very sick. He was very still and sick and quiet. We had no idea he would be the fireball he is right now. He's happy when he's happy and upset when he's upset. If he has any discomforts, he'll let you know, especially a dirty diaper or if he's hungry. I'm glad I wasn't there yesterday when they held a feeding because of the blood transfusion. I bet he was not a happy camper :)
He can be so sweet and cuddly though. He was a little jittery when he first started kangarooing with us. He also had a needle in his head, in his arm, a sore on his butt, and probably a few other issues that kept him from being really happy. When all that came out and he realized kangarooing is a nice quiet time with mommy, he really started to enjoy it. He cuddles up now like his sister and lays so quietly for as long as you'll keep him there. If he wakes up at all and opens his eyes, he'll look up to my voice and just stare. Sooo precious. If his sister is with us though, he turns back into a wild child and will do everything he can to disturb her. Obviously, they're going to grow up to be best of friends.
Then there's times when you mess with him when he doesn't want to be messed with...while trying to give him a bath for example. He will squirm his way out of the incubator if the door was open. He just wiggles away from the wash cloth and will kick up his legs and arms and fight you every inch of the way. When you're done though, he's a happy camper. Maybe he's just a boy who likes to be dirty. We'll see but it's funny to watch him squirm and fight you...like he has any chance of winning. Maybe he's just stubborn...like his daddy :)
If you hear a baby crying from our spot in the NICU, I would bet it's Jackson. He's just trying to tell you something isn't right. When you change his diaper or feed him or put him on his belly or whatever it is that he really wants, he'll be as happy as can be. I'm hoping he learns how to talk quickly so I don't have to listen to the screams while I figure out what he wants. Maybe I'll get better at figuring it out as he gets older :)
Either way, that's our sweet little boy. Such a sweetheart, and such a wild child. All packed into one. And very different from his sister...but that's for another post.
So a little about Jackson. He's named after his daddy and grandpa and great grandpa on the hubby's side (Thomas) and his great grandpa on my side (Martin) who died the day before he was born. We knew he was watching over our little guy and Jack definitely needed a guardian angel so we wanted to name him after his great grandpa to keep his memory with Jack. It was a last minute add in but we think it's a great name. It also keeps up with family tradition using Martin because my brother has 2 middle names, one of which is also Martin.
So after Jackson was born, of course he was very sick. He was very still and sick and quiet. We had no idea he would be the fireball he is right now. He's happy when he's happy and upset when he's upset. If he has any discomforts, he'll let you know, especially a dirty diaper or if he's hungry. I'm glad I wasn't there yesterday when they held a feeding because of the blood transfusion. I bet he was not a happy camper :)
He can be so sweet and cuddly though. He was a little jittery when he first started kangarooing with us. He also had a needle in his head, in his arm, a sore on his butt, and probably a few other issues that kept him from being really happy. When all that came out and he realized kangarooing is a nice quiet time with mommy, he really started to enjoy it. He cuddles up now like his sister and lays so quietly for as long as you'll keep him there. If he wakes up at all and opens his eyes, he'll look up to my voice and just stare. Sooo precious. If his sister is with us though, he turns back into a wild child and will do everything he can to disturb her. Obviously, they're going to grow up to be best of friends.
Then there's times when you mess with him when he doesn't want to be messed with...while trying to give him a bath for example. He will squirm his way out of the incubator if the door was open. He just wiggles away from the wash cloth and will kick up his legs and arms and fight you every inch of the way. When you're done though, he's a happy camper. Maybe he's just a boy who likes to be dirty. We'll see but it's funny to watch him squirm and fight you...like he has any chance of winning. Maybe he's just stubborn...like his daddy :)
If you hear a baby crying from our spot in the NICU, I would bet it's Jackson. He's just trying to tell you something isn't right. When you change his diaper or feed him or put him on his belly or whatever it is that he really wants, he'll be as happy as can be. I'm hoping he learns how to talk quickly so I don't have to listen to the screams while I figure out what he wants. Maybe I'll get better at figuring it out as he gets older :)
Either way, that's our sweet little boy. Such a sweetheart, and such a wild child. All packed into one. And very different from his sister...but that's for another post.
