When the babies were discharged from the NICU, they had lots of followups planned.
1. Cardiologist for Matthew-
His PDA was still open upon leaving the hospital so he had a followup with Dr. Thaper. He listened to his heart and did an EKG. He could not hear Matt's murmur so it appears as though the PDA is closing, which is super great news. (Especially since we thought surgery would be the remedy to this issue) We will follow up again in 3 months and do an echo-cardiogram to confirm that it has closed. The PDA was causing Matthew to breath fast and we had noticed that his breathing had slowed significantly.
2. Pediatrician - I brought them in yesterday for weight checks and vaccinations. This was my first outing by myself. I planned the morning out so that we would be on time. We made it there with 10 minutes to spare and we were seen right away. However, when you have 2 babies getting well checks, shots and blood work, you end up being there for right over 2 hours. They did cry for their shots but they also cry for the scale. Matthew weighs 5 lb 9 oz and Emily 7 lbs 3 oz. They were both put on reflux medicine and we go back again in 1 month for weight checks and the rest of the vaccines. Our pedi is very thorough and always calls to check on the babies himself and give any lab results. He seems very dedicated and doesn't make me feel like any issue we have is not important.
3. Eye doctor (one parent outing #2) - We went there today to see Dr Miller and Emily's eyes are "complete" which means that her retinas have fully formed and she goes back in 9 months. Matthew's eyes are almost complete so he will go back in 3 weeks and they should be "complete" by then as well. Yay!! Eye exams = not pleasant for babies or mommy! They dilate their eyes hold them open with a little tool and look at the eye vessels with a light
(side note: I personally think all of the little kids with glasses in the waiting room are just precious)
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
62 days later and a due date of August 10, 2011
On August 10, 2011 (my actual due date), we made our final trip from the NICU to our house with both Emily and Matthew in the back seat. We spent the night before at the NICU Care by Parent room with both babies. He left the NICU weighing 4 lbs 11 oz (2lbs 10oz more than he weighed 62 days ago!!!).
We went to see Dr Miller, the eye doctor on Thursday for Emily and her eyes are looking good. There is a condition in preemies called ROP or Retinopathy of prematurity, which means that the retinas are not fully formed so Dr Miller will monitor them until they are fully formed. Then we went Dr. Bhakta's office for our followup on Friday and Matthew weighed 4lbs 12oz (gain of 1 oz in 48 hrs) and Emily weighed 6lbs 2 oz. Both babies had blood work and barely whimpered for the needle stick in their heels. Now they screamed for the weighing and the taking of the temps under their arms... go figure!!
They have follow ups with cardiology, eye doctor and pediatrician this week and next week so that's where the outings are limited to at this point. We also have to limit visitors and no children because of germs.
We are now working on getting a Nanny to come to our house to watch the twins while we go to work. This is one way to safeguard the babies against flu and RSV.
(I will post more pics when I have time, which we are short on right now but love it)
We went to see Dr Miller, the eye doctor on Thursday for Emily and her eyes are looking good. There is a condition in preemies called ROP or Retinopathy of prematurity, which means that the retinas are not fully formed so Dr Miller will monitor them until they are fully formed. Then we went Dr. Bhakta's office for our followup on Friday and Matthew weighed 4lbs 12oz (gain of 1 oz in 48 hrs) and Emily weighed 6lbs 2 oz. Both babies had blood work and barely whimpered for the needle stick in their heels. Now they screamed for the weighing and the taking of the temps under their arms... go figure!!
They have follow ups with cardiology, eye doctor and pediatrician this week and next week so that's where the outings are limited to at this point. We also have to limit visitors and no children because of germs.
We are now working on getting a Nanny to come to our house to watch the twins while we go to work. This is one way to safeguard the babies against flu and RSV.
(I will post more pics when I have time, which we are short on right now but love it)
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Week 8- Silly Faces
Emily's first week at home has been great. She eats, sleeps and poops! We had to adjust to having a baby that was not connected to wires and monitors. She is eating 75mls per feeding and will sleep for 4 hour stretches during the night (yay!). She also takes a daily trip to the hospital to see her brother. During last night's trip we weighed her on their scale and she is right at 6lbs.
Matthew is still in the hospital. I am starting to think that the nurses are spoiling him so he is just fine with staying. His doctors are watching his breathing rate and weight gain. He just needs to be a bit stronger and bigger before he can come home. He weighed 4 lbs 9.5 oz last night. While it is hard having him there, we know that it is best for him to stay there until he is ready to come home.
It is important to keep in mind that according to my due date of August 10th, they should still be "cooking" and were not due to arrive for another 3 days. The nurses are constantly reminding us of that VERY important fact. So with that said, they are both doing excellent!!
Matthew is still in the hospital. I am starting to think that the nurses are spoiling him so he is just fine with staying. His doctors are watching his breathing rate and weight gain. He just needs to be a bit stronger and bigger before he can come home. He weighed 4 lbs 9.5 oz last night. While it is hard having him there, we know that it is best for him to stay there until he is ready to come home.
It is important to keep in mind that according to my due date of August 10th, they should still be "cooking" and were not due to arrive for another 3 days. The nurses are constantly reminding us of that VERY important fact. So with that said, they are both doing excellent!!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Day 51
Emily was discharged from the hospital on July 30th after 51 days in the NICU. It was a bittersweet moment having to leave our little Matthew there to grow big and strong.
Emily has had a great 24 hours and met her cousins, Thomas and Graden today.
Nigel and Izzy also seem to enjoy her being here (at least for now). Nigel lays under her bassinet and they both watch while we feed her.
Emily has had a great 24 hours and met her cousins, Thomas and Graden today.
