Tuesday, March 3, 2009

2 weeks

3/3/09 - 35w6d

A new month. A new week. A new day.
Today marks their 2 week birthday. Has it really been fourteen days since they entered this world? They will be 36 weeks gestation tomorrow. Over the last few days, they have gone through lots of changes.

Dean is getting bigger and stronger. He had been at the lowest temp he could possibly go in the isolette. He was not able to regulate his towards the end of last week but he got to wear clothes in it. Grandma and Papa bought them preemie clothes and even though they are a little big still, they fit him better than the newborn or 0-3 mths clothes. His weight is 4 lbs 12 oz and it will be no time before he fills out the preemie clothes. He has been taking all his bottles and had not been needing the gavage tube. He did not like the tube anyway and kept yanking it out of his nose.

Dr. Muthappa, one of the neonatologists, told me I could try to breast feed Dean and our first venture was Saturday. He fussed and fussed but he was able to latch on and got a few good sucks in but I think it was too much work for him. Either that or my monstrous ape nipple was too big for his mouth. Since he is still so small, he is not able to take in much of the areola and instead has a death grip on my nipple. It pained me having his jaws of life clamped on me but was just so glad that he didn't choke on it. I think that experience stressed me out more than it stressed Dean. I tried again on Sunday and Monday for his 9 pm feeding and each time, Dean fussed less and sucked just a little bit more. I usually stick with it for 15 minutes but then give him his bottle to make sure he is getting enough to eat. I have to persevere. Eventually, he will have to get used to mama long boobs.

I got a call today from NICU that made me cry. The doctor told me that she is preparing Dean to come home!! There are still criteria that need to be met but it looks like in the next 48 hours, Dean can come home. His feedings are supplemented to 22 calories and he can have as much as he wants by bottle. He has been in an open crib since 3 pm today. They will monitor him to see if he can regulate his own temp. We brought the car seat to the hospital and he will have to pass the car seat test where they check all his vitals while he remains in the car seat for an hour. He is going to get his hepatitis B shot tonight and he is on the list for circumcision Thursday. Everything is moving so fast and I am so nervous about him coming home. But I am more happy than nervous and I can't wait to hold him for more than a couple of hours each day.

Samuel is also doing very well for a baby boy his size. He had lost some weight toward the end of last week and he was placed back on every other feeding with gavage. He started to gain again so then they put him on 2 bottle feedings and and 1 gavage. It has been a few days and he is taking all his feedings with gusto. He no longer has a tube in his nose. Rachael weighed Sam and we could not believe he was at 3 lbs 11 oz. The nurse had to weigh him again to make sure. He gets to eat as much as he wants and has been taking 40 cc each feeding. No wonder he is packing on the grams.

Sam and Dean were the only ones in the Big Stepdown room tonight. Once Dean comes home, it will leave Sam in the room by himself. It will be sad to still have Samuel in NICU but with the rate he is eating and gaining, he should be coming home soon.

When I look at them, I cannot believe how much they have changed in such a short amount of time. I am so proud of their progress. The doctors and nurses have done an outstanding job of caring for my boys and I cannot express how much I appreciate them, especially all the help and advice they have offered these two very new parents.

These are some recent photos:

Samuel
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Dean
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7 comments:

Rhonda said...

Ack! I forgot about circumcision. Oh will be so wonderful to have the boys home. Eat up, little Sam.

I cannot wait to hold Dean when he gets home. I'm sure I'll have to fight it out with Grandma. I think I can take her.

letti said...

i commented over at blacksheep before i got here... love the 2 extra pics in here :)

Melanie said...

awww, sweet babies! thanks for coming by my blog. there's a kid's music giveaway there too!

Melanie

Melanie said...

awww, sweet babies! thanks for coming by my blog. there's a kid's music giveaway there too!

Melanie

Twisted Scrapper said...

They are adorable. Congratulations :)

Leyna said...

Glad to hear that they are doing well Thao! They are just adorable and I know you cannot wait to have both your boys home. Super hugs to you and your sweet family, (sniff, sniff)...Leyna :)

Xtina said...

They are looking really healthy. dean has changed a lot since 2 weeks ago