"But mommy I didn't want a bath today!"
"No more pictures!" (as he swats his hand at me)
I love this little guy.
Monday, July 4, 2011
A Day In The Life
Today they had to put a heparin lock in so my sweet baby boy could get a blood transfusion. I stepped out of the room while the nurses put the lock in, it can get crowded by their beds, and came back when they were done. Jack wasn't crying at all. He's usually incredibly fidgety and he was just still, with the saddest look in his eyes that I've ever seen. I wanted to hold him and hug him and kiss him and make him feel better, but all I could do was look at him through the plastic and put my hands through the holes to touch him. I wanted so badly to make him feel better, but I couldn't do anything. And you thought watching your kids get shots was bad. My heart broke in a million pieces looking at him. My kids, in less than a month of life, have gotten more needles in them than I've probably had in my entire life. They don't cry or whine anymore, it's just part of their lives. I hate that it has to be like that for them.
p.s. donate blood, it could help save a baby like mine. And don't use the "I hate needles excuse". If my 2lb babies can handle it, so can you.
I love my handsome little guy so much<3
and because I can't leave out my Mia bug in all of her cuteness....
She says Happy 4th of July and she'll only wake up for fireworks...or daddy :)
p.s. donate blood, it could help save a baby like mine. And don't use the "I hate needles excuse". If my 2lb babies can handle it, so can you.
I love my handsome little guy so much<3
and because I can't leave out my Mia bug in all of her cuteness....
She says Happy 4th of July and she'll only wake up for fireworks...or daddy :)
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Pump it Up
I've told so many of you I'm really busy and I don't think a lot of you understand why. After all, I don't have to take care of my kids. I just get to visit them once a day for a little while, hold them and then I'm free to do whatever I want, sleep through the night, not live the life of a new mom.
Wrong my friends. Wrong. I have sleepless nights and busy days and am stuck at home most of the time. Why? Because I'm pumping.
Most men should probably stop reading at this point unless you're a father and comfortable with the idea of breast milk squirting everywhere. Ok, maybe not squirting, but sure as heck dripping everywhere. Nursing pads. Invest in them now moms-to-be. You can thank me later.
So let's start at the beginning of my breast feeding journey and even share some fun facts you probably didn't know.
After my water broke, I was in the hospital and asked by several nurses and lactation consultants if I planned to breast feed. Free food, no bottles to clean...I was sold on the word free. I had planned on breast feeding since...well probably before I was pregnant so it was really not an question for me. I was really concerned I wouldn't be able to breast feed though if they came too early. I doubted the human body's ability to know what was going on if my babies were born early and I had a c section. Do not doubt the body, my friends. It knows. I was assured it wouldn't be a problem as long as I made it a priority and it had nothing to do with how early I was, and everything to do with the placenta detaching. So my body knows. Good.
Soon enough, my babies were born. Too soon, but that's not the point of this post. I was wheeled in, cut open, sewed back up, shoved in a tiny cold room, then eventually wheeled back to my home for the past week in post partum. About 5 minutes after I showed up there, a nurse came in and asked me if I was ready to pump to get breast milk for my babies. Sure, why not. What else am I doing right now? Certainly not spending time with my babies :(
So that began my pumping journey. The first days were hard. Not only was I not getting any milk, I had a doozy of a fever and was not in the mood to sit up in my super uncomfortable bed and latch some little plastic parts onto my boobs. But I managed to pump a few times a day and day 2 my milk arrived. That made me more motivated. It was actually a challenge for me at that point to see if I could get more, like I had any control in the matter.
