A Trial Run

While Mikaela has been enjoying settling in at home, Autumn decided to take matters into her own hands, and removed her feeding tube.

 Oh, my! What have I done!

Was this a good idea? What's going to happen now?

To my pleasant surprise, the doctors have decided to try something a little bit different. Rather than following the very strict feeding schedule (she must take x number of mls every three hours, and anything she doesn't take by mouth goes in her feeding tube), they have decided to follow her lead. If she is a little bit more or less hungry at a feeding they will give her what she wants, if she needs to wait 3.5 hours between one of the feedings, that's okay. 

What a great idea!

They are going to do this trial run for a few days and monitor her weight. If she stops gaining weight, or starts to lose weight, then it is back to the schedule and the feeding tube. So, Autumn, we will listen to you as long as you hold up your end of the bargain and keep gaining weight!

Notice anything missing?

I'm home with a cold today, so Jason is spending the day with the girls. He sent me a text with this picture. Do you see what I see (or, what I don't see)?

Mikaela doesn't have her feeding tube any more! Since yesterday morning, she has taken every feed by mouth. I guess the nurses are getting confident that she will keep doing this. If she keeps it up for several days in a row, she can come home!!!! Come on, Mikaela, you can do it! And Autumn, you keep trying and you will do it soon, too!

I can't stop staring at the picture. I've never seen her face without a tube before!

A Muddle of Ups and Downs

Yesterday morning I got a call from the NICU telling me that they were taking Mikaela for an echocardiogram because has a heart murmur and was breathing fast. (Ugh, what a crummy phone call.)

The test went fine, and they said that the murmur was nothing to be too concerned about it. I guess they are common in premies and that they typically resolve themselves. They don't know why she was breathing funny, but she is back to normal now. (Sigh of relief.)

Autumn would not take her eyes of Mikaela all through the test. I wonder if there is something to that special connection that twins are supposed to have. It was really touching to see her concern. (So sweet!)

Mikaela was retested for MRSA and it came back negative. (YAY!) However, they won't lift the precautions until she has three negative tests, so she still cannot have any contact with her sister, and if I have any skin contact with her, I cannot touch Autumn again until I go home and shower. (So frustrating!)

I have successfully breast fed each girl! They both know how to latch and drink well, and it is so great to see that their newborn instincts are intact. (Way to go, girls!) I really want to try feeding them together, but because of the MRSA precautions I will have to wait until I get them home to do this. (Grr.)

Both girls are gaining wait really well. Mikaela is 4 lb 11 oz, and Autumn is a whopping 5 lb 11 oz. (Hooray!) Now they just need to get more consistent with their feedings. Sometimes they eat really well, and other times they don't seem to have the stamina to eat much, and we end up tube feeding them. This is our last big obstacle we have to overcome before they can come home. I really look forward to having my whole family together! (Trying to remain patient....)

We bought a minivan! We now have a vehicle big enough to fit all three of our kids. A huge thank you to Jay Slingerland for getting us a great deal and helping us have such a positive experience. Anyone in the Owosso area should check out his dealership. (Yay for good people!)

I guess there is more good news than bad, which is good. (Yay!)

...and one step back...

I have been repeatedly told that the NICU experience is an intricate dance of "two steps forward, one step back." After what has been a steady march forward for the past week, I guess we were due for a hiccup.

During a routine nasal swab, Mikaela tested positive for MRSA. The doctors reassured me that she does not have a MRSA infection, merely the presence of MRSA (it is a colonization, not an infection). It could be nothing. Since she does not have an IV or any open wounds, the chance of it entering her bloodstream is very small. They must realize, however, that you cannot tell a mom that her tiny premature baby is testing positive for something like this without making her worry.

What does this mean? She will be bathed with a special soap for 5 days and given an ointment in her nose to kill the colony. It also means that she cannot have any contact with her sister, and I cannot go back and forth between the two. Anyone who comes in contact with her must wear a gown and gloves, then wash thoroughly. The chair and table next to her incubator are now marked "dirty - MRSA." What a crappy 2-week birthday present.

I deeply hope that this will be an annoying inconvenience and nothing else.

Update on the Baby Girls

When I arrived in the NICU today, I was shocked to discover that they had opened the lids to both girls' incubators. Wow, what a great step forward! We'll see how well they tolerate it and if they are able to maintain their own body heat.

They have each started taking some milk by mouth - another important step in their ability to leave the NICU. Autumn, perhaps in a moment of over confidence, pulled out her feeding tube. I reminded her that she needed to keep that in until she had mastered eating. I'm not sure that she understood me.

They are now wearing regular clothes and swaddling in blankets like regular old babies. It is so nice to see them like that! Autumn is now 4 lbs 9 oz and Mikaela is 3 lb 13 oz. Keep growing strong, girls!

Autumn

Mikaela

Snuggling together

Such tiny fingers!

I've been splitting my days, and spending the mornings with Zander then the afternoon/early evening in the NICU with the girls.

I was playing outside with Zander the other day when he picked up a rock and discovered a worm underneath it. He watched it crawling and commented on how it was wiggling slowly. This was the conversation I had with my very literal son:

Me: Can you wiggle like a worm?
Z: Um... I think so...
Me: (waiting) Well, can you show me?
Z: Uh... okay... (hesitating) Here I go ....

He then lay face down in the mud next to the worm and started wiggling. Oh man, I have to be careful how I phrase things with him!

The girls are here!

Late Tuesday night (March 8), after a dramatic emergency c-section (let's just say I am very grateful I was in the hospital), our beautiful little girls came into the world kicking and screaming at 32 weeks 2 days. 

Mikaela Jaise was born at 11:43 pm 

3 lb 6 oz, 16.5 inches

Autumn Willow was born at 11:44 pm

4 lb 5 oz, 17 inches 

Mikaela has been breathing room air since the beginning, and Autumn has been getting some help from the CPAP machine. 


These are the cute decorations that the NICU nurses made for the girls.

Welcome, baby girls! Keep growing strong!