I'm so in love

Proud momma warning: Let me just start by apologizing to all of you because I was the one who lucked up and got the most beautiful, special, perfect little girls ever made. OK, now that that's on the table... :laughing:

Our birth story is a little overdue now and I apologize for just now getting to posting, but I have been completly wiped and wanted to make sure I got it all in. As a lot of you know, I've been on hospital bed rest since October 28th with IUGR for little baby A. Our original c-section was scheduled for 12/21, but after struggling so hard for so many weeks, we decided to move it up to 12/17, just one day shy of 34 weeks. As irony would have it, baby B began to slow down on our tri-weekly BPPs and three-a-day NSTs over the week prior to birth. The doctors were not terribly concerned about it, knowing we were scheduled to deliver on Wednesday evening. I began to worry a little, but had nothing more to go on than mommy's intuition.

Fast forward to Wednesday...I haven't eaten since Tuesday at midnight in anticipation of an early afternoon c-section on Wednesday. Unfortunately, there were a few emergencies that came in, so we got bumped and did not get into the OR until 5:00 (so momma was hungry, thirsty and NERVOUS by then!). My OR nurses and CNA were wonderful. Putting in the epi/spinal combo hurt like nothing I had ever felt before, but as soon as it was in, my body was numb and I forgot how bad it hurt going in. After I was laid out and prepped, DH came in to sit by my head and the CNA stayed up there with us, peeking over the curtain and giving a play by play so I knew what sensations to expect. I heard them begin to cut and smelled it too (something I wish I had known before hand). I could feel it, but just as a "sensation" and not as pain. At 5:21 pm, Aurora Nicole came kicking out into the world with eyes wide open. She squeaked a little, but wasn't able to let out a big scream. She weighed 2lb 4oz. The baby station where they took her was right up by my head, so I could see her moving around and she looked perfect, just little. Her first APGAR was a 5, then she progressed to a 7. While I was watching her, I felt the delivery team begin to really push on my belly. Baby B was very high in my uterus and did not want to come out. My OB got quite a work out pushing on me and they almost knocked over the screen between me and them. Things became urgent and they had to actually vacuum her out. I could not see her baby station and thought I heard a slight wimper when she came out at 5:23 pm. Little did I know, she was blue, non-responsive and had her cord wrapped around her body. She weighed 4lb 4oz and had an original APGAR score of 1, yes, that is a 1. DH just kept telling me how beautiful she was, all the while watching the neonatologist working furiously to get our little girl moving. Within 20 seconds, she was intubated and sprung to life. She ended up with an APGAR score of 8 after a lot of work from the NICU team. I truly believe that she was declining in utero and our decision to deliver early due to her sister's IUGR ended up saving her life.

After a quick time in recovery (still oblivious to the original state of Bettye Katheryne), I was wheeled back to my room and feeling pretty good. The epi/spinal stayed in all night and was taken out around 6:00 Thursday morning. I began to regain feeling in my feet and legs and got up to shower around 11:00 Thursday morning. Let me tell you right now, that first journey out of the bed is the hardest. I honestly didn't think I was going to make it. However, once I was up and about, it got easier and easier each time. DH had been to the NICU to see the girls several times and brought back videos for me to see, but I did not get to go see them until 2:00 in the afternoon on Thursday and it was worth every painful step from my room to the NICU! Our girls are just the light of my life and such amazing little fighters.

Aurora Nicole is our little one and is breathing completely on her own. She will need to get to 4lbs before she's eligible to go home, so she's got a bit of growing to do. She loves her pacifier and has even tried feeding with a bottle. Unfortunately, she can suck faster than she can swallow, so she makes a bit of a mess. They tried feeding her with a tube, but she has not tolerated the food so far. They will try again in the morning and we're hoping she'll digest and poop soon! She went under billi lights today as her numbers were just slightly elevated. Otherwise, she is perfect. She's our little turtle...we get to kangaroo her and her wrinkley neck and fuzzy head look like a little turtle sticking out. :rofl:

Bettye Katheryne is our hearty little eater. She's up to 15mL every 3 hours, fed through a tube for now. She had been intubated, then was scaled down to a c-pap and now is just on a tube of heated, humidified air. It's helping her to expand her lungs more easily as hers were not as matured as her sister's. She is also on billi lights today as her levels were just .6 over the limit. I think she just wants to suntan and wear the cool shades like her sister.