I learned this later, but the size that my babies were, the hospital wouldn't have given them formula. It was breast milk or an IV. Guess which one is healthier for the babies? Moms who refuse to breast feed (seriously, why not? Did I mention it's free?) are strongly pushed into doing it, at least trying it. The next goal is to get donor milk, and if none of that works, they'll only give them nutrition through an IV. The nurse told me the babies digestive system is way too fragile to handle formula and it can have a lot of adverse affects on their little tummies. I didn't really ever think of that. Why wouldn't you want to give your baby the best nutrition possible?
Ok, I admit, pumping is a pain. Literally. And pumping takes up a lot of time. And pumping isn't quite as portable as babies are. I can't just go to the store and nurse the babies in the car if it's feeding time. I can't go camping because there's no electrical outlet for my pump...not that I would do that right now anyway, but I'm trying to make a point here. Pumping is hard. I'm pretty much glued to the pump. My schedule revolves around the pump. If I pump at 8am, and get a shower really quick, I can still make the drive up to the hospital and pump by 10:30ish. That's my mind right now. That's how I think about things. Then in the hospital, with 2 babies and only 1 parent right now, I plan which baby I'm gong to hold and for how long so I can pump in between. Yea. It's that bad.
Overall, I pump 8-10 times a day, every 2-3 hours. If I go too long, things get messy, I get sore, it's just not a good situation. So I am pretty rigid about my schedule. And I can't just sleep all night and start over again in the morning. This is a 24/7 deal.
And what does pumping entail? The nice people at the hospital got me a hospital grade pump to rent.
It's nice, although not as nice as the one they have at the hospital that I get to use when I'm visiting the babies...score. You have to put all the pieces together, plug everything in, then for 15-20 minutes, you sit. You can't do much else while you're doing this unless you're a champ like me. I've mastered movie watching, texting, talking on the phone, eating Reese's pieces and my most recent skill...blogging. But seriously, the parts don't stay attached to the nipple without a little help so you're movement is pretty limited for those 15-20 minutes. Afterwards, you have to store the milk, clean the parts, sanitize the parts, and lay everything out to air dry for the next hour or so until...oh yes, you just do it all over again. So if you're pumping every 2-3 hours, it takes a good 45 minutes to pump, clean, get ready for the next round, it doesn't leave you with much time in between to do anything else.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I pump. It makes me feel like I'm helping my babies. It makes me feel like I'm a part of them growing. It makes me feel like I'm doing everything I can to give them the best fighting chance at life. It makes me feel like I'm a mom even when I can't be with my babies. It makes me happy. But it certainly limits my "free time" when I'm not with the babies.
For these 2, though, I'd move mountains if I had to.
So if I don't answer your messages, I'm probably watching a movie instead of skillfully maneuvering the computer so I can type and hold onto the nipple shields at the same time. But it doesn't mean I'm not appreciative of everyone's thoughts and prayers. I'm busy, I'm not sleeping any more than a new mom, and I'm constantly worrying about my little ones.
For my next trick, I will master breast feeding 2 premature infants at once. Stay tuned in the weeks to come, it's sure to get messy.
Wrong my friends. Wrong. I have sleepless nights and busy days and am stuck at home most of the time. Why? Because I'm pumping.
Most men should probably stop reading at this point unless you're a father and comfortable with the idea of breast milk squirting everywhere. Ok, maybe not squirting, but sure as heck dripping everywhere. Nursing pads. Invest in them now moms-to-be. You can thank me later.
So let's start at the beginning of my breast feeding journey and even share some fun facts you probably didn't know.
After my water broke, I was in the hospital and asked by several nurses and lactation consultants if I planned to breast feed. Free food, no bottles to clean...I was sold on the word free. I had planned on breast feeding since...well probably before I was pregnant so it was really not an question for me. I was really concerned I wouldn't be able to breast feed though if they came too early. I doubted the human body's ability to know what was going on if my babies were born early and I had a c section. Do not doubt the body, my friends. It knows. I was assured it wouldn't be a problem as long as I made it a priority and it had nothing to do with how early I was, and everything to do with the placenta detaching. So my body knows. Good.
