Friday, March 11, 2011

Happy Birthday to my babies!

my babies are a week old!
A week!



And they've been doing so well.
Here's a little update:
Both boys lost weight when they were born (all babies do, not just preemies) but as of yesterday they have both surpassed their birth weights and are gaining well!
Both boys had jaundice, which has now peaked and is falling, so they're out from under the lights.
And until yesterday both boys were subsisting on a combo of IV Fluids and breast milk (given through nose tubes), but now they've been completely weaned off of the IV and all their fluids are provided by me!
(Although they still can't drink super well.)

And, I saved the best for last, but because the boys have such teeny mouths, aren't very strong or alert, and haven't shown any hunger cues I haven't been allowed to really breast feed. Once a shift (so once every 12 hours) I was allowed to pump and then let the boys take turn trying to suck, that way they could practice breast feeding but wouldn't really get any milk.
BUT, because the boys have been doing so well the doctor ordered that I can breast feed!
Grey has been doing a little less well, so he only gets to try once a shift, if he's awake and alert. But Micah gets to try every time he's awake and alert. (Sometimes we come and they just sleep through the visit.)
 So the nurses weighs the boys and then I feed them, and they weigh them again to see how much they ate.
Then they adjust the amount they are getting through the tube for the hour.
Grey is really good at sucking, and will suck for five minutes and then... spit out all the milk. No real swallowing going on.
Micah is really good at swallowing what he sucks, but will suck for a minute and then drowse for five, and then suck for a minute and then drowse...
As soon as they can go 48 hours without needing to be tube-fed, they will get to come home.
Keep your fingers crossed that they learn to drink quickly! My goal is to have them home by 38 weeks (remember how I should still be pregnant? Yikes!)




Oh, and I got to give them baths! But no pictures.
I will give them baths again on Saturday, and I will try to be better about photographing the event.
Let me just say, it involved a lot of both boys peeing on their mother.
And a bit of Micah peeing across in the room and into his bassinet and on to his brother's feet.
And then a bit of rewashing Grey.


Are they the best babies, or what? (And stop accusing me of being biased. They are the best!)
I'm holding Micah in all these pictures, and that's Grey yawning in the last one.

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6 comments:

Nana B said...

oh it was so good to talk to you last night, Grandpa was sad he wasn't home. Love the yawn, all that bath time and peeing wore him out. Their color looks so much better too. It is surprising how much weight they have gained back already. Way to go boys. Love to you all, Grandma

Polly said...

Yeah babies! Go Grey! Go Micah! Go team Pitcher!

MARCIE said...

Does your team have a catcher too? Heh heh.

sienna said...

happy one week! i'm so glad they are doing so well.

Mary said...

GO BOYS GO!! They are so adorable I miss them they are just so perfect.

Celia said...

You are beautiful and glowing, and I just love these pictures!