Nigel and Izzy also seem to enjoy her being here (at least for now). Nigel lays under her bassinet and they both watch while we feed her.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Week 7
Both babies are doing very well.
Emily is weighing 5 lbs 4 oz, Matthew is 4 lbs 3 oz.
They should be coming home in the next week and will being doing that separately. Emily will come home first with Matt shortly following. She has been doing well with her feedings. Matthew is up to 6 feedings and when he gets to 8 he can come home too!
Emily is weighing 5 lbs 4 oz, Matthew is 4 lbs 3 oz.
They should be coming home in the next week and will being doing that separately. Emily will come home first with Matt shortly following. She has been doing well with her feedings. Matthew is up to 6 feedings and when he gets to 8 he can come home too!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
6 weeks old
Matthew-
He weighs 3 lbs 13 oz and is now off of his oxygen as of yesterday morning and is only on the feeding tube. He gets to have 2 of 8 meals by mouth (hopefully moving to 3 tomorrow). He will also be moving to his big boy bed tomorrow. He likes being out of his isolette and stays alert looking around.
Emily-
She weighs 5 lbs and is off of all of her tubes. She eats all of her meals on her own but does have some reflux. She will be coming home soon. She was going to be discharged early this week but last night she had reflux and it caused her a tiny issue with breathing so Dr. Roohey says "that bought her 5 more days and that she just did not want to leave without her brother." She must have listened when I said it was giving me anxiety to have Matthew stay behind. I did find out that she is allowed to go back to the NICU with me if they are discharged separately so anxiety is less!
Both babies have been moved to the Level 2 (feeders/growers) area of the NICU. Lots of our neighbors are twins. We have exchanged contact info with their parents so that way we can meet for play groups and see each other once they are bigger. We are getting closer to the day when they will both come home. It is amazing how much they have grown in 6 weeks and how much more alert they are. They both get physical therapy with Michelle, which includes tummy time and they get to have playtime together on the mat. They also get occupational therapy with Heather. We practice things that we will do at home to help them get stronger.
He weighs 3 lbs 13 oz and is now off of his oxygen as of yesterday morning and is only on the feeding tube. He gets to have 2 of 8 meals by mouth (hopefully moving to 3 tomorrow). He will also be moving to his big boy bed tomorrow. He likes being out of his isolette and stays alert looking around.
Emily-
She weighs 5 lbs and is off of all of her tubes. She eats all of her meals on her own but does have some reflux. She will be coming home soon. She was going to be discharged early this week but last night she had reflux and it caused her a tiny issue with breathing so Dr. Roohey says "that bought her 5 more days and that she just did not want to leave without her brother." She must have listened when I said it was giving me anxiety to have Matthew stay behind. I did find out that she is allowed to go back to the NICU with me if they are discharged separately so anxiety is less!
Both babies have been moved to the Level 2 (feeders/growers) area of the NICU. Lots of our neighbors are twins. We have exchanged contact info with their parents so that way we can meet for play groups and see each other once they are bigger. We are getting closer to the day when they will both come home. It is amazing how much they have grown in 6 weeks and how much more alert they are. They both get physical therapy with Michelle, which includes tummy time and they get to have playtime together on the mat. They also get occupational therapy with Heather. We practice things that we will do at home to help them get stronger.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Week 5
Last night, Emily weighed 4 lbs 12 oz and Matthew was 3 lbs 7.6 oz. We have started occupational and physical therapy to get stronger and work on developmental markers like tummy time and sucking/swallowing.
I still need to post the pics from baths. They both screamed during the baths and were happy when it was time to put on the hooded towel.
The nurses (who were on their 4th night of working) decided to make a little bow out of yarn for Emily's hair so her first "official" bow is not one of the many that Mommy's has purchased (b/c they are WAY too big!).
Who can say that I don't look like my Daddy? Chin and cheek dimples included.... Matthew is developing a funny little personality. He has been "smiling" and is working on getting out of that isolette and into a big boy crib. The isolette temp is turned down daily and he stays warm on his own (which is huge step in preemie world) and he now gets a pillow since he is too long for just the z-flow bed. The nurse and NP said today that they can barely hear his murmur which means that the PDA is closing. So next step is removing that oxygen.
I still need to post the pics from baths. They both screamed during the baths and were happy when it was time to put on the hooded towel.
The nurses (who were on their 4th night of working) decided to make a little bow out of yarn for Emily's hair so her first "official" bow is not one of the many that Mommy's has purchased (b/c they are WAY too big!).
Who can say that I don't look like my Daddy? Chin and cheek dimples included.... Matthew is developing a funny little personality. He has been "smiling" and is working on getting out of that isolette and into a big boy crib. The isolette temp is turned down daily and he stays warm on his own (which is huge step in preemie world) and he now gets a pillow since he is too long for just the z-flow bed. The nurse and NP said today that they can barely hear his murmur which means that the PDA is closing. So next step is removing that oxygen.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
We weigh....
Matthew weighed 3 pounds 3.1 oz
Emily weighed 4 pounds 8.8 oz. She completed her first oral feeding today!
We also had their first eye screenings and both looked good. The 30 day brain scans were also clear.
Tomorrow, we will be getting a chance to bathe them ourselves. Pics to follow.
Emily weighed 4 pounds 8.8 oz. She completed her first oral feeding today!
We also had their first eye screenings and both looked good. The 30 day brain scans were also clear.
Tomorrow, we will be getting a chance to bathe them ourselves. Pics to follow.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Yay for 3 lbs!!!!
Matthew officially weighs 3 pounds!! What a big boy!?!?
Emily is holding at 4 pounds 3 oz.
Emily is holding at 4 pounds 3 oz.
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