Soon enough, my babies were born. Too soon, but that's not the point of this post. I was wheeled in, cut open, sewed back up, shoved in a tiny cold room, then eventually wheeled back to my home for the past week in post partum. About 5 minutes after I showed up there, a nurse came in and asked me if I was ready to pump to get breast milk for my babies. Sure, why not. What else am I doing right now? Certainly not spending time with my babies :(
So that began my pumping journey. The first days were hard. Not only was I not getting any milk, I had a doozy of a fever and was not in the mood to sit up in my super uncomfortable bed and latch some little plastic parts onto my boobs. But I managed to pump a few times a day and day 2 my milk arrived. That made me more motivated. It was actually a challenge for me at that point to see if I could get more, like I had any control in the matter.
I learned this later, but the size that my babies were, the hospital wouldn't have given them formula. It was breast milk or an IV. Guess which one is healthier for the babies? Moms who refuse to breast feed (seriously, why not? Did I mention it's free?) are strongly pushed into doing it, at least trying it. The next goal is to get donor milk, and if none of that works, they'll only give them nutrition through an IV. The nurse told me the babies digestive system is way too fragile to handle formula and it can have a lot of adverse affects on their little tummies. I didn't really ever think of that. Why wouldn't you want to give your baby the best nutrition possible?
Ok, I admit, pumping is a pain. Literally. And pumping takes up a lot of time. And pumping isn't quite as portable as babies are. I can't just go to the store and nurse the babies in the car if it's feeding time. I can't go camping because there's no electrical outlet for my pump...not that I would do that right now anyway, but I'm trying to make a point here. Pumping is hard. I'm pretty much glued to the pump. My schedule revolves around the pump. If I pump at 8am, and get a shower really quick, I can still make the drive up to the hospital and pump by 10:30ish. That's my mind right now. That's how I think about things. Then in the hospital, with 2 babies and only 1 parent right now, I plan which baby I'm gong to hold and for how long so I can pump in between. Yea. It's that bad.
Overall, I pump 8-10 times a day, every 2-3 hours. If I go too long, things get messy, I get sore, it's just not a good situation. So I am pretty rigid about my schedule. And I can't just sleep all night and start over again in the morning. This is a 24/7 deal.
And what does pumping entail? The nice people at the hospital got me a hospital grade pump to rent.
It's nice, although not as nice as the one they have at the hospital that I get to use when I'm visiting the babies...score. You have to put all the pieces together, plug everything in, then for 15-20 minutes, you sit. You can't do much else while you're doing this unless you're a champ like me. I've mastered movie watching, texting, talking on the phone, eating Reese's pieces and my most recent skill...blogging. But seriously, the parts don't stay attached to the nipple without a little help so you're movement is pretty limited for those 15-20 minutes. Afterwards, you have to store the milk, clean the parts, sanitize the parts, and lay everything out to air dry for the next hour or so until...oh yes, you just do it all over again. So if you're pumping every 2-3 hours, it takes a good 45 minutes to pump, clean, get ready for the next round, it doesn't leave you with much time in between to do anything else.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I pump. It makes me feel like I'm helping my babies. It makes me feel like I'm a part of them growing. It makes me feel like I'm doing everything I can to give them the best fighting chance at life. It makes me feel like I'm a mom even when I can't be with my babies. It makes me happy. But it certainly limits my "free time" when I'm not with the babies.
For these 2, though, I'd move mountains if I had to.
So if I don't answer your messages, I'm probably watching a movie instead of skillfully maneuvering the computer so I can type and hold onto the nipple shields at the same time. But it doesn't mean I'm not appreciative of everyone's thoughts and prayers. I'm busy, I'm not sleeping any more than a new mom, and I'm constantly worrying about my little ones.
