Our babies have arrived

Jacob William - 4 lbs 5 oz
Owen Michael - 3 lbs 15 oz

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/287728..._57d5b18c93.jpg

Our 2 identical boys showed up early at 33 1/2 weeks on Monday, September 15th. I was having hard contractions and a lot of pain, which caused a sudden onset of preeclampsia so i was whisked in for a c-section. The birth was great, very calm and quiet, and both babies had excellent APGAR scores and needed no special assistance or care. But because of their sizes they were taken to the Special Care NICU for 4 days and then sent up to the "fat farm" regular NICU to eat and grow. The doctors keep telling us how amazing it is that they're doing so well when they're so little. They're taking bottles and making valiant efforts at the breast, and we've been told we're basically just waiting for them to get strong enough to take 6 full bottles a day. At that point they can come home.

Here is a link to the NICU thread about the boys.

- p

 

:birthday: Owen and Jacob! Congratulations Momma and Welcome to the 1st year! Im glad to hear that everyone is doing well.

My girls spent 10 weeks in the NICU, so I know exactly how you feel. Its so hard to have to leave your babies in the NICU. I developed a really good relationship with the nurses that were taking care of my girls, and that really helped to calm my nerves when I was at home. I knew that they were in good hands. I would call the NICU all the time when I was at home and find out how they were doing. I also had pictures that I had to look at.

I hope their NICU stay is short and uneventful!! TS has a NICU forum that is a great source of support and information from other moms that have been through what you are going through right now, I would encourage you to visit us over there.

ETA: Here is a link to the NICU forum

 

Congratulations on your 33 weekers....(I am partial to those, that is when my guys arrived too)!!

You have every emotion going through you, you are happy they are here, happy that they are healthy,you made it to 33 and 1/2 weeks! ROCK ON!

But then you have to leave. It is like your heart is being ripped from your chest! I know. Alot of moms on here know. I am so sorry. It is not easy. I cried all the way home every night. You do what you have to, sleep, rest, USE your breast pump alot, That is what you can do for your guys while you are away from them. WHen you go back the next morning you can bring them yummy treats! THey will be at the breast in no time.

Good luck.

Missy

PS if you have time, stop at the store and take the nurses some cookies or snacks!

 

QUOTE(Kyrstyn @ Sep 22 2008, 11:26 AM) [snapback]991515[/snapback]
ETA: Here is a link to the NICU forum

thank you, i was wondering if there was a place for NICU questions but I just joined and haven't quite seen the whole site yet.

 

Congratulations
Happy Birthday Jacob and Owen (belated)
my girls were NICU babies for 7 days, (feeders and growers)
I too had a hard time, but I really got to know my nurses (NICU)
they were the bomb, they all were just so wonderful with me and my girls.
Talk to them, I'm sure (hopefully) that yours are too.

 

Congratulations! I hope they are home with you soon! :hug:

 

Congrats to you! I'm sorry they have to stay behind though. :hug:
(I did smile at the 'fat farm' comment. It's good to keep your sense of humor!)

I hope they home before you know it! See you in First Year!

 

Congratulations on your beautiful baby boys!!!! :yahoo:
I hope your little ones are home with you soon after 'fattening up'!
I know you will find great support in the NICU forum ~ :hug:

 

Congrats on having healthy babies! My boys were 33weekers as well (3lbs, 3oz and 3lbs, 11oz). They were in the NICU for 4 weeks. They needed to grow, but were also having bradys and apneas (forgetting to breathe). My biggest advice is to take a lot of pictures. You can look at them whenever you miss the boys and even though it's hard to see them in the "baby cookers" as DH called them, it helps a little. Also, do everything the nurses will let you. The more you show them that you are willing to change diapers, feed, bathe, etc, the more willing they are to let them go home a little earlier. Hang in there, the NICU time will make you stronger and you'll look back at your time thinking how hard it was but you'll also be so proud of yourself for being so strong. Lots of hugs!

