NICU Babies

Scarlett and Shayla were born at 36 weeks and 1 day. I have to admit, they were much smaller than I was anticipating. They were measured at 34 weeks and Scarlett was supposedly around 4 lb 6 oz and Shayla was around 4 lb 14 oz. So either the 10% error rate on those measurements is wrong, or they just did not gain any weight over the next two weeks. Either way, they are small but fierce. The girls don't have any major problems and have been breathing on their own from the get-go. 

I'm actually really glad they were placed in the NICU. It has been a great transition into parenting newborns. Eric and I have so much help from nurses, nurse practitioners, doctors, and lactation consultants. Sometimes we receive a little too many opinions, but it will make the transition at home much easier nonetheless. More importantly, Kinsey had a cold for the first week of Scarlett and Shayla's life so I'm happy they weren't sent home to that. 

So why are they in the NICU? For starters, they originally had trouble regulating their temperatures. This is a pretty common problem, especially for preemies. They were originally placed under heating lamps and then graduated to Isolettes a couple days later where the temperature is regulated in an enclosed setting.

Scarlett in her Isolette. She loves sleeping with her arms up. 

 Secondly, because they are so tiny we want to make sure they put on weight and continue to do so. This requires them gaining weight and eating all their food without a feeding tube for 3 days straight. The 3 days straight is the tricky part. Preemies tend to fall asleep during feedings, and nursing definitely wears them out because they have to work so hard. And sometimes they are just so tired and don't want to wake up from their naps to eat. This means on occasion they sleep right through their meal and have to eat through the tube. 

Daddy and Shayla

Mommy and Scarlett. Look how tiny she is!

Their food requirements have increased almost daily. Currently Shayla must eat 42 mL and Scarlett needs 38 mL of formula or breast milk each feeding. They eat 8 times a day. When I come to visit they nurse, then bottle feed, and then get any remaining food through the tube. It's an exhausting process for such little babies but they are eating more and more every day. 

Scarlett

Shayla

 Friday was a big day for the girls. Besides turning a week old, both girls were moved into an open crib. This means they are able to regulate their temperatures all on their own! That issue is now solved so we only need to worry about the feedings. They have both reached their birth weights, so they are moving in the right direction. Scarlett hit a low of 3 1/2 pounds before gaining weight! She's my little peanut. 

Happy Scarlett

Sleepy Shayla

 We've had a few feeding setbacks. Shayla used to be the strong eater and then suddenly she was barely eating anything out of her bottle. A nurse realized she flattened the nipples on the hospital bottles so I brought in one of my own and she has been eating much better. 

Scarlett has been awesome at the bottle but not so great at nursing. After seeing the lactation team countless times, the issue was actually solved by one of the nurses. She suggested a nipple shield which basically makes my nipple thinner so Scarlett can latch on. Apparently she has a tiny little mouth and it was too hard to latch on her own. She's been doing so much better nursing since we starting using the shield!

 We are so proud of our little girls! They are improving each day and we're grateful they can do so in the NICU. As long as they keep doing well we should be able to take them home soon. But if they have a setback then the three day count will start all over again. 

 As for the Kinsey monster, her schedule is pretty much the same but she has a different caretaker. I don't think she understands we have two more babies. I would not be able to commute to the hospital without Eric's mom. She has been amazing doing EVERYTHING around the house, cooking meals, taking care of Kinsey, grocery shopping, and driving me back and forth to the hospital (since I can't drive for two weeks). Oh, and Kinsey finally beat her cold so we're ready for the babies to come home now...after I wash some of their stuff first!

Kinsey making Valentine hearts. 

If you're curious about how I'm doing, the first few days I was really stiff and walked like an old lady. I feel better and better each day and haven't taken any pain meds since Friday. I pump every three hours which is pretty exhausting. I originally tried to go to four feedings for the girls but realized I was either away from Kinsey all day or up too late at night that I was useless the next day and still didn't see Kinsey much. So I now go to three feedings a day. Ideally each baby takes a half hour to feed and then I pump for a half hour right after, but after all is said and done I normally have an hour until the next feeding. If I tried to stop by home between feedings I would only be able to stay for a half hour, hence only being able to go to three feedings a day. I'm looking forward to my girls being in the same house so I can see all three of them all day long!