For my next trick, I will master breast feeding 2 premature infants at once. Stay tuned in the weeks to come, it's sure to get messy.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Lessons Learned
I've learned quite a few things from my 3 week NICU experience. I'm sure I"ll learn a lot more in the next 5+ weeks. Here are some things to know if you or anyone you know has to go through a NICU stay with their little one.
1. Never wear eye make-up.Crying happens too often for mascara.
2. Always wear pants, no matter how hot it is outside. The babies are kept warm in their incubators, the rest of the place is freezing!
3. Don't bring preemie clothes or hats to compare to your baby, even if you think they look small enough. When you see how big the clothes are next to them, you'll be super bummed.
4. Pack food...hospital food=blahhh (I actually learned that from my 2 week hospital stay). But if you want good food and you're at the same hospital my kiddos are at...1st floor coffee shop. Why do they get better snacks and food than the cafeteria? I don't get it.
5. If you're breast feeding, put on nursing pads or an extra blanket when you kangaroo. Things get messy from your hormones gushing while cuddling with your bambinos.That's all I'm going to say about that.
6. You can stay there all day, even if the doctor tells you that you need to try to live a normal life and do things for yourself to get your mind off of the NICU. My mind is never off of my babies, no matter what I'm doing. I feel much more comfortable being there with them and knowing that they're safe....even if I am freezing and hungry some days ;)
7. Trust the nurses, but take cues from your own babies. I knew Jackson wasn't feeling well for a day before they told me he had a virus. Mom's know. Let the nurse and doctors know what you know. It helps everyone in the process. The nurses and doctor's are in and out and change. Even though you're not with your baby 24/7, you still know best.
8. Don't pay attention to babies coming and going...it just gets you down seeing a baby born after yours and leaving before yours do. Or maybe that's just me.
9.I may just be super uncoordinated, but don't wear clothes that you don't want breast milk on. Don't even ask how things go when I'm doing the hindmilk thing.
10. Don't go near snack food. I am drawn to sugar and I think it's because I'm so emotionally and physically drained from this whole process. I will eat an entire large bag of reese's pieces in 1 pumping session and not think twice about it. Ask my husband. And I still could pull off parking in the "Expecting Mother" parking spots. I wonder why. And that seems to be all that people bring me. I get a lot of "Poor girl, here's some chocolate" vibes. I love the chocolate, I will eat the chocolate, I don't need the chocolate. Please bring fruit :)
So we'll see if things change over the next few weeks or what other lessons I learn along the way from this experience.
1. Never wear eye make-up.Crying happens too often for mascara.
2. Always wear pants, no matter how hot it is outside. The babies are kept warm in their incubators, the rest of the place is freezing!
3. Don't bring preemie clothes or hats to compare to your baby, even if you think they look small enough. When you see how big the clothes are next to them, you'll be super bummed.
4. Pack food...hospital food=blahhh (I actually learned that from my 2 week hospital stay). But if you want good food and you're at the same hospital my kiddos are at...1st floor coffee shop. Why do they get better snacks and food than the cafeteria? I don't get it.
5. If you're breast feeding, put on nursing pads or an extra blanket when you kangaroo. Things get messy from your hormones gushing while cuddling with your bambinos.That's all I'm going to say about that.
6. You can stay there all day, even if the doctor tells you that you need to try to live a normal life and do things for yourself to get your mind off of the NICU. My mind is never off of my babies, no matter what I'm doing. I feel much more comfortable being there with them and knowing that they're safe....even if I am freezing and hungry some days ;)
7. Trust the nurses, but take cues from your own babies. I knew Jackson wasn't feeling well for a day before they told me he had a virus. Mom's know. Let the nurse and doctors know what you know. It helps everyone in the process. The nurses and doctor's are in and out and change. Even though you're not with your baby 24/7, you still know best.
