Ups and Downs

The first 72 hours of life, the doctors say the babies go through a 'honeymoon' phase.  This meaning they don't realize they are out of the womb, and so their vitals stabilize.  After this, the babies will experience some minor setbacks as they adjust to learning to do everything on their own outside the womb.  We have seen this a bit the last 3-4 days as they get a dip in body temp, or drop in oxygen when they are awake and getting care.  Alarms go off and it is a little nerve wracking, but it usually resolves quickly.   It appears they are most stable during the resting times between care which happens every 4 hours (1 hour of care, 3 hours of rest).

Because of this, all 3 babies now are on the 'jet' or 'oscillating' respirators.  This ventilator shoots small steady bursts of air into their lungs instead of a big, regular breath.  So they look like their little chests are vibrating.  The doctors say this mode of delivery is less invasive and can minimize the inflammation caused by respiratory therapy.  The doctors say the next 1-2 weeks they have but one mission and that is to get all 3 babies off the ventilators.  Miguel and I are hoping all 3 babies are cooperative participants in this plan.  Only time shall tell.

Both of Elsie Mae's eyes are officially open.  YAAAAA!  Sadly, she is still on photo light therapy and therefore wears her sunglasses all the time so we don't always get to see them.  Danny is opening the corner of his left eye in the last 24 hours, and we are hoping to see his little peeper soon as well.  He does this eyebrow raise to try to open it that is so adorable.  Sammy has zero interest in opening his eyes as this would mean he would need to be awake more and he thoroughly enjoys his sleep.

Feeding has increased in all babies, and they each get milk every 4 hours.  Sammy is now eating 9ml each feeding, Danny eating 8ml each feeding, and Elsie eating 3ml each feeding.  As long as each baby continues to tolerate feeding (no spit ups and consistent poops), the doctors add 1-2 mls everyday at rounds.  This is fantastic and will bulk up the babies a little.  We have seen the effect already as yesterday all three babies hit their birth weight again!  (on average babies lose 20% of their weight in the first week and then work back up)

Tuesday is day 10 of life, and now that they just hit their birth weight we are going to get their hand prints and foot prints done.  I am looking forward to doing that when we get to the hospital today.

I really want to give a shout out to my most amazing husband.  Miguel is driving us back and forth, packing and carrying numerous bags in and out of the hospital daily, enforcing rest times for his stubborn wife, setting up and cleaning up my pump parts every 2 hours, walking all visitors on and off the NICU floor all day, doing all the baby laundry the hospital sends home, learning about every machine and term associated with the babies so he can ask the right questions and know the settings, standing guard over all 4 of us for the 12 hours a day we are in the NICU, participating in the rounds with the doctors every morning, and anything else he feels Superman would do in this situation.  I really don't know what I'd do without him.  I am so blessed <3

Here are some pics :)

Danny enjoying his tummy time (look at that bum!)

Danny trying hard to open his eyes 

Elsie showing off her peeper

Elsie loving her light therapy.  She goes from all curled up to completely sprawled out when the light hits her.  She will be a beach girl I think, thankfully she has Miguel's skin.

Sammy loving his nap time :)

This little doll is a sock.  It is thicker than Sammy's body, and almost as long. I will continue to use this as a size indicator :)