question about maintaining body temp

Any of you had twins who had trouble maintaining their body temps? We just got home from the hospital today with our 10-day-old twins. Our son is having a really hard time maintaining his temp, which, in turn, makes it hard for him to gain weight. He was 5.2 at birth, was 4.8 when discharged at 3 days old. We went back to the hospital 12 hours later, and he weighed on 4.6 lbs. He got up to 4.13 using an ng tube, but now that he's eating on his own and our of the incubator, he only weighs 4.8 again.

I was a little leary of bringing him home at such a low weight. Since we've been home (about 5 hours), his temp has dropped to 97.6 once. It came back up to 98.4 with lots of warmed up blankets and skin to skin contact.

Did any of you deal with this type of thing with your twins? How long does this usually last?

Thanks for your help.

Kendra

 

Any of you had twins who had trouble maintaining their body temps? We just got home from the hospital today with our 10-day-old twins. Our son is having a really hard time maintaining his temp, which, in turn, makes it hard for him to gain weight. He was 5.2 at birth, was 4.8 when discharged at 3 days old. We went back to the hospital 12 hours later, and he weighed on 4.6 lbs. He got up to 4.13 using an ng tube, but now that he's eating on his own and our of the incubator, he only weighs 4.8 again.

I was a little leary of bringing him home at such a low weight. Since we've been home (about 5 hours), his temp has dropped to 97.6 once. It came back up to 98.4 with lots of warmed up blankets and skin to skin contact.

Did any of you deal with this type of thing with your twins? How long does this usually last?

Thanks for your help.

Kendra

 

My kids were born at 35 weeks and weighed less than 5 lbs a piece when we brought them home. We had the same problem. We bundled them. Onesies, outfit, swaddled with 2 receiving blankets and put those little hats on their head at all times (most heat leaves the body through their head).....we would lay them in their bassinetts with about 2 blankets on them. That seemed to do the trick. When we gave them their sponge baths we would plug a little space heater up in their room and give them one on their changing table where it was nice and warm. Things will get better once they get a little bigger....try not to worry too much.

 

We had the same trouble. Ainsley was 3lbs 10oz when we brought her home and Carter was 4lbs something. We had long sleeve onsies, two hospital blankets for swaddling and hats on all the time. If the temp did drop, we warmed blankets in the dryer and wrapped in that.

I can't remember how long that lasted. It seemed like once they were up to about a newborn size...we stopped taking their temps. I don't know if that was fatige, or Drs orders.

 

My girls were born at 38.5 weeks at 6lb 8ou and 6lb 15ou. When I brought them home, they were both under 6 pounds, and we actually had to stay an extra night because one could not keep her temp up. Her temp was going down to 96.something. AFter a week at home, we took them in to have their temps checked, and they were 97.2, so we bundled them up for another week. At 2.5 weeks old, they finally had good temps. We kept our house cool, as it was summer, and my hormones and nursing were making me sweat! So, we kept them out of drafts, and we bundled them up. They wore a long sleeve sleeper, a sleep sack, socks, swaddled in two receiving blankets (and we swaddled tightly so trap in more air- two blankets are what they typically use in the NICU), hats all the time (you lose 75% of your body heat through your head), and then we put them side by side in the cradle with two more blankets over them. I don't think we really bathed them too much until their temps were up. We didnt constantly take their temps either...too much worrying. They did not gain too much the first week, but the second week they started to pork up and have yet to quit! Even after that, we back off a bit...but not too much...we were too afraid they would have to go back in the hospital in those toasters! I think it was 6 weeks when the I finally felt comfortable enough to allow the girls to wear their cute day gowns outside with nothing else on.
Just keep them bundled up and feed them regularly. If you can keep them plenty warm, then they can use their energy to gain weight- otherwise, they use all the food they eat just to try to keep warm.

 

Yes, my guys were really cold too. What's ironic is that I was worried about dealing with summer babies when I only had experience with winter babies. I was afraid they'd be too hot!

I bundled my guys up in a onesie, heavy sleeper with socks and hat, and wrapped them in at least 2 light blankets or 1 heavy blanket. I tried to keep them as warm as I could without them getting too sweaty. When they were about 2 months old (? or so) I didn't have to bundle them as much anymore. The trick to telling how warm they are is not to check their feet or hands. Feel inside their shirt on either their chest or upper back, that will give you the best idea.

 

It was a challenge for our kids for a week or so. We dressed them in long sleeved onesies, jammies, and then swaddled them around the clock in fleece swaddle blankets. They also wore beanies on their little bald heads around the clock!