 

QUOTE(piccologirl @ Sep 22 2008, 10:21 AM) [snapback]991504[/snapback]
Jacob William - 4 lbs 5 oz
Owen Michael - 3 lbs 15 oz

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/287728..._57d5b18c93.jpg

Our 2 identical boys showed up early at 33 1/2 weeks on Monday, September 15th. I was having hard contractions and a lot of pain, which caused a sudden onset of preeclampsia so i was whisked in for a c-section. The birth was great, very calm and quiet, and both babies had excellent APGAR scores and needed no special assistance or care. But because of their sizes they were taken to the Special Care NICU for 4 days and then sent up to the "fat farm" regular NICU to eat and grow. The doctors keep telling us how amazing it is that they're doing so well when they're so little. They're taking bottles and making valiant efforts at the breast, and we've been told we're basically just waiting for them to get strong enough to take 6 full bottles a day. At that point they can come home.

My question is for other moms who have had to spend time in the NICU. How do you cope with the emotional hardship of leaving your babies at night? I have so much to be thankful for in terms of their health and progress and the doctors seem confident they could be coming home in as little as a week. And I realize this gives me time to rest and recover from the c-section before we kick into full-time care. But the part of me that just wants to have them home with us aches every time we leave them there. And every morning when I wake up and the house is quiet I feel like my heart is breaking all over again.

How do I cope with the little "mommy" in my head that needs my babies here with me?

Thanks in advance for any advice
- p





Congrats on your beautiful babes-love the hair. My ID boys are a little over 2 weeks and my story is very similar. I was hospitalized for PTL at 33 weeks exactly and was there for 4 days, received magnesium, dilated to 4cms, and was sent home on a Thursday after contrax stopped for over 24 hours. Next day felt really sick, very uncomfortable and at my NST that afternoon found out that I had become pre-eclamptic overnight. Had a section within an hour at exactly 33 weeks and 4 days. Luckily my boys were big for their gestational age or our dates were off because they weighed 5.8 and 5.9. However we had 11 days of NICU time for a bradycardic episode each (drop in heartrate) and their weights dropped down to 4.14 and 5 lbs within the first week(even though they were eatin like champs) before they started to put it back on. I was in the hospital the first 5 days and after I got discharged i went to the NICU every morning and stayed until dinner because breatfeeding them was really important to me. MY DH would come home at dinner and eat with our other 2 children and put them to bed before heading back to the NICU for one last feeding for the night. Luckily we only had 5 days of doing this because it really burnt me out physically and emotionally. My advice is to take it easy on yourself and give yourself time to recover. When they come home your time will be limited. Just know they are in good hands in the NICU-the time will go by before you know it. We took lots of pics and got to know the staff. One of the nurses also helped us to decorate their bassinets with namecards etc. Our NICU experience ended up being very pleasant in the end.

 

Congratulations! They are the sweetest little boys.

 

Congratulations!

 

Congrats on the HEALTHY babies. HUGS for the road ahead. Keeping our fingers crossed they get BIG fast!!

 

Congratulations! :Clap: They are precious! Please visit our NICU forum for any support you need during and after their stay.

 

Congratulations!!

 

Congratulations!
Hope you can bring them home soon!

 

Congrats

angel

 

CONGATULATIONS!! They're adorable! I hope they are able to go home with you soon
jen

 

Congratulations...they are soooo cute. :banana:

 

YAY!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! :birthday: SWEET BOYS!!!

 

QUOTE(Heathermomof5 @ Sep 24 2008, 12:11 PM) [snapback]994680[/snapback]
YAY!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! :birthday: SWEET BOYS!!!

EEEEEeeee! Babiessss! (And by the way, my son's named Owen Michael too! It's a really good yelling name-"OWEN MICHAEL, GET YOUR BACKSIDE OVER HERE!!!" Lol...)

Congratulations!

 

They are adorable!

It looks like one is blessing the other.

 

Congratulations on two healthy little boys! :Clap:

Rest up because those feeder/growers will be home before you know it.