We are so blessed that these girls are as healthy as they are. They have fought every inch of the way to get here and we couldn't be more proud of them. I am feeling pretty good. Just a little bit of sore muscles. I've been trying to pump, but nothing so far. DH is off for two weeks of Christmas break (he's a teacher) so we'll be seeing the girls a lot. I've tried to post links to our photobucket below. I hope it works. They're just so adorable and pictures do them no justice. OK, maybe I'm a bit biased. ardon:

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who supported us through this pregnancy. I only hope that I can halfway repay all of the guidance I recieved to other moms in the future. God bless you all and Merry Christmas!

Atkinson Twins Photo Album

 

Congrats on two beautiful baby girls!!! They are so adorable (and tiny!). Sounds like they are doing really well - and thank goodness you delivered when you did, how scary!

I hope they are home soon!

 

I've been coming in all day looking for an update!! I'm so glad all is well!!!

 

We have talked a few times over the course of your bedrest. I am so happy to hear that overall the delivery went well and sounds like you had a good team of dr's to get the girls where they are now. Growing and feeding is something I know you can handle as long as you waited to have these girls. They are beautiful and update when you can. Also check out the NICU forum, I heard those ladies are great over there.

 

Brag away Momma, they are adorable. :wub: Welcome Bettye and Aurora!! Congratulations! :hug: :hug:

 

Adorable girls. I hope their NICU stay is short and uneventful. If you feel up to it and need some support please feel free to visit the NICU forum when you can. See the link in my siggy. Congrats on the birth of Bettye and Aurora. :clapping:

 

Congrats! Your daughters are beautiful. Thank you for posting your story. I also had a daughter born needing to be resuscitated with a one minute apgar of 1. I am happy to tell you that she is now almost 2 and is developmentally on target or ahead in all areas and she is just generally a beautiful bundle of joy. You sound like you are dealing with the NICU and your recovery extremely well. I wish you all the best and hope to see more pics as your girls grow. Congrats again!

 

Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful daughters!

 

Congratulations!! I am happy to hear you are all doing well. The babies look great, hope you get to take them home soon.

 

Congratulations on your girls! :Clap: What a birth story you have there. Sounds like it was a good idea to deliver early, glad they were on top of it. :good: I hope their NICU stay is short and uneventful, please visit the NICU forum for any support you need during their stay.

 

Congratulations!! They are beautiful!

 

Congrats! They are beautiful.

 

Yay! we've been following your story and eager to hear the good news! Double congrats!

 

Congrats!

 

Congrats girl!!! They are so beautiful I know they will be to their weights in no time and home with you sounds like they are fighters!!

 

WAY TO GO MAM! Congratulations! Heres to wishing them much growth!

 

Congratulations on your beautiful little girls :wub: :wub:
Your story & photos moved me to tears tonight! :cry:
Hope they get to come home with you soon ~ Happy Holidays!!

 

Wow, congratulations! I'm so happy that they're little fighters and doing so well. Congrats again!

 

Oh they are beautiful, congrats momma!! :wub:

 

They are beautiful! Congrats!

 

YAY!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! :birthday: SWEET GIRLS!!!!!


You did it momma!!!! and it is true - they are truly beautiful!!!!!!!!

 

Congratulations Danielle!!!! Your girls are so beautiful.

We are 10 weeks behind you with our IUGR girl... it is so nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

 

Congratulations!! I am happy to hear you are all doing well. Hope they have a short NICU stay and that you get to take them home soon.

 

Congrats Danielle (and Daddy too )

You have done an incredible job and those girls look wonderful - and you're right, they sure are cute!!!!! I am so glad that all is well, please keep us updated on their NICU stay (which I hope is short)

Joanna

 

congrats, they are beautiful

 

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!! They are so sweet and beautiful. I'm glad everything is ok and hope they get to come home soon. Welcome to the first year!

 

Yay!!! I had mine the 18th and just got home today. I was so anxious to get on here and read your story. The girls are beautiful! Good Job Momma!!!

 

How wonderful!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations for two BEAUTIFUL babies!!!!!!!!

 

Congrats...wonderful Christmas presents!

 

Happy Birthday baby girls!

You were all troopers through this pregnancy. Whishing you all a speedy NICU stay and a Merry Christmas!

 

Wow! What a crazy but fortunate birth story. Your little girls are so beutiful! Congratulations!

 

Congrats Danielle!!! We are just about in the same boat. Our girls were born on December 16 at 32 w 3 days. I am glad to hear your girls are doing so well! Our girls are doing well too!

 

Congratulations....they are just so adorable!

 

Congratulations on your beautiful girls!!!!

 

They are beautiful :wub:. Congratulations!