This is my first blog post as a mom! (Actually, technically this my first blog post ever!) First off, thanks to everyone for their emails, phone calls and wishes. Even if you haven't heard back from us yet, we have received your supportive communication and we feel the love! I am just now able to do more than check on the girls and lay here and I hope to be back in touch with everyone soon!
It's been very busy here at St. David's North Room 211! All the grandparents have been to see the girls as well as Aunt Lenny, Aunt Hilary and Uncle David Johnson! Jules brought us lunch today - Taco Deli - yum!
I have felt frustrated with wanting all of my friends and family to meet the girls and being unable to take everyone down to the NICU to see them. Only two people are allowed in the NICU to see them at a time and one of those people has to be me or Dave. On top of that, they prefer that you limit your guests to the same four people who you have to name on a list. But, I hope the girls will be home soon and able to meet all of their extended friends and family!
The girls are both doing well! Eliza is able to breathe all on her own and Harper is having some room air pumped in through her nostrils, but they were able to lower the flow today because she is breathing so well by herself! They have both been feeding twice a day on donor breast milk until my milk comes in and seem to be tolerating it well. Both of them are fed through tubes that go directly into their stomach for now until they can begin to suck and take a bottle or breast. Both girls have a little bit of jaundice, which is being treated by setting them on these very bright blankets! It's so bright in their little incubators, but they don't seem to mind.
Dave and I are allowed to give each girl 30 minutes of skin to skin "kangaroo care" per day. We went this morning and took turns holding each of them for 15 minutes each with our shirts off. Holding them next to our skin helps them regulate their body temperatures and they get to start getting to know mom and dad. I left little "scent cloths" in their beds with them that smell like me so they will start to remember me.
Here's Harper cuddling with Dave:
Here I am with Eliza:
When we aren't doing skin to skin, we can cuddle them through little holes in their beds and we have helped change their diapers, take their temperatures and what not while we visit. Because I am still recovering from my c-section, I can really only be there for about an hour before I start to feel woozy and have to come back to the room, but I know as I heal and they grow, we'll be spending a lot more time together!
No predictions yet as to how long they will have to stay in the NICU. I hope it's only a few weeks, but we're taking it one day at a time.
Stay tuned for more from the Twingates.....
