Bottle feeding.

Today the boys got their first bottle!! They both did very well. They each get 29 ml. of 26 calorie breastmilk (they have to add extra calories to the breastmilk to make it 26). Brady took 21 ml. and Chalrie took 20 ml - on their own! The rest was administered through their feeding tubes. They both had no brady's or desat's! They did so well! We are so proud! The dr. said they are doing very well and the nurse practitioner hinted she thought they would definitely be home before May 10 - their original due date.

Brady was taken off his nasal canula today as well. They had taken him down to .5 liters yesterday and was able to come off today. Charlie is on 1.5 liters and should be off his canula in the next couple days. Charlie weighs 3 lb. 4 oz. and Brady is 3 lbs. 9 oz. They are definitely growing! We've set Sunday, April 19 as our Baby Shower date. It's getting close, soon they will be home!

1 month in the NICU

Happy 1 month Birthday boys! As of yesterday, Sat Mar 14, our boys are 1 month old! It coincides with my cousin Ashley & Cory's Wedding, which was a nice get away for us. The boys are doing very well, still on the nasal canula's but hopefully they will be coming home soon. They both weigh a little under 3 lbs but are doing very well and are gaining weight every day. They have come a long way in such a short amount of time. I cant wait for them to come home!



Jeff and Charlie

Me and Brady


Charlie


Charlie


Jeff and Brady

3 weeks ago from this Saturday.

Well I suppose I should officially update this thing.

Its official. The boys are here! Born on Feb 14 2009 Valentines Day! at 27 weeks 6 days gestation. I developed severe pre-eclampsia and was no longer able to provide a healthy environment for them.

Brady Lee was 2 lbs. 12.75" long
Charlie Duane was 1 lb. 14 oz. 13" long

They are currently in the NICU.
We have had ups and downs but currently they are doing great and the nurses say they are very strong. They are off the ventilators and on to the CPAP things. They are like a nasal canula only the nose phalanges are longer and stick into nose more (which bothers them - they are constantly sneezing because it tickles their nose). After they are off these they will probably switch to a regular canula for extra oxygen even though they are on 21% which is room air (or so they tell me). Sometimes the boys have apnea and forget to breathe on their own so they will have a desaturation and thats where the oxygen comes in handy. Often they will pull the CPAP's out and sometimes the nurses wont hear an alarm, which means they are doing well on their own.
I have held both boys, and we are now able to kangaroo care (skin to skin) with the boys twice a week for now. Its absolutely amazing to hold them! We just took some pictures tonight so I will get that on here as soon as we get them uploaded. Lisa came up to the hospital the day after they were born and took some great photos. You can check those pics out on her Blog.
They are both still on TPN (Total Parental Nutrition) that helps give them extra calories throught their PICC lines. They are also receiving breastmilk through an orange tube that goes down to their stomachs. The next goal is to get them on relying on breastmilk wholely for their nutrition so they can take the PICC lines out, as well as to wean them off the CPAP's which I feel at this point could happen any day. The NP told me tonight that they kind of are dragging their feet at taking them off the CPAP's because they dont want to do it too soon. Luckily they are not on too much oxygen for it to cause additional problems.
The first week or so was more hectic and roller coastery. They have stopped causing so many problems and it looks like both boys are getting more healthy every day!