8. Don't pay attention to babies coming and going...it just gets you down seeing a baby born after yours and leaving before yours do. Or maybe that's just me.
9.I may just be super uncoordinated, but don't wear clothes that you don't want breast milk on. Don't even ask how things go when I'm doing the hindmilk thing.
10. Don't go near snack food. I am drawn to sugar and I think it's because I'm so emotionally and physically drained from this whole process. I will eat an entire large bag of reese's pieces in 1 pumping session and not think twice about it. Ask my husband. And I still could pull off parking in the "Expecting Mother" parking spots. I wonder why. And that seems to be all that people bring me. I get a lot of "Poor girl, here's some chocolate" vibes. I love the chocolate, I will eat the chocolate, I don't need the chocolate. Please bring fruit :)
So we'll see if things change over the next few weeks or what other lessons I learn along the way from this experience.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Week 3
Week 3 was a really crazy rollercoaster for me. There were a few ups and a few downs. The downs were a lot harder. I'm getting a little sick of the NICU process. I want my babies home. Every day I don't see progress I get discouraged. It's hard to see the finish line so far away and as the days tick by, it gets harder and harder instead of easier..
So the good:
Happy 3 weeks little ones! Mommy and daddy love you both to the moon and back<3
So the good:
- Mia was weened off of the CPAP and did wonderfully. She tolerated being only on nasal canula at 21% and was breathing great. She would have a few episodes of apnea and bradycardia's but nothing not expected. They have both been getting caffeine since week 1 to help prevent them.
- I started doing hindmilk, so I would pump a few minutes, put the foremilk in 1 container, then pump the rest of the time and put the hindmilk in another container. The nurses only fed the babies the hindmilk, which has all the fat in it. This helped them gain weight. End of week 3 weights we have 2lb 9oz babies.
- They both were taken off of their bili blankets and were no longer our little glow babies. But their color was much better, so we didn't mind ;)
- Digestively, they're doing well, taking breast milk down their NG tubes. The breast milk is being fortified to get in a few more calories. Also, they're getting sodium in their feedings because they have low sodium. They continued to increase their feedings and were up to 21cc by the end of the week. No digestive issues yet, thank goodness. We'll see how things go as the feedings keep increasing. When they're 32-33 weeks we'll try to start nursing them...I think that's when the real excitement will start.
- Jack was also weened off of the CPAP and was doing ok until he had been off for 24 hours. It was just too hard for him to handle. He was always a few days behind Mia respiratory wise so he just couldn't keep up with her. He went back on the CPAP but by the end of the week, they were trying to ween him off again, this time taking it a little slower.
- Jack spiked a fever and his platelets increased. The Dr said it was probably some kind of virus, which they wouldn't treat. We just have to wait and hope he takes care of it on his own. His fever stayed down though, even with the high platelets so hopefully he's working it out of his system.
- My sweet Jackson...they found a lump on his head. They aren't sure what it is but they're keeping an eye on it. It's outside of the skull so they think something from the IV he had in his head a few days ago. It seems to be getting better, slowly but surely.
- Poor Jackson...as if he hasn't been through enough already...apparently on an early scan right after he was born they noticed something they thought was an intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) aka a bleed in his brain. They did a follow-up scan that came up clean. Well this week's scan showed the same IVH as the first scan, making them think it really is there. It is minor (grade 1) and looked the same as the initial scan. So on the plus side, it wasn't getting worse, and they said it can take some time it to be absorbed. There are a lot of risks with an IVH that scare me to death, but we just have to wait and see how things go. We're hoping and praying he won't have any permanent brain damage from the bleed.
- My darling Mia, she's doing so well. Her biggest issue is having some leftovers after feedings. They are just refed and she handles it well. She also can't be out of the incubator very long or her temp drops..even though she's definitely the chubby baby. They think she just needs to grow more to control her temp better.
Happy 3 weeks little ones! Mommy and daddy love you both to the moon and back<3
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)