16.8.2010
Arrived at the hospital just after 9 this morning and had just missed Dr Long’s examination of the twins. He said that he was pleased with them both. William’s nurse however is concerned that has gained too much weight (80g) and may be retaining fluid. Apparently his heart murmur was louder this morning and his pulses were high! But the general trend of his weight gain looks steady I think as he has been static for a few days. He now weighs 1540g which is approximately 3lb 6oz. He will have 4 hours off CPAP today starting at 3pm. His cares are also due at 3pm. His nurse today seems very strict on timings! Great!
Esther has also gained weight. 50 grams! Hurrah! She now weighs 1220g which is 2lb 11oz. William’s birth weight! I can’t believe that he was ever that small! Esther’s cares are due today at 12 and 6. I think that today is going to be a very different experience from yesterday!
Thinking about tomorrow. David and I are having an admin day. We have an appointment to register Esther and William’s birth at 9.30am. Will then either do some work in the house or go to collect a cot from a friend, and maybe to try out car seats! Then we will come to the hospital at 3pm until 9pm. This will allow us to see the babies off CPAP, have stories and songs then at 8pm have them out for cuddles or see them in the same incubator. Dave can drop me and then just come back at 7.30ish for cuddle time to enable him to do some work. We can then get something for tea on the way home.
William pulled his feeding tube out this morning and so had to have a new one pushed down.
Just looking at CPAP machines. William is in air (21% oxygen) and Esther is on 31%. Such a difference!
Esther is alarming high for oxygen levels quite frequently but her nurse is busy elsewhere. It is silly! I could adjust the levels myself. I know how! I could at least silence the alarm!
The ward is short of doctors today and so routine bloods may be postponed until tomorrow. That will be very annoying as I want to know Esther’s haemoglobin levels.
Esther’s oxygen has been reduced to 28% and she is doing well.
26%!
So much for strict timings for William! He still has no tube so at 10.20am has still not had his 10.00 feed! I must do milk!
After milk I filled in my child benefit form. We will get £33.20 a week but paid four weekly, so £132.80 a month for things for the babies. That is good. Combined with maternity allowance could actually be very good.
Just before 12pm I did Esther’s cares including milk on a stick and oiling her limbs. She was wide awake and seemed to be having a lovely time.
At 12.30 pm I came for lunch as we are having cuddles from 1pm – 3pm. I hope my back can take it!
Didn’t need to worry about my back, it was Esther that could not handle lengthy cuddles today. As I predicted a cuddle with William was not offered and I did not ask. I will wait until there is a nurse on that I like.
Esther was very happy and relaxed being cuddled but she just could not keep the seal on her CPAP so her oxygen levels plummeted. We put her back into her incubator on 34% oxygen and she became more stable. Poor little Star! She was enjoying cuddles too, tucked up against Mummy’s tummy, inside a shirt smelling of Daddy and with one hand gripping tightly on to my nipple!
Hopefully will have cuddles with them both tomorrow.
I did William’s cares at 2.30pm. I really took my time with his mouth, nappy, body wash and oiling his skin. He was good as gold.
While I was with him Esther pulled her feeding tube out! She is struggling a bit today. I hope they do her blood tests tonight or tomorrow. I think her Hb must have dropped. She needed lots of ambient oxygen whilst off CPAP and still desaturated a lot. Her little lungs just get too tired, you can see by looking at her that she really has to work hard to do it on her own. She seems to breathe with her whole body. It makes me so sad and scared to watch her sometimes. I love her so much and hate to see her struggle.
William came off his CPAP at 3pm. He was wide awake, so alert and so very very cute. I think that he charmed Clare on her visit to make her remember him while she is away. She flies to India tomorrow and I am going to really miss having her around.