Four day old babies! Update and Pics

As of 61 and 38 minutes ago, Michael and Jeremiah turned FOUR days old!

Update on the little people:
They are both doing so well. We are so proud of them! Michael is still off of everything and now Jeremiah is now off of everything! Oxygen, feeding tube and IV! The nurse said the "light bulb" went off and he just took off eating like a champ! He drank all of his bottles beautifully! They don't see any reason why either of them would have to have the feeding tube again. So that is very encouraging! They have continued to have episodes of their heart rate dropping, but after reviewing things over with the doctors, they came to the conclusion that it is probably reflux that is causing it. Everytime the heart rate drops, none of the other stats drop with it. So the doctor is adding a medicine called "Simply Thick" in their bottles that will weigh the liquid down so it won't come up. Since they have been on that (Which they started this morning) Michael hasn't had any episodes and Jeremiah has had one. They both had one prior to the medicine earlier this morning, so that sets them back again and we are looking at 4-5 days from today that they could come home. So please pray that this medicine will solve things and that they will be able to come home in 4-5 days. They could be doing well and then when they try to ween them off of the medicine in a few days, they could have another episode and set the clock back again. So we are hoping they do well and then in a few days, as their body is growing more and developing more to term, that they will grow out of it as their bodies grow. I asked how they would do with breastfeeding, since you can't add the Simply Thick. They said that they might not even have the issue with breastfeeding, because breast milk is the best thing for them and it is the exact temperature that they need. Also, breastfeeding is controlled by the boys - they determine the pace instead of the bottle dripping and the boys having to catch up to it. She said the pace might also help with the reflux. So - we are praying that these little guys grow out of these episodes soon and can come home soon!

Update on the big people:
Today was a much better day but it was still very tough at the same time. Mike and I were going to go see the boys at 8-9 this morning, but I woke up SO tired and after pumping had to get more sleep. Everytime Mike came to wake me up I was still exhausted, so we decided to let me sleep a lot longer and go in later. I felt much better after that - I was more rested, and physically felt a lot better. Once we got to the NICU I had to pump and was still concerned that I was engourged. I talked to the nurses about it and there happened to be a NICU nurse that was also a lactaction consultant that specialized in nursing preemies! She was SO helpful. She said that I was engourged and showed me how to help that. She gave me LOTS of pumping techniques and was there for help when it was time to nurse the boys. Both boys nursed VERY well and both received milk/colostrum. I had been given lots of help prior and been told lots of advice, but didn't realize that with preemies it is totally different - so it was nice to have someone who was trained to nurse preemies help me out! One neat thing she told me was that if I pump at their bedside in the NICU, that my milk will produce antibodies needed to fight germs that are in the NICU! Isn't that amazing! Every day we learn more and more about how our bodies were created to take care of our children and we are in awe of how God designed this!

I told Mike earlier, that although my desire would be for the boys to be at home with us, I am not sure what I would have done if they came home with us. I would be exhausted more then I already am. I am thankful that they are being well taken care of and that we have had the support from the NICU nurses to help breastfeed and other logistics with babies. I feel that now I can have a good grasp on feeding them before we bring them home and that we can feel more prepared taking care of preemies!

We stayed up there for about 6 hours and left - although it was a little easier, it was still very tough and I still left crying! I know that is the best place for them right now, but I just hate the thought of us driving away leaving our sons in the hospital - it just breaks our hearts!

Please pray for us this week - Mike starts classes again and he his also going to a preaching conference in town that we paid for back before we found out we were pregnant. I have some friends that can take me to the hospital to see the boys, but Mike won't get to see them a whole lot this week. :(

Well, I am finished pumping and need to go get my rest! Enjoy the pictures from today - The boys weren't very cooperative with the side by side pictures, so we will have to try again tomorrow!



Jeremiah: sorry that it's not his whole face - he was swaddled so tight we couldn't get it undone.


Michael Dean


Me and the boys


Jeremiah with NO TUBES! Poor thing still had red marks from the tape


Side by Side: Michael on the left, Jeremiah